CPSIA: A letter to Congressman Tim Ryan

http://coolmompicks.com/savehandmade/

The following is a letter that I sent to our Congressman, Tim Ryan.

Please consider helping to change the CPSIA guidelines put forth and to be in effect on February 10, 2009. I am one of hundreds of thousands of moms across the United States that handcrafts items for children. I make organization boards for hair bows. As of February 10, I will no longer be able to sell my Bow B's or it will be a felony.

Please know that the handcrafted market is something that our country was founded on. Ever since our country was conceived, there was handcrafted, homecrafted items for sale or trade. We were built on that! In the beginning, it was basically what supplied the original Mom and Pops.

Furthermore, I work at a locally owned art gallery, - - - - -. (Please link to www. - - - - .com.) One of my boss', L-, makes handcrafted fiber dolls that she has sold since the early 1970's. Another co-worker, A-, makes hand-crocheted baby hats. E-, the [boss'] daughter, makes handcrafted painted wall art suitable for adults and children. Along with myself, these handcrafters risk having a sizeable chunk if not all of their business suddenly illegal for sale.

I find this absolutely unacceptable.

We were not the businesses selling lead laden toys to our children.

We were not the businesses that marketed an ill-designed toy that when ingested metabolized to GHB.

We are not the businesses that put our children at risk. We have children of our own and we would never dream of putting them, their friends or the buying market at risk.

How is it that we should be punished for dangerous items accepted from a market that knowingly poisoned their own children with melamine in formula?

How is it that we should be punished because our country failed us by failing to check each container and each shipment that was received from China for merchandise marketed to our precious children?

I plea to you to please help us to rectify the details of this new law and make it so that the home based crafters can continue to sell our wares in our own country to our own children.

Sincerely,

Amy - - - - -

I would hope that if you find this subject as upsetting as I do, that you would consider clicking on the link above or the Save Handmade button on my sidebar and following their easy-to-use link to contact your representative.

Please understand that we aren't asking for exceptions. We aren't asking to be kept to a different quality standard than commercial crafters. We are asking for reasonable guidelines that enable us to continue to sell our wares to our children in our country.