CFA and Consumers Union Comments Federal Participation in The Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards and in Conformity Assessment Activities
Ensuring that products and services sold in the marketplace are safe should be a priority of the U.S. government as it is a priority for consumers and consumer advocates. Privatization of certain technical aspects of standards development, as provided in OMB Circular A-119, has the potential to reduce costs and harness industry expertise; but it also has the potential, without adequate oversight by the government and by the public, to fall short of its objectives, with safety considerations being shortchanged in a quest for cost savings or other private commercial goals. It is important that regulatory policy recognize this inherent risk and take adequate measures to protect against it.
