New CR investigation published today finds the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission in a diminished state following more than a year of staff cuts and institutional upheaval
WASHINGTON, DC—A Consumer Reports (CR) investigation released today found that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)—which oversees the safety of more than 15,000 categories of products in the U.S.—has become smaller, slower, and less open to the public since early 2025, according to numerous former agency staffers and outside experts. In light of these findings, CR is calling on CPSC’s leaders to take several key steps to get the agency back on track.
For decades, the CPSC has used data, testing, public input, and safety standards to prevent injuries and save lives. However, CR’s investigation found that over the past year and a half, safety rules intended to prevent harms like carbon monoxide poisoning, table saw injuries, and other serious hazards have stalled or been withdrawn. The position of consumer ombudsman, which helped consumers and bereaved family members report problems and navigate the agency, was eliminated. Public hearings that used to invite input from safety advocates and parents have also largely stopped.
“The CPSC must be willing and able under any administration to set new rules—leveraging the expertise of its scientists and engineers to inform strong, evidence-based product safety standards that save lives and prevent injuries,” said Gabe Knight, senior safety policy analyst at Consumer Reports. “And the Commission needs to make it a top priority to engage with consumers directly, to help them keep their loved ones safe and prevent future tragedies.”
Leadership of the CPSC has said that the agency has increased its emphasis on enforcement, reporting a record 542 recalls and product safety warnings in 2025. While recalls, warnings, and other enforcement actions are important for responding to product hazards already in the market and in homes, they cannot replace strong, forward-looking safety standards that prevent dangerous products from reaching consumers in the first place.
With two new commissioners taking office over the summer, the CPSC now has the minimum number of commissioners (three) generally required to have a quorum. Previously, the agency operated without a quorum for more than a year—following the unprecedented firing of three commissioners without cause in mid-2025—making it more difficult for the agency to carry out its work.
In a new consumer petition to the CPSC, CR is calling on the agency to fulfill its vital role in creating new safety standards by finalizing outstanding rules and developing new ones to address known and emerging hazards. CR is also asking the agency to recommit to being open and accessible to the public by reinstating the consumer ombudsman role and holding a meaningful public hearing on its annual priorities.
Lawmakers and the administration also have a role to play. “For the CPSC to be the independent-minded regulator Congress envisioned when it created the agency, the White House needs to nominate and the Senate needs to confirm commissioners from both parties,” added Knight.
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Media Contact: Emily Akpan, emily.akpan@consumer.org