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Notes and News on Obama, CPSC Reform, and Tax Extenders

September 16, 2008—Senator Barack Obama revealed more details of his education platform at a speech last week. Highlights include doubling federal spending on public charter schools while holding those with poor records accountable; rewriting NCLB to offer more help to high-need schools, especially by training thousands of new teachers; judging teacher performance by peer review, student test results, classroom evaluations or other processes; expanding early childhood education; and a new $500 million matching fund for technology in the classroom.

For more information
"Obama unveils plans for education reform"
USA TODAY

"Obama Looks to Lessons From Chicago in His National Education Plan"
The New York Times

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is seeking comments on Section 105 of HR 4040, which deals with labeling requirements for advertising toys and games. Comment areas include:

• The size and placement of cautionary statements in catalogues and other written materials in light of the statutory requirement to post these statements in a manner consistent with part 1500 of title 16 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
• The impact of the advertising requirements on businesses.
• How often catalogues or other written materials are published and how much lead time is required to prepare these materials for publication.
• Whether and why a grace period may be needed for catalogues and other printed material.
• Whether the advertising requirements for catalogues and other printed materials should also apply to materials distributed solely between businesses and not to ultimate consumers, and, if so, how the Commission can distinguish catalogues distributed solely between businesses from those intended for final distribution to the ultimate consumers, which may include institutions such as schools and day care centers.

Comments must be received by the Office of Secretary not later than October 15, 2008. Comments may be filed by email to cpsc-os@cpsc.gov. Comments may also be filed by facsimile to (301) 504-0127 or by mail or delivery to the Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Room 502, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland. Comments should be captioned “Section 105 Advertising Requirements.”

For more information

"Labeling Requirement for Advertising Toys and Games Section 105 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (“CPSIA”) Request for Comments and Information"

"Summary of Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 H.R. 4040 As Approved by the House and Senate, July 2008"
Toy Industry Association, Inc.

According to The National Journal, Senate leadership and tax-writers have begun to discuss the tax extenders legislation again. Senate Majority Leader Reid has said that the bill could be taken up again after the defense reauthorization. The main issue, as mentioned in previous issues of AEP Online, is how to pay for the tax extenders. The Journal reports that Republicans want either longer extensions or a reduction in some of the revenues used to pay for it, but Democrats, particularly in the House, are adamant that all of the business provisions are fully offset.

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