CPSC nominees pledge independent judgment, tout data-driven takedowns amid Republican criticism of agency agenda

Five nominees appeared before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on June 25. Brian Lorenz and Karen Sessions, Presidentially nominated to fill two seats on the Consumer Product Safety Commission, told senators they would use independent judgment if confirmed and emphasized the agency’s recent shift toward data-driven enforcement.

The nominees framed the CPSC’s mission in practical terms. ‘‘The commission’s mission is to protect the public against unreasonable risks of injuries associated with consumer products,’’ Sessions said in her opening remarks, stressing decisions should be ‘‘grounded in facts, evidence, and the law.’’ Lorenz, the CPSC’s executive director, pointed to recent enforcement metrics: ‘‘the average number of monthly recalls is up 73%. The average number of monthly unilateral warnings is up 159%. The average number of monthly product screens at ports of entry is up 20% and the average number of monthly takedowns is up 208%,’’ he said, describing those figures as the result of a data-first approach.

Why it matters: The CPSC oversees product safety for millions of Americans and has broad statutory authority to regulate the physical safety of consumer goods. Senators on both sides pressed nominees on how the commission will handle emerging technologies, online marketplaces and pressure from the White House. Republican committee members argued the agency had pursued an ‘‘environmental and regulatory agenda’’ under prior commissioners; Democrats focused on modernization and enforcement tools.

During questioning, senators asked how the CPSC would approach products that incorporate artificial intelligence. Lorenz and Sessions both said the agency’s powers reside primarily over physical components and the resulting physical hazards. ‘‘We will look at where there is actually products that are causing death or hazard,’’ Lorenz said, describing plans to marry staff expertise with data analytics and automated tools to surface risk signals. Sessions added that improved timeliness of mortality data had been a recent operational improvement: the agency moved from receiving death-certificate data months or years late to near-real-time feeds in many states, which the nominees said helped target enforcement.

On independence, senators raised whether nominees would follow directives from the White House or exercise independent judgment on adjudicatory or enforcement matters. ‘‘We’ll use our independent judgment,’’ Lorenz replied when asked. Sessions gave the same assurance: ‘‘I will use my independent judgment.’’

What remained unresolved: Committee members pressed nominees on the limits of statutory authority and how the agency would balance enforcement with legal constraints. Republican senators referenced prior comments by a Biden-era commissioner about gas stoves and suggested the commission had been pursuing rules beyond its statutory remit; nominees emphasized they would act ‘‘within the limits of its statutory authorities.’’

Next steps: The committee set a deadline for senators’ questions for the record and for nominees’ responses. If confirmed by the Senate, Lorenz and Sessions would join the CPSC at a time of heightened scrutiny over how agencies use data and the scope of consumer-safety regulation.