Consumer Safety Technology Act
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. McNERNEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation, H.R. 8128, the Consumer Safety Technology Act.
H.R. 8128 will encourage the use of emerging technologies, specifically artificial intelligence and blockchain, to help keep consumers safe, and it will aid our consumer protection agencies with carrying out their mission.
H.R. 8128 incorporates the AI for Consumer Product Safety Act, legislation that I authored with Representative Burgess. The provisions direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission, CPSC, to establish a pilot program for the agency to use AI in furtherance of the agency's work to protect consumers from unsafe products.
For example, CPSC could use AI to more quickly and efficiently identify consumer product hazards, such as exploding laptops that have faulty batteries, defective USB chargers, furniture that tips over, and unsafe infant sleep products. Being able to identify these hazards more quickly will enable the CPSC to also recall the products more quickly and, in turn, save lives.
We have heard firsthand from the CPSC Commissioners when they testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee that AI can benefit the agency's work in serving the American public.
I am pleased that just 2 weeks ago, the House passed my bill, H.R. 2575, the AI in Government Act, which will help the Federal Government increase AI adoption in a smart and responsible way. H.R. 8128 marks another critical step in advancing this effort.
H.R. 8128 also incorporates the Blockchain Innovation Act introduced by Representatives Soto, Guthrie, and Matsui. These provisions will help ensure that we can use the benefits of blockchain technology to stop scams and fraud.
Additionally, H.R. 8128 incorporates the Digital Taxonomy Act from Representatives Soto and Davidson. These provisions will help ensure that scammers and fraudsters don't get ahead of consumers and law enforcement in the realm of blockchain and digital tokens.
I want to thank Representatives Burgess, Soto, Guthrie, Matsui, and Davidson for their work on H.R. 8128 and Chairman Pallone and Ranking Member Walden for moving this legislation through the committee.
I urge my colleagues to support it.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source