Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA, 1972)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (15 U.S.C. § 2051 et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
The CPSA was enacted to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with consumer products. It created the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Prior to 1972, consumer product regulation was scattered across various agencies, leaving many household goods unregulated for safety. The CPSA centralized oversight.