15 USC 2053 - Consumer Product Safety Commission

U.S Code last checked for updates: Mar 13, 2025

§ 2053.

Consumer Product Safety Commission

(a)

Establishment; Chairman

(b)

Term; vacancies

(1)

Except as provided in paragraph (2), (A) the Commissioners first appointed under this section shall be appointed for terms ending three, four, five, six, and seven years, respectively, after October 27, 1972, the term of each to be designated by the President at the time of nomination; and (B) each of their successors shall be appointed for a term of seven years from the date of the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed.

(2)

Any Commissioner appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of such term. A Commissioner may continue to serve after the expiration of this term until his successor has taken office, except that he may not so continue to serve more than one year after the date on which his term would otherwise expire under this subsection.

(c)

Restrictions on Commissioner’s outside activities

(d)

Quorum; seal; Vice Chairman

(e)

Offices

(f)

Functions of Chairman; request for appropriations

(1)

The Chairman of the Commission shall be the principal executive officer of the Commission, and he shall exercise all of the executive and administrative functions of the Commission, including functions of the Commission with respect to (A) the appointment and supervision of personnel employed under the Commission (other than personnel employed regularly and full time in the immediate offices of commissioners other than the Chairman), (B) the distribution of business among personnel appointed and supervised by the Chairman and among administrative units of the Commission, and (C) the use and expenditure of funds.

(2)

In carrying out any of his functions under the provisions of this subsection the Chairman shall be governed by general policies of the Commission and by such regulatory decisions, findings, and determinations as the Commission may by law be authorized to make.

(3)

Requests or estimates for regular, supplemental, or deficiency appropriations on behalf of the Commission may not be submitted by the Chairman without the prior approval of the Commission.

(g)

Executive Director; officers and employees

(1)

(A)

The Chairman, subject to the approval of the Commission, shall appoint as officers of the Commission an Executive Director, a General Counsel, an Associate Executive Director for Engineering Sciences, an Associate Executive Director for Epidemiology, an Associate Executive Director for Compliance and Administrative Litigation, an Associate Executive Director for Health Sciences, an Associate Executive Director for Economic Analysis, an Associate Executive Director for Administration, an Associate Executive Director for Field Operations, a Director for Office of Program, Management, and Budget, and a Director for Office of Information and Public Affairs. Any other individual appointed to a position designated as an Associate Executive Director shall be appointed by the Chairman, subject to the approval of the Commission. The Chairman may only appoint an attorney to the position of Associate Executive Director of Compliance and Administrative Litigation except the position of acting Associate Executive Director of Compliance and Administrative Litigation.

(B)

(i)

No individual may be appointed to such a position on an acting basis for a period longer than 90 days unless such appointment is approved by the Commission.

(ii)

The Chairman, with the approval of the Commission, may remove any individual serving in a position appointed under subparagraph (A).

(C)

Subparagraph (A) shall not be construed to prohibit appropriate reorganizations or changes in classification.

(2)

The Chairman, subject to subsection (f)(2), may employ such other officers and employees (including attorneys) as are necessary in the execution of the Commission’s functions.

(3)

In addition to the number of positions authorized by section 5108(a) of title 5, the Chairman, subject to the approval of the Commission, and subject to the standards and procedures prescribed by chapter 51 of title 5, may place a total of twelve positions in grades GS–16, GS–17, and GS–18.

(4)

The appointment of any officer (other than a Commissioner) or employee of the Commission shall not be subject, directly or indirectly, to review or approval by any officer or entity within the Executive Office of the President.

(5)

The Chairman may provide to officers and employees of the Commission who are appointed or assigned by the Commission to serve abroad (as defined in section 102 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 3902)) travel benefits similar to those authorized for members of the Foreign Service of the United Service under chapter 9 1

 See References in Text note below.

of such Act (22 U.S.C. 4081 et seq.).

(h)

Omitted

(i)

Civil action against United States

Subsections (a) and (h) of section 2680 of title 28 do not prohibit the bringing of a civil action on a claim against the United States which—

(1)

is based upon—

(A)

misrepresentation or deceit on the part of the Commission or any employee thereof, or

(B)

any exercise or performance, or failure to exercise or perform, a discretionary function on the part of the Commission or any employee thereof, which exercise, performance, or failure was grossly negligent; and

(2)

is not made with respect to any agency action (as defined in section 551(13) of title 5).

In the case of a civil action on a claim based upon the exercise or performance of, or failure to exercise or perform, a discretionary function, no judgment may be entered against the United States unless the court in which such action was brought determines (based upon consideration of all the relevant circumstances, including the statutory responsibility of the Commission and the public interest in encouraging rather than inhibiting the exercise of discretion) that such exercise, performance, or failure to exercise or perform was unreasonable.

(j)

Agenda and priorities; establishment and comments

(Pub. L. 92–573, § 4, Oct. 27, 1972, 86 Stat. 1210; Pub. L. 94–284, §§ 4, 5(a), May 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 504; Pub. L. 95–631, § 2, Nov. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 3742; Pub. L. 96–373, Oct. 3, 1980, 94 Stat. 1366; Pub. L. 101–608, title I, §§ 102–105(a), Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 3110, 3111; Pub. L. 112–74, div. C, title V, § 501, Dec. 23, 2011, 125 Stat. 907.)

cite as: 15 USC 2053