I 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5636 
To establish a comprehensive process to inform American consumers about 
food and product recalls, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 13, 2008 
Mr. LEWIS of Georgia introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To establish a comprehensive process to inform American 
consumers about food and product recalls, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Consumer Product and 
Food Safety Information Act of 2008’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to establish a simple, cen-
tralized, and comprehensive public information process to 
notify American consumers about product recalls. 
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SEC. 3. IMPROVED PUBLIC NOTICE OF PRODUCT RECALLS 
AND PRODUCT SAFETY INFORMATION. 
(a) PUBLIC INFORMATION INITIATIVE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The head of each enforce-
ment agency shall design and implement a public in-
formation plan to use agency and media resources to 
provide information to the public concerning— 
(A) the role of the agency in ensuring 
product safety; 
(B) steps consumers can take to enhance 
their safety while using products under the ju-
risdiction of the agency; 
(C) information about product recalls con-
cerning products under the jurisdiction of the 
agency; and 
(D) additional information that the agency 
head determines will enhance consumer safety. 
(2) COMPONENTS
OF
INITIATIVE.—The plan 
under paragraph (1) shall include procedures for de-
veloping and distributing the following materials: 
(A) Public service announcements under 
subsection (d). 
(B) Quarterly reports under subsection (e). 
(C) Posters and other materials under sub-
section (f). 
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(aa) to public schools; and 
(bb) to the public through 
the Department of Education 
Web site. 
(IV) The Government Printing 
Office, which, as determined appro-
priate by the Director of the Govern-
ment Printing Office, may distribute 
the materials to the Federal deposi-
tory libraries. 
(V) State and local government 
officials, including the head of a State 
department of health or its equivalent. 
(B) DISTRIBUTION TO THE PUBLIC.—The 
Commission shall make available to the public, 
upon request and without charge, copies of— 
(i) the quarterly reports under section 
(a)(2)(B); and 
(ii) any other materials collected for 
the clearinghouse that the Commission de-
termines is appropriate for direct distribu-
tion to members of the public. 
(5) TOLL-FREE NUMBER.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall 
establish a toll-free telephone number to— 
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(i) provide information about— 
(I) product recalls and product 
safety; and 
(II) materials available under 
paragraph (4)(B); and 
(ii) to allow individuals to request 
such materials. 
(B) ACCESSIBILITY.—The toll-free tele-
phone number shall make information avail-
able— 
(i) to the hearing impaired and the 
visually impaired; and 
(ii) in English, Spanish, French, Jap-
anese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and 
Tagalog. 
(C) FORM OF DISTRIBUTION.—The Com-
mission shall distribute materials in an elec-
tronic form unless the Commission determines 
that a hard copy is appropriate. 
(c) 
COMPREHENSIVE
PRODUCT
RECALL
WEB 
SITE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall estab-
lish a public Web site to provide information to the 
public about product recalls. 
(2) CONTENTS.— 
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(A) REQUIRED INFORMATION.—The Com-
mission shall include on the Web site— 
(i) information on product recalls, in-
cluding information on whether each prod-
uct recall was initiated by a Federal agen-
cy or by another entity; 
(ii) electronic versions of the quarterly 
reports under subsection (e); 
(iii) access to other information avail-
able in the clearinghouse established by the 
Commission under subsection (b); and 
(iv) a search function that allows 
users to use a single search to find product 
recalls concerning products under the ju-
risdiction of multiple enforcement agencies. 
(B) OPTIONAL INFORMATION.—The Com-
mission may include on the Web site— 
(i) additional information concerning 
product recalls, including press releases 
and links to other Web sites providing in-
formation about product recalls; 
(ii) information for consumers on 
product licensing, certification, and label-
ing, including links to other Web sites con-
taining such information; and 
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(iii) additional information on product 
safety for consumers, including links to 
other Web sites containing such informa-
tion. 
(3) DEADLINE.—The Commission shall make 
the Web site available to the public not later than 
30 days after the date of enactment of this Act. 
(4) UPDATES.—The Commission shall update 
the information on the Web site before the end of 
the 14-day period beginning on the date that new in-
formation listed in paragraph (2)(A) is submitted to 
the clearinghouse established under subsection (b). 
(5) LINKS.—The head of each enforcement 
agency, each relevant department, the Federal Trade 
Commission, and the Department of Education shall 
prominently display a link to the Web site estab-
lished under paragraph (1) on the public Web site 
of such agency or department, respectively. 
(d) PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The head of each enforce-
ment agency shall issue national public service an-
nouncements via newspaper, radio, television, and 
the Internet that contain— 
(A) information on— 
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(i) the role of the agency in product 
safety; 
(ii) the types of products regulated by 
the agency; 
(iii) the availability and location of 
print, Internet, and other resources on re-
cent product recalls, including information 
on the Web site established under sub-
section (c); 
(iv) the role of the consumer in— 
(I) evaluating the safety of a 
product prior to purchasing such 
product; 
(II) using a product in a safe 
manner; and 
(III) participating in a product 
recall; 
(B) contact information for consumers 
seeking information about product safety; and 
(C) other information that the head of the 
agency considers relevant to informing con-
sumers about product recalls and product safe-
ty. 
(2) REQUIRED
INFORMATION
FOR
A
PUBLIC 
SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT DESCRIBING A RECALL.— 
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If a public service announcement made under para-
graph (1) includes information about a specific prod-
uct recall, that announcement must state whether 
the product recall was initiated by a Federal agency 
or by a private entity. 
(3) FREQUENCY.—The head of each enforce-
ment agency shall issue the announcements required 
under paragraph (1) at least— 
(A) not later than the end of the 30-day 
period beginning on the date of issuance by the 
agency of each quarterly report under sub-
section (e); and 
(B) within— 
(i) the 7-day period ending on each 
Federal holiday; and 
(ii) the 7-day period beginning on 
each Federal holiday. 
(e) QUARTERLY REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after 
the end of each fiscal year quarter, the head of each 
enforcement agency shall issue in accordance with 
this subsection a report that lists all products that— 
(A) were subject to a product recall in the 
previous quarter; and 
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