CPSC head says she won't resign

updated 11:05 a.m. ET Oct. 31, 2007

WASHINGTON - The head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, under fire for a host of recalls of Chinese-made toys, said Wednesday she won't heed Democratic lawmakers' calls for her resignation.

"At this point I have no intention of resigning," said acting Chairwoman Nancy Nord . "I'm doing my job, and part of my job is to talk with Congress about the tools and resources we need."

Nord rejected criticism that she is controlled by the White House and too cozy with manufacturers.

"I'm dedicated to the mission of this agency. We work every day to make sure the marketplace is safe for consumers," she said in an interview on CBS' "The Early Show" on Wednesday.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi a day earlier called for Nord's resignation, saying that even after the recalls of millions of Chinese-manufactured toys marketed in the United States, Nord has failed to see the gravity of the situation and continues to oppose Democrats' efforts to double her agency's funding and give it more authority.

Nord and the White House say they're not against modernizing and expanding the agency, but several parts of the Democrats' legislation concerns them. Nord says she only wants to add the right types of employees.

"I want to be hiring more safety inspectors and scientists and compliance officers, I don't want to be hiring lawyers," Nord said.

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