Trump Nominates The Next CPSC Commissioner

William “Billy” Hewes III has been nominated by President Donald Trump to fill the seat on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC or Commission) vacated by former commissioner Douglas Dziak. Hewes’ nomination is now before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. If he’s ultimately confirmed by the Senate, Hewes’ term would run through October 26, 2031.

The Nominee

William Hewes has deep roots in the American south. Born in New Iberia, Louisiana, he soon moved to Gulfport, Mississippi. Hewes attended the University of Southern Mississippi and began his political career in 1992 as a member of the Mississippi State Senate (he represented the 49th district which contains Harrison County, Mississippi). Hewes remained in the Mississippi State Senate until 2012, serving as President Pro Tempore from 2008. Following his time in the state senate, Hewes was the Mayor of Gulfport, Mississippi from 2013 to June 2025. According to his LinkedIn profile, Hewes has been self-employed as a real estate broker and insurance agent for over 40 years. He has also served as an Advisory Board member for the U.S. National Park Service and FirstNet Board Member for the U.S. Department of Commerce.

We expect to learn more about Hewes, his approach to product safety, and his thoughts on the path forward for CPSC during his upcoming confirmation hearings (which have yet to be scheduled).

The Commission: Background and Recent Developments

By statute, CPSC can have up to five commissioners, with no more than three commissioners from the same political party. In May, President Trump fired CPSC’s three Democratic Commissioners, leaving the two Republican Commissioners, Dziak and Acting Chairman Peter Feldman. Then, on August 22, Dziak announced his resignation, leaving Acting Chairman Feldman as the sole commissioner. Before resigning, Dziak and Feldman delegated virtually all Commission authority, including regulatory, civil and criminal enforcement, and adjudicatory enforcement to the Chairman.

Notably, while the Consumer Product Safety Act provides that a two-member Commission has a quorum to conduct business (but only for up to six months), there is no express provision for a one-member Commission. If confirmed, Hewes would restore the Commission to that two-member threshold for up to six months.

The Trump administration has proposed eliminating the CPSC and folding its functions into the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. That change would require legislation, that has not yet been introduced. Whether Hewes’ nomination signals a shift away from a potential transfer of CPSC functions or if his nomination is somehow part of the strategy is unclear.

For questions about CPSC policy or about compliance with the CPSA, including timely reporting and recalls under Section 15(b) of the CPSA, or with other product safety matters, please reach out to the authors of this post or any of their colleagues on Arnold & Porter’s Consumer Product Safety team.

© Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP 2025 All Rights Reserved. This Advisory is intended to be a general summary of the law and does not constitute legal advice. You should consult with counsel to determine applicable legal requirements in a specific fact situation.