Senate Begins Process to Approve Nominations of Potential Consumer Product Safety Commission Commissioners

On June 24, 2026, the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee (the “Committee”) held a hearing to examine the nominations of Republican nominees Mr. Brien Lorenze and Ms. Karen Sessions to be Commissioners of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The nominations hearing is the first step the Senate has taken to approve a new CPSC Commissioner since President Trump fired all of the Commission’s then-three Democratic Commissioners in May 2025. (President Trump had previously nominated William Hewes III in October 2025 to serve as a commissioner, but the Senate did not act on his nomination and returned it to the White House, which later withdrew the nomination.) As we previously wrote, CPSC has been operating with a single commissioner since August 2025.

Introduction

The Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), presided over the hearing and provided an introduction to the hearing. In his introduction, Sen. Cruz mentioned Mr. Lorenze’s current position as the Executive Director of the CPSC and his work alongside Acting Chairman Peter Feldman “to implement a data-first approach to enforcement.” He also briefly mentioned Mr. Lorenze’s previous work in “senior positions in government” and his background in data analytics. Sen. Cruz next gave a brief summary of Ms. Sessions’ work history, including her current position as a Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Department of Transportation, her previous position during the first Trump administration as a Senior Appointee in the Millennium Challenge Corporation, management roles in the telecommunications industry, and in an elected office in Florida. Sen. Cruz concluded his introduction with a description of the CPSC’s mission, a brief synopsis of the Commission’s activity surrounding gas stoves “under the Biden Administration” which he described as “radical” and part of “the Democrats’ long running war on oil and gas” and his statement in support of Mr. Lorenze and Ms. Sessions that they “will help get the CPSC back to doing its job and to refocus it on protecting consumers from unsafe products, not advancing the leftist agenda to try to fiddle with the earth’s thermostat.” 

Opening Statements

In his opening statement, Mr. Lorenze celebrated the CPSC's work in increasing the average number of monthly recalls (up 73%), unilateral warnings (up 159%), products screened at ports of entry (up 20%), and online product listing takedowns (up 208%). He stated that, if confirmed, his focus would be on the following priorities “central to advancing CPSC’s mission:” (1) addressing hidden and complex product hazards that consumers cannot reasonably identify or avoid on their own; (2) strengthening CPSC’s use of data, analytics, and technology to identify hazards earlier, improve enforcement, and target resources; and (3) ensuring CPSC keeps pace with innovation and emerging product risks. A copy of Mr. Lorenze’s prepared opening statement to the committee can be found here.

In her opening statement, Ms. Sessions described the current challenges facing the CPSC as “increasingly complex global supply chains, the growth of e-commerce marketplaces, and the expanding range of emerging and new products entering American homes at an accelerating pace.” Ms. Sessions stated that, if confirmed, she would approach her role as Commissioner “with integrity, sound judgment, and respect for the authorities Congress has entrusted to the Commission.” She also stated that she will “work collaboratively with my fellow Commissioners, agency staff, Congress, and stakeholders to advance the mission and ensure the agency remains an effective steward of the public trust.” A copy of Ms. Sessions’ prepared opening statement to the committee can be found here.

Question and Answer Session

During the question-and-answer period of the hearing, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) asked both Mr. Lorenze and Ms. Sessions if they would take directives from the White House or if they would use their independent judgment on matters that come before them as CPSC Commissioners. Both nominees stated that they would use their independent judgment. Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) asked the nominees how they would “leverage technology and data analytics to modernize the CPSC and better protect consumers in an increasingly complex marketplace?” Ms. Sessions answered that she believes that the Commission should continue to rely on “data-driven risk assessment decision making” to complete its “targeted enforcement to the standards that exist” and that she looks forward to bringing her expertise to those efforts. Mr. Lorenze responded that the CPSC is already doing a lot for “evidence-based decision making”. He touted improvements to the CPSC’s efficiency, including the Commission's receipt and review of death certificates, and an increase in takedowns of dangerous products from online marketplaces, as recent successes. Finally, Sen. Cruz asked Mr. Lorenze, “How should the CPSC think about the regulation of products with an artificial intelligence component, such as an AI-powered lawn mower or toy,” and asked for confirmation that “the CPSC should focus on the physical components of the product.” Mr. Lorenze confirmed that the CPSC’s authority over AI-enabled consumer products  lies in the physical components of the product and stated that the Commission needs to remain attentive to emerging risks arising from AI-enabled products and work with the Committee to address them. Sen. Cruz concluded the question-and-answer period of the hearing by asking both nominees if they would pledge to work collaboratively with the Committee (including by providing thorough and timely responses to the Committee's requests and appearing for hearings) if confirmed. Both nominees attested that, if confirmed, they would work collaboratively with the Committee.

Sen. Cruz stated that he had various letters of support for Mr. Lorenze and Ms. Sessions and asked for unanimous consent to enter them into the hearing record. Written questions for the nominees from Senators are due by Friday, June 26, 2026. Written responses to those questions are due by Tuesday, June 30, 2026. A video of the full hearing can be found here.

Conclusion

The next step in the confirmation process would typically be a vote by the Committee. If the nominations are reported favorably from committee, they would then proceed to the floor for a vote of the full Senate. As of this writing, a committee vote had not been scheduled.

If confirmed, CPSC’s quorum would be restored, and the agency would remain under one-party control. Arnold & Porter’s Consumer Product Safety team will be following the process closely. 

© Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP 2026 All Rights Reserved. This Blog post 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.