Pelosi demands resignation of CPSC chief

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is calling for the resignation of the head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Nancy Nord.

The demand follows the recall of millions of Chinese-made toys. But the immediate issue is Nord refusing to go along with Democratic proposals to expand her agency’s budget and authority.

Pelosi says Nord “does not understand the gravity of the situation.” She says President Bush should step in and ask for the the acting chairman’s resignation.

Nord earlier this year told Congress the CPSC needed more people and money. But in a letter last week to the Senate Commerce Committee, she said a Democratic bill to expand the agency “could have the unintended consequence of hampering, rather than furthering, consumer product safety.”