There's still time to Stop the Globilization Act of 2008

Congress may still be on it's summer sabbatical it won't be long before work begins again in full swing. In a Presidential election year, all politicians are out to prove something, and this year is no exception. So if you want to be heard about something - now is the time to do it.

The FDA Globalization Act of 2008 is draft legislation which, if put into action, would impose such enormous fees on small cosmetic businesses - like Celtic Chairde Creations - that many of them would go out of business. This would mean fewer choices for you, the consumer, and higher prices from those choices you do have. But there are things you can do to keep this draft from going any further.

1) Sign the petition. If you go to the Indie Business Blog, you can sign the petition and joins hundreds of others in opposing the Globalization Act of 2008.

2) Write your Congressmen and Senators. Below is a sample letter that you can use, also from the Indie Business Blog:
Dear Representative [or Senator] Name:

I own a small cosmetics business in [state] and I am writing to you because I am familiar with your commitment to small businesses in our state. The draft discussion of the FDA Globalization Act of 2008 is now being marked up in the House Energy & Commerce Committee and I am strongly opposed to it.

The stated purposes of the draft law are to provide FDA with funding and to protect consumers. But cosmetics have a stellar safety record and there is no need to pass laws that would hurt small businesses while offering no safety benefits consumers.

If passed, the new law would impose fees on my business of from $2,000 to $12,000 per year and require me to comply with burdensome paperwork and manufacturing requirements that no small business can afford.

I write to ask you to vote against the FDA Globalization Act of 2008 when the time comes. At a time when small and family businesses like mine are dealing with increased shipping and materials costs, as well as increases in consumer prices, it is unfair and unnecessary to enact new laws that would put small businesses out of business. Please refer to a Petition that a trade group I belong to [am familiar with] has prepared to help spread the word. At the link, you can watch a short video, read the Petition and then read the comments of literally thousands of people across the nation, many in our state, who oppose this new law.

I would like to request a short telephone conference call meeting with a staffer in your office who handles important issues affecting small businesses. Please call or email to let me know who to contact about this urgent issue.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

[signed]


Most businesses have started out small, with a dream for something bigger and a desire to provide something unique for customers. This legislation, if passed, would kill more than small business owners dreams, it would kill a part of the American Dream.