Latest news with #Maddox
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Opinion - Don't make me the last chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission
In what may be the first for an independent federal agency, the Consumer Product Safety Commission submitted a budget request to Congress last month proposing its own elimination. The Trump administration seeks to absorb elements of the commission into the Department of Health and Human Services in order to eliminate the agency's independence and reduce the transparency of its operations. The budget request also seeks to decrease the number of employees by 75 (to a total of 459) and reduce its budget by $16 million. If this budget request becomes law, I would likely be the last confirmed chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. It would mark the end of the commission as an independent agency dedicated to protecting the public from unsafe consumer products, and it would reverse 53 years of progress in product safety. This budget request would never have existed if Trump had not unlawfully removed three sitting commissioners, including myself, last month. U.S. District Court Judge Maddox found the president's actions unlawful on June 13, enabling us to resume our jobs as commissioners. However, the Trump administration has appealed this ruling and continues to seek our removal. President Richard Nixon signed the Consumer Product Safety Act into law in 1972, establishing CPSC as a bipartisan, independent agency led by five commissioners who are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Prior to that, the Department of Commerce and the Food and Drug Administration had responsibility for product safety, but their efforts lacked focus — as a result, Americans suffered. In the lead up to the creation of the CPSC, President Lyndon Johnson recognized that 'the homes that we live in can be more dangerous than a booby-trapped mine field' and that change was needed. The Consumer Product Safety Commission was created to clear this mine field. In establishing the agency, Congress recognized that its independence was important to ensure that it remained unfettered by political dictates and self-interested pressure from industry. Congress mandated that no more than three commissioners can belong to the same political party; that they are to be appointed to staggered terms, to ensure only a portion of their terms expire at any given time; and that they can only be removed for cause. These legal provisions were designed to prevent swift, drastic changes in the agency's composition and, ultimately, its regulations and policies. The commission's current structure promotes stability and continuity, which benefits consumers as well as manufacturers and sellers. In the months leading up to our removal, my colleagues and I opposed staff reductions to meet arbitrary White House demands. We advanced proposed mandatory product safety standards to save lives — including from horrific fires ignited by faulty lithium-ion batteries. We rejected efforts to dismantle and embed CPSC into the Department of Health and Human Services. Within weeks of our unlawful terminations, the remaining commissioners withdrew the proposed lithium-ion battery safety rule and embraced the administration's efforts to abolish the agency's independence and downsize our staff. The consequences of our absence were plain as the administration moved forward to eliminate the agency and weaken its functions. The changes proposed by the Trump administration are wholly unnecessary. For over 50 years, the commission has validated the vision of Nixon and Congress for improving product safety. For example, crib fatalities have decreased by nearly 80 percent; pediatric poisonings have decreased by 80 percent; deaths from residential fires have decreased by more than 64 percent. There have been dramatic injury reductions as well. Bicycle injuries have declined by about 35 percent. Baby walker injuries, which resulted in 25,000 emergency room visits in 1992, had dropped by 88 percent by 2020. Because of the commission's safety rules, children no longer suffocate in refrigerators, get crushed by closing garage doors or get entrapped underwater in swimming pool drain covers. Safety standards ban lead in toys and ensure that products manufactured for infants and toddlers meet basic safety standards. The elimination of this agency and the incorporation of its parts into this administration's troubled HHS would put the agency's successes and future product safety progress at risk. As was recognized more than 50 years ago, product safety gets lost within a large department with competing priorities. It would be too easy to put recalls or new product safety standards on the back burner when HHS is faced with a revamp of the Medicare system and with millions losing access to health care. In addition, as resources become harder to find, product safety staff and money may be shifted to politically favored projects within HHS at the whim of the secretary. Without an independent Consumer Product Safety Commission, there will be far less accountability and transparency. When an agency is independent and commissioners come from multiple perspectives, undue political influence is moderated. The commissioners can work together to build consensus but also act as a check on each other. This ensures that the agency's actions are transparent to the public and the agency is not taking political direction to favor one company over another. That is why, once the full commission was reinstated, it submitted a new budget request that affirms the independence of the agency and seeks full funding of its operations. This, however, does not change the administration's proposal or the HHS budget request to eliminate it and absorb parts of it into HHS. The president's request threatens product safety. But, fortunately, eliminating the Consumer Product Safety Commission as it has existed for more than 50 years would require an act of Congress. There are Republican and Democratic members of Congress who recognize the importance of CPSC's work and its independence. I hope they can convince their colleagues to reject the president's proposal. I don't want to be the last confirmed chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. And none of us want to go back to the days when the homes that we live in were 'more dangerous than a booby-trapped mine field.' Alexander Hoehn-Saric served as chair of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission from October 2021 through January 2025 and is now serving as a commissioner. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
11 hours ago
- Business
- The Hill
Don't make me the last chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission
In what may be the first for an independent federal agency, the Consumer Product Safety Commission submitted a budget request to Congress last month proposing its own elimination. The Trump administration seeks to absorb elements of the commission into the Department of Health and Human Services in order to eliminate the agency's independence and reduce the transparency of its operations. The budget request also seeks to decrease the number of employees by 75 (to a total of 459) and reduce its budget by $16 million. If this budget request becomes law, I would likely be the last confirmed chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. It would mark the end of the commission as an independent agency dedicated to protecting the public from unsafe consumer products, and it would reverse 53 years of progress in product safety. This budget request would never have existed if Trump had not unlawfully removed three sitting commissioners, including myself, last month. U.S. District Court Judge Maddox found the president's actions unlawful on June 13, enabling us to resume our jobs as commissioners. However, the Trump administration has appealed this ruling and continues to seek our removal. President Richard Nixon signed the Consumer Product Safety Act into law in 1972, establishing CPSC as a bipartisan, independent agency led by five commissioners who are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Prior to that, the Department of Commerce and the Food and Drug Administration had responsibility for product safety, but their efforts lacked focus — as a result, Americans suffered. In the lead up to the creation of the CPSC, President Lyndon Johnson recognized that 'the homes that we live in can be more dangerous than a booby-trapped mine field' and that change was needed. The Consumer Product Safety Commission was created to clear this mine field. In establishing the agency, Congress recognized that its independence was important to ensure that it remained unfettered by political dictates and self-interested pressure from industry. Congress mandated that no more than three commissioners can belong to the same political party; that they are to be appointed to staggered terms, to ensure only a portion of their terms expire at any given time; and that they can only be removed for cause. These legal provisions were designed to prevent swift, drastic changes in the agency's composition and, ultimately, its regulations and policies. The commission's current structure promotes stability and continuity, which benefits consumers as well as manufacturers and sellers. In the months leading up to our removal, my colleagues and I opposed staff reductions to meet arbitrary White House demands. We advanced proposed mandatory product safety standards to save lives — including from horrific fires ignited by faulty lithium-ion batteries. We rejected efforts to dismantle and embed CPSC into the Department of Health and Human Services. Within weeks of our unlawful terminations, the remaining commissioners withdrew the proposed lithium-ion battery safety rule and embraced the administration's efforts to abolish the agency's independence and downsize our staff. The consequences of our absence were plain as the administration moved forward to eliminate the agency and weaken its functions. The changes proposed by the Trump administration are wholly unnecessary. For over 50 years, the commission has validated the vision of Nixon and Congress for improving product safety. For example, crib fatalities have decreased by nearly 80 percent; pediatric poisonings have decreased by 80 percent; deaths from residential fires have decreased by more than 64 percent. There have been dramatic injury reductions as well. Bicycle injuries have declined by about 35 percent. Baby walker injuries, which resulted in 25,000 emergency room visits in 1992, had dropped by 88 percent by 2020. Because of the commission's safety rules, children no longer suffocate in refrigerators, get crushed by closing garage doors or get entrapped underwater in swimming pool drain covers. Safety standards ban lead in toys and ensure that products manufactured for infants and toddlers meet basic safety standards. The elimination of this agency and the incorporation of its parts into this administration's troubled HHS would put the agency's successes and future product safety progress at risk. As was recognized more than 50 years ago, product safety gets lost within a large department with competing priorities. It would be too easy to put recalls or new product safety standards on the back burner when HHS is faced with a revamp of the Medicare system and with millions losing access to health care. In addition, as resources become harder to find, product safety staff and money may be shifted to politically favored projects within HHS at the whim of the secretary. Without an independent Consumer Product Safety Commission, there will be far less accountability and transparency. When an agency is independent and commissioners come from multiple perspectives, undue political influence is moderated. The commissioners can work together to build consensus but also act as a check on each other. This ensures that the agency's actions are transparent to the public and the agency is not taking political direction to favor one company over another. That is why, once the full commission was reinstated, it submitted a new budget request that affirms the independence of the agency and seeks full funding of its operations. This, however, does not change the administration's proposal or the HHS budget request to eliminate it and absorb parts of it into HHS. The president's request threatens product safety. But, fortunately, eliminating the Consumer Product Safety Commission as it has existed for more than 50 years would require an act of Congress. There are Republican and Democratic members of Congress who recognize the importance of CPSC's work and its independence. I hope they can convince their colleagues to reject the president's proposal. I don't want to be the last confirmed chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. And none of us want to go back to the days when the homes that we live in were 'more dangerous than a booby-trapped mine field.' Alexander Hoehn-Saric served as chair of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission from October 2021 through January 2025 and is now serving as a commissioner.
Business Wire
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Matt Maddox Joins DirectDefense as Vice President of Professional Services
DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- DirectDefense, a leading information security services company, today announced that Matt Maddox has joined the company as Vice President of Professional Services. In this role, Maddox will lead DirectDefense's growing portfolio of industry-leading security services, including web application, network, cloud, API, thick client, mobile, OT, and embedded systems penetration testing. Maddox brings more than 20 years of technical and leadership experience building high-performance global consulting organizations. Most recently, he served as Managing Principal at Black Duck Software (formerly Synopsys), where he oversaw a $30 million annual security consulting practice focused on DevSecOps, AI/ML security, vulnerability management, and cybersecurity governance for clients. A former Army officer and Airborne Ranger, Maddox has led professional services teams at Dell Technologies, Rackspace, Cisco Systems, and Accenture. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Economics from the University of Virginia. 'Matt's track record of building world-class consulting teams and driving exceptional client results makes him a perfect fit for DirectDefense,' said Jim Broome, President and CTO of DirectDefense. 'His strategic mindset and deep technical background will be invaluable as we expand our services and continue delivering trusted, high-impact security solutions to our clients.' At DirectDefense, Maddox will focus on scaling service delivery, optimizing operational efficiency, and partnering closely with clients to reduce risk, ensure compliance, and support long-term growth. His experience includes leading greenfield sales and growing existing client relationships. 'DirectDefense has built a strong reputation for delivering customized programs based on proven methodologies that build resiliency,' said Matt Maddox, Vice President of Professional Services. 'I'm joining the team to help scale that impact by strengthening our service delivery, deepening client partnerships, and ensuring that our clients raise their security posture.' Learn more about DirectDefense's professional services: About DirectDefense, Inc. DirectDefense provides enterprise risk assessments, penetration testing, ICS/SCADA security services, and 24/7 managed security services for companies of all sizes. Focused on building security resiliency, the firm offers comprehensive security testing services with specialization in application security, vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and compliance assurance testing. Its team of highly talented consultants has worked with the majority of the Fortune 100 companies, in industries such as power and utility, gaming, retail, financial, media, travel, aerospace, healthcare, and technology. More information can be found at
News24
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
Brad Pitt reportedly cuts ties with sons Pax and Maddox amid ongoing family feud
Brad Pitt is reportedly stopped trying to fix his relationship with his two eldest sons, Maddox (23) and Pax (21), as his bitter divorce from his ex-wife, Angelina Jolie, continues to take its toll. A source close to the 61-year-old actor has revealed that Brad feels his relationship with his adopted sons is broken beyond repair. Last month Pax was spotted in an inebriated state, needing support from friends as he exited an hotel before making his way to a strip club in Hollywood. In response to the incident, an insider revealed that Brad has had enough of Pax's antics. 'He has zero concern with what Pax does or doesn't do,' the source said. 'Brad honestly considers his relationship with Pax unfixable.' The Fight Club star reportedly believes there's nothing more he can do. 'They're old enough to make their own choices and their choices include drama, that's all on them,' the source said. It's believed Brad is convinced Angelina (50) has encouraged the rift between him and Maddox, who was born in Cambodia, and Pax, who hails from Vietnam, but sources close to the actress say she's devastated about how things have unravelled. The tension between Brad and Maddox dates back to a September 2016 incident on a private plane, where Maddox was reportedly involved in a physical confrontation with his father. It was this altercation that seemed to lead led to Angie filing for divorce. In 2019, when asked about their relationship, Maddox, who studied biochemistry at Korea's Yonsei University and served as a production assistant on his mother's 2024 movie, Maria, said, 'whatever happens, happens'. READ MORE| Brad and Angie's dance-loving daughter is forging her own path with support from close friend Keoni Since the plane incident Maddox and Brad have struggled to see eye-to-eye, while Pax has been openly showing his resentment towards their father. In 2020 Pax, who since finishing high school has had various behind-the-scenes roles in the film industry, including set photographer and assistant director, took to Instagram on Father's Day to call Brad a 'world-class ass**'. He accused Brad of causing his four youngest children – Zahara (20), Shiloh (19) and twins Knox and Vivienne (both 16) – to 'tremble in fear' and of showing 'no regard or empathy' towards him and Maddox. 'You have made the lives of those closest to me a constant hell,' Pax said, adding, 'you will never understand the damage you have done because you are incapable of doing so'. PHOTO:It's not only the older boys who have pulled away from their father. Zahara, Vivienne and Shiloh have also distanced themselves by dropping the Pitt surname. Zahara introduced herself as Zahara Marley Jolie at a university sorority event, Vivienne was credited as Vivienne Jolie in a Broadway show and on her 18th birthday Shiloh filed paperwork to legally drop Pitt from her surname. A source close to Angelina says Brad should stop playing the victim and admit that his estrangement from his kids isn't due to their mother but rather how he treated them. 'He should stop blaming others. If he wants to rebuild a relationship with the kids he should acknowledge his own actions and make amends,' the source said.
Daily Mail
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Brad Pitt reveals bald spot while spending Fathers Day 3,000 miles away from estranged kids
Hollywood hunk Brad Pitt appears to be suffering from a bit of hair loss. While the 61-year-old has been rocking a buzz cut as of late, a bald spot was visible as he signed autographs for fans while out in New York City on Sunday. Pitt, who is reportedly estranged from some of the six children he shares with ex Angelina Jolie, was spending Father's Day in the Big Apple - 2,778.4 miles away from Los Angeles, where the majority of their kids live. The actor - who reportedly believes his relationship with two of his children is 'unfixable - has been going full-steam ahead promoting his new F1 film around the world as of late, and his press tour has now taken him to the Big Apple. But he's been able to also spend quality time with his girlfriend Ines de Ramon, whom he was seen catching up with over a date night on Saturday. Pitt and Jolie, 50, who share Maddox, 23, Pax, 21, Zahara, 20, Shiloh, 19, and 16-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne, married in 2014 after falling for each other on the set of Mrs. & Mrs. Smith. Jolie filed for divorce in 2016—just days after a now-infamous private plane incident in which she accused Pitt of being physically abusive toward her and the kids. While the acrimonious divorce was finalized in December, the fallout from the split has remained, and Pitt is now reportedly estranged from many of their children. The split has also meant that Jolie must continue living in Los Angeles until her children turn 18, she recently revealed to The Hollywood Reporter. 'I am here because I have to be here from a divorce, but as soon as they're 18, I'll be able to leave,' she said. 'When you have a big family, you want them to have privacy, peace, safety. I have a house now to raise my children, but sometimes this place can be … that humanity that I found across the world is not what I grew up with here. [After Los Angeles,] I'll spend a lot of time in Cambodia. I'll spend time visiting my family members wherever they may be in the world.' Last year, People reported the star has 'virtually no contact' with his adult children. However, the source said he does have 'visitation with the younger kids'. The source noted his 'engagement' with his younger children at the time had been 'more limited' as a result of his filming schedule for F1. Pax took his mother's side in the fallout, and an Instagram post for Father's Day in 2020, he called his dad a 'world class a***hole' and an 'awful human being'. Shiloh legally changed her last name last year on the day she turned 18, dropping Pitt and officially opting to be known as Shiloh Nouvel Jolie. 'He knew this was coming and there is nothing he can do about it right now,' a source revealed to last year when Shiloh's name change emerged. 'It's sad but Brad's strained relationship with his kids and Angelina is just a way of life for him now. The insider added that Brad will always leave the door open for his estranged children should they be willing to reconnect in the future. The source continued: 'He respects Shiloh's decision. He loves her and no matter what happens, he is always only a phone call away. 'He will be there for Shiloh and any of his kids whenever they need, no questions asked. But it's up to them to make the next move.' Pitt and Jolie, 50, who share Maddox, 23, Pax, 21, Zahara, 20, Shiloh, 19, and 16-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne, married in 2014 after falling for each other on the set of Mrs. & Mrs. Smith; pictured with Pax, Maddox, Shiloh, Vivienne, and Knox in 2014 Zahara, who is studying at Spelman College in Georgia, and her sister Vivienne both appear to have also dropped their father's famous last name. On Monday night, amid the turmoil, Pitt opened up about how important family is to him - amid his ongoing and escalating estrangement from his children. Speaking at the F1 premiere in Mexico City - he told ET: 'No matter the mistake, you just learn from [it] and move on. It'll lead to the next success.' The Oscar winner continued, 'When you get to my age, you realize how important it is to surround yourself with the people you love, the people that love you back.' 'Friends, family, and that's it,' he added. 'From there, we get to go make things. It's a pretty simple, I think, equation.' Pitt also recently broke his silence on his and Jolie's divorce for GQ's June 2025 issue amid promoting his new movie F1. 'No, I don't think it was that major of a thing,' the star told the publication. 'Just something coming to fruition. Legally.' The Fight Club star then reflected on how his love life has been in the spotlight for decades. 'It's been in the news for 30 years, bro. Or some version of my personal life, let's put it that way.' Brad was also questioned if his red carpet debut with the jewelry designer last year at the 2024 British Grand Prix was a publicity stunt. 'No, dude, it's not that calculated,' Pitt replied. 'If you're living, oh my God, how exhausting would that be? If you're living with making those kinds of calculations? No, life just evolves. Relationships evolve.' The actor also reflected on fame by explaining, 'It's been an annoyance I've had to always deal with in different degrees, large and small, as I do the things I really want to do. 'So, it's always been this kind of nagging time suck or waste of time, if you let it be that, I don't know. I don't know. Mostly I feel pretty…. My life is fairly contained.' He continued, 'It feels pretty warm and secure with my friends, with my loves, with my fam, with my knowledge of who I am, that, you know, it's like this fly buzzing around a little bit.'
