Backs Consumer Product Safety Measure

Press Release

After watching millions of toys and other children's products face safety recalls last year, today Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-11) today cast his vote to protect children from dangerous toys.

H.R. 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act passed the House today by a vote of 424 to 1.

"Unfortunately, under the Bush Administration, the staff at the Consumer Product Safety Commission has shrunk. It's not a coincidence that millions of toys and other children's products were recalled last year due to unsafe levels of toxic chemicals and other hazards. In fact, Consumer Reports dubbed 2007 ‘The Year of the Recall'," Rep. McNerney said.

"And this year, the number of recalls of toys and children's products is actually up 29 percent over the first half of 2007," continued Rep. McNerney.

This legislation strengthens the ability of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to prevent dangerous toys from getting to market in the first place, get unsafe products off the shelves more quickly, and increase fines and penalties for violating product safety laws. It provides the CPSC with significantly greater resources and personnel.

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act creates a tough lead standard by banning lead beyond a minute amount in products intended for children under 12. It also prohibits use of dangerous phthalates, a plastic softener, in children's toys and child care articles.

The legislation also mandates pre-market testing of children's products for lead and for compliance with a wide range of safety standards by certified laboratories.

Importantly, this legislation improves the CPSC's ability to communicate information about product recalls that are issued for health and safety reasons by ensuring the CPSC effectively shares information with state public health agencies. It also requires CPSC to provide consumers with a user-friendly database on deaths and serious injuries caused by consumer products.

The bill also responds to reports of potential conflicts of interest at the CPSC by banning industry-sponsored travel by CPSC Commissioners and staff.

H.R. 4040 is a conference report, resulting from a compromise reached on different versions of CPSC modernization legislation passed by the Senate and the House. The House originally passed H.R. 4040 in December of 2007.

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