[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 66 (Tuesday, May 24, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 24, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
         CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 965, CHILD SAFETY PROTECTION

                                 ______


                               speech of

                         HON. NORMAN Y. MINETA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 23, 1994

  Mr. MINETA. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the conference 
agreement on H.R. 965, the Child Safety Protection Act. Title I would 
establish labeling and reporting requirements on certain toys. Title 
II, the Child's Bicycle Helmet Safety Act of 1994, specifically 
sections 202, 203, and 204, falls within the jurisdiction of Public 
Works and Transportation.
  Under the agreement, a great program would be established to require 
or encourage individuals under 16 to wear bicycle helmets. The program 
would be administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration [NHTSA] for the benefit of States, political 
subdivisions of States, and nonprofit organizations that design 
eligible programs to effectively promote increased bicycle helmet use.
  A grant made by NHTSA to any State, political subdivision, or 
nonprofit organization could be used by such grantee to: (1) enforce a 
law that requires individuals under the age of 16 to wear approved 
bicycle helmets on their heads while riding on bicycles; (2) provide 
assistance to individuals who may need financial assistance in order to 
acquire approved bicycle helmets; (3) develop and administer education 
programs for individuals under age 16 and their family on the 
importance of wearing bicycle helmets; or (4) carry out any combination 
of the activities described in paragraph (1), (2), and (3).
  Grants would be limited to 80 percent of the cost of the program for 
which the grant is made, and the non-Federal share can be met by the 
aggregate of in-kind expenditures by grantees.
  In addition, the NHTSA Administrator would review grant applications 
for compliance with the requirements prior to awarding grants, and must 
also report to Congress by May 1, 1997, on the effectiveness of the 
program. This report would include the grant recipients, a summary of 
grantees' programs, and any recommendations the Administrator may have 
regarding program improvements.
  The general fund authorizations for this program are $2 million for 
fiscal year 1995, $3 million for fiscal year 1996, and $4 million for 
fiscal year 1997.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a very important piece of legislation--20 
million of the 90 million Americans who ride bicycles are children who 
ride a bicycle more than once a week. Of the 800 bicyclists who were 
killed and the 580,000 who were injured in 1990, children under the age 
of 15 suffered 41 percent of cycling-related head injury deaths and 76 
percent of all cycling-related head injuries. Any significant increase 
in helmet use would have prevented many of these unfortunate deaths and 
injuries.
  According to a study conducted by the committee on accident and 
poison prevention of the American Academy of Pediatrics, only 5 percent 
of all children wear a bicycle helmet while cycling. And, according to 
the National Head Injury Foundation, the lifetime economic cost of 
supporting a child with a severe head injury is $4.5 million.
  The $9 million that is authorized out of general funds for fiscal 
years 1995 through 1997 in this conference agreement will be money well 
spent in terms of lives and health costs saved. It is an appropriate 
Federal role to provide State and local governments the necessary 
resources to take action to increase bicycle helmet use in order to 
decrease the risks to our young citizens.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of the conference report.

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