[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 82 (Wednesday, June 13, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1093]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  INTRODUCTION OF SAFE PLAYGROUNDS ACT

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                        HON. FRANK PALLONE, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 13, 2001

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask that my colleagues join 
me in supporting legislation I introduced today that would ensure that 
our nation's playgrounds are safe and properly constructed throughout 
America.
  As the school year ends and summer begins, children all around the 
United States will be spending more time outside playing with friends 
at our community playgrounds. While most kids enjoy horsing around at 
the playground, it can be a dangerous place if the equipment is either 
broken or not up to code. Every year more than 200,000 children are 
injured on America's playgrounds, and, according to the U.S. Consumer 
Product Safety Commission (CPSC), 147 children died between 1990 and 
2000 from playground equipment-related injuries.
  In a 1998 survey, U.S. playgrounds received an overall grade of C- 
when rated on the presence of physical hazards and behavioral elements, 
including supervision and age-appropriate design. Mr. Speaker, many may 
think that this is an acceptable grade because states, counties and 
local communities don't have any specific standards to follow when 
building playgrounds.
  However this is not true. For the past several decades, the CPSC has 
written a very detailed national code to help states and local 
governments build the safest possible playgrounds. Unfortunately, only 
five states require that all public playgrounds in their respective 
communities abide by these standards.
  My legislation, the Safe Playgrounds Act, would urge states to pass a 
law that assures that all playgrounds are safe for our kids.
  The Safe Playgrounds Act will provide $1 million grants to states 
that enact statewide laws regulating public playgrounds according to 
the CPSC's Handbook for Public Playground Safety. States could use 
these funds to either build new playgrounds or bring older ones up to 
code.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in protecting our kids 
from playground accidents by cosponsoring this bill. Playground 
accidents will always be a reality, but by making these grounds as safe 
as possible, we can reduce those accidents that are not the fault of 
the child but of the playground itself.

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