[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 141 (Monday, September 8, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1709]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 4040, CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACT 
                                OF 2008

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 30, 2008

  Mr. HOLT. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Conference Report 
for H.R. 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.
  Over the last year we have read distressing reports in the newspapers 
of tainted pet food, toothpaste, and other products from China. These 
are troubling revelations, made even more disconcerting by the reports 
of lead tainted toys; lead is a substance which can stunt the mental 
and physical development of children. Toys are meant to entertain, 
educate, and inspire the imagination. It is greatly unsettling that 
some toys are not safe. In fact, some toys can seriously injure 
children and cause sickness. Last year, products like Barbie 
accessories, Thomas the Tank Engines, toy magnets, and jewelry were 
recalled after it was found that some of these products contained up to 
200 times the legal amount of lead. Over 45 million toys and children's 
products were recalled in 2007 due to their danger to the health of our 
Nation's children. Disturbingly, the number of recalled products 
continues to increase. In fact, this year the number of recalls of toys 
and children's products is up 29 percent over the first half of 2007.
  The events of the past year have demonstrated the danger that 
American consumers face when the government does not give regulatory 
agencies the tools they need in order to protect consumers from unsafe 
products. During this time of record product recalls, the Consumer 
Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the Government agency responsible for 
monitoring and enforcing product safety, has been starved for 
resources. Since 2004, the CPSC has lost 15 percent of its workforce 
and now 420 people are responsible for overseeing over 15,000 types of 
consumer goods. This means that a single person is responsible for 
testing all toys at the CPSC. Leadership at the highest levels of the 
CPSC has been asleep at the switch and has shown little interest in 
addressing the serious threat that tainted toys pose to our Nation's 
children. This is a disservice to American children and their families, 
and I am pleased that we are finally taking up legislation that would 
help to give the CPSC the tools that it needs to keep our children and 
families safe.
  The conference report for H.R. 4040 would help empower the CPSC to 
become a more effective force for regulating the consumer marketplace 
by increasing its budget and regulatory authority. It would protect our 
children by requiring the pre-market testing in certified laboratories 
of children's products for lead and other harmful chemicals. H.R. 4040 
would ban even trace amounts of lead in any product intended for 
children under the age of 12, and prohibit phthalates in children's 
products. Phthalates are known to cause reproductive and developmental 
harm. This legislation would also make it easier to recall tainted 
products by requiring manufacturers to place distinguishing marks on 
products and packages. It would provide whistleblower protections for 
private sector employees regarding alleged violations of any CPSC-
enforced product safety requirements. Finally, this bill would 
establish better means of communicating to consumers and States when 
products are recalled.
  I am proud to support the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, 
and I urge my colleagues to support the Conference Report.

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