[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 113 (Friday, July 24, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2002]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


            REMARKS ON THE MANAGER'S AMENDMENT TO H.R. 3170

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                          HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 24, 2009

  Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Manager's 
amendment and particularly the increase in funding for the CPSC.
  In short, we cannot afford to cut corners when it comes to consumer 
product safety. The stakes are much too high.
  In recent years, we have seen hundreds of recalls affecting millions 
of toys--many of which were for extremely dangerous lead-contamination.
  Today, 86 percent of the toys Americans purchase are imported from 
China. Almost one-fifth of all consumer products for sale in America 
today are Chinese-made. These trends demand a real vigilance on our 
part. Parents cannot distinguish a dangerous toy coated with lead paint 
from one that is safe simply by looking at it. They must be able to 
count on the agencies charged with protecting them.
  That is why we must fund the CSPC to its fullest extent. Just last 
July, we passed the Consumer Safety Improvement Act by a margin of 424 
to 1. Now is not the time, less than a year after we finally began 
taking the Commission's responsibilities seriously, to start cutting 
the CSPC back down to the bone. The health and safety of our children, 
and of all American consumers, are far too important for that.
  This is an important amendment that strengthens this bill and I urge 
its adoption.

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