[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 22, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2947-H2948]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SAFE SLEEP FOR BABIES ACT OF 2021
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 3182) to provide that inclined sleepers for infants and crib
bumpers shall be considered banned hazardous products under section 8
of the Consumer Product Safety Act, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3182
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Safe Sleep for Babies Act of
2021''.
SEC. 2. BANNING OF INCLINED SLEEPERS FOR INFANTS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, inclined sleepers for infants,
regardless of the date of manufacture, shall be considered a
banned hazardous product under section 8 of the Consumer
Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2057).
(b) Inclined Sleeper for Infants Defined.--In this section,
the term ``inclined sleeper for infants'' means a product
with an inclined sleep surface greater than ten degrees that
is intended, marketed, or designed to provide sleeping
accommodations for an infant up to 1 year old.
SEC. 3. BANNING OF CRIB BUMPERS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, crib bumpers, regardless of the date
of manufacture, shall be considered a banned hazardous
product under section 8 of the Consumer Product Safety Act
(15 U.S.C. 2057).
(b) Crib Bumper Defined.--In this section, the term ``crib
bumper''--
(1) means any material that is intended to cover the sides
of a crib to prevent injury to any crib occupant from impacts
against the side of a crib or to prevent partial or complete
access to any openings in the sides of a crib to prevent a
crib occupant from getting any part of the body entrapped in
any opening;
(2) includes a padded crib bumper, a supported and
unsupported vinyl bumper guard, and vertical crib slat
covers; and
(3) does not include a non-padded mesh crib liner.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
General Leave
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on H.R. 3182.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 3182, the Safe Sleep
for Babies Act.
This important piece of legislation was reintroduced this Congress by
Vice Chair Cardenas and Chair Schakowsky of our Consumer Protection and
Commerce Subcommittee.
Parents and caregivers deserve the peace of mind that any infant
sleep product they buy is consistent with longstanding safe sleep
recommendations that babies should only sleep on their backs on a firm,
flat surface free of extra bedding.
This legislation would ban two very dangerous products for babies
that defy safe sleep best practices and have tragically taken far too
many infant lives: inclined sleepers and crib bumpers. To date,
inclined sleepers have been linked to at least 94 infant fatalities,
and crib bumpers have contributed to at least 107 deaths.
Inclined sleepers position babies on a dangerous incline that can
lead to the baby's airway becoming obstructed, among other hazard
patterns. Crib bumpers create unnecessary suffocation, entrapment, and
strangulation risks for babies.
There is simply no reason either of these products should still be on
the market. Yet, incline sleepers and crib bumpers are heavily marketed
and remain widely available online and on store shelves. Many parents,
grandparents, and caregivers continue to purchase these products,
wholly unaware of the grave risks they pose to babies.
Since April 2019, when Consumer Reports first reported on the deadly
toll of infant inclined products, an independent expert hired by the
CPSC has confirmed that all sleep products with inclines greater than
10 degrees pose serious dangers to infants.
[[Page H2948]]
Earlier this month, CPSC approved a strong, new Federal safety
standard on infant sleep products that will effectively prohibit infant
inclined sleepers. However, the new safety standard will not take
effect for some time, and there is still no Federal standard to
eliminate the hazard posed by crib bumpers.
That is why this bill is necessary. H.R. 3182 bans crib bumpers along
with inclined sleepers, and it will take effect 6 months after the date
of enactment, making sure strong protections for babies are not
needlessly delayed.
We must take action on this bill today, Mr. Speaker, to protect
babies across the Nation. I call on my colleagues to support this
measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3182, the Safe Sleep for
Babies Act. I thank Mr. Cardenas and, of course, Chair Schakowsky for
their hard work on this bill.
H.R. 3182 addresses the risk of dangers that infants face from
inclined sleepers and crib bumpers. This bill bans all products with an
inclined sleep surface greater than 10 degrees to address the tragic
deaths related to inclined sleepers and any crib bumpers intended to
cover the sides of a crib or that prevent access to openings on the
sides of the crib.
I am always ready to work with my colleagues on the Energy and
Commerce Committee to help protect Americans from potentially harmful
products. That is the reason I requested this subcommittee.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this particular measure,
and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the
gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky), who is the chair of the
subcommittee and one of the major sponsors of the bill.
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Pallone and my ranking
member because this is such an important bipartisan bill that is
designed to save lives.
My colleague, Tony Cardenas, and I introduced the Safe Sleep for
Babies Act after the release of several devastating reports linking
inclined sleep products and crib bumpers to infant deaths. This
urgently needed legislation will add these dangerous products to the
list of banned hazardous products under the Consumer Product Safety
Act.
The science is clear: The safest sleep environment for babies is a
flat, firm, bare surface with no restraints or soft bedding. Infant
inclined sleep products and crib bumpers are dangerous and should not
be on the market at all.
If we do not pass this legislation, companies will continue to sell
and market these products that can harm and even kill infants, and
infants will continue to be harmed if we don't act now. As a mother and
grandmother, I know that we must act now to ensure that no more babies
die from unsafe sleep products.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this bipartisan
bill.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I am
prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, let me rise with a great deal of
concern and, as well, righteousness and enthusiasm to support the Safe
Sleep for Babies Act of 2021.
Our children are our most precious resource, and no one knows how to
address parents who have had a child lose their life because of devices
that were sold to them to comfort their babies. The Safe Sleep for
Babies Act of 2021, in particular, is going to help to take those
products off that heretofore have gone without discovery, without
assessment, and without penalty. They are devices that are in cribs and
bassinets that have not been assessed to cause death.
Babies have been losing their lives to frightened parents, shocked
parents, caretakers, and grandparents. What a tragedy to lose that
infant in the early part of their life through no fault of the
caretaker, the parent, and, certainly, that baby.
This legislation, I hope, will find its way quickly through the
United States Senate and as well find its way quickly to the
President's desk.
As a member of the Judiciary Committee, we have, frighteningly, seen
over the past weeks and months the loss of life of children through gun
violence. We have a responsibility from the very birth of a child, from
its time to come to be with its loving family, to find a way to protect
and preserve its life. Babies, again, are enormously precious.
I think this legislation is long overdue. I ask my colleagues to
support the Safe Sleep for Babies Act of 2021. I am glad to join the
Energy and Commerce Committee and its original sponsor, Mr. Cardenas,
to be able to, hopefully, move this bill as quickly as possible.
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers.
Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this very important bill, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I also ask for support of the bill, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3182.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. ROSENDALE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.
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