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Dems, White House tangle over toys
Wednesday October 31, 2007
Lawmakers want more lead testing and scrutiny. The Bush administration fears some ideas would bog down safety efforts.
By Anne C. Mulkern
In the wake of several recalls, Democrats and the White House disagreed Tuesday about the best way to ensure that toys are safe.
Speaking on the same day a Senate committee approved legislation to boost the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s funding and expand its authority, Democratic lawmakers pushed for more testing for lead contamination and other dangers.
“Parents of this country feel that they are under siege from all sides,” said Rep. Diana DeGette, a Denver Democrat. “Not only do they have to worry about the foods we’re feeding our children, but they also have to worry about the toys we let our children play with.”
House Democrats, among other things, want to ban all lead in children’s toys and force manufacturers to submit their products for outside testing.
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on Tuesday sent to the floor legislation that would more than double the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s funding over seven years and put in place new safety regulations.
The agency’s chairwoman, Nancy Nord, last week sent a letter to the committee that resisted several of the reforms. Nord wrote that the combined aspects of the proposed legislation would require more than doubling the agency’s budget.
The White House said it supported updating the product-regulating agency but that some of the measures Democrats are considering are apt to bog down safety efforts.
“This wasn’t about the price tag; this was about a couple of the policies that are within a particular bill,” said White House press secretary Dana Perino.
Asked whether the White House supported a ban on lead in toys, Perino said: “There is some concern regarding how do you test for that.”
The trade group for American toy makers said lead is only a concern when children playing with the toy can access it.
“Lead is everywhere,” said Frank Clark, spokesman for the Toy Industry Association. “It’s a little difficult to remove lead to no detectable level.”
The House has a jam-packed legislative calendar and few days left this year, but Speaker Nancy Pelosi said passing a bill would be a priority.
She called for Nord’s firing.
“Any commission chair who … says we don’t need any more authority or any more resources to do our job does not understand the gravity of the situation,” she said.
Speaking on the same day a Senate committee approved legislation to boost the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s funding and expand its authority, Democratic lawmakers pushed for more testing for lead contamination and other dangers.
“Parents of this country feel that they are under siege from all sides,” said Rep. Diana DeGette, a Denver Democrat. “Not only do they have to worry about the foods we’re feeding our children, but they also have to worry about the toys we let our children play with.”
House Democrats, among other things, want to ban all lead in children’s toys and force manufacturers to submit their products for outside testing.
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on Tuesday sent to the floor legislation that would more than double the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s funding over seven years and put in place new safety regulations.
The agency’s chairwoman, Nancy Nord, last week sent a letter to the committee that resisted several of the reforms. Nord wrote that the combined aspects of the proposed legislation would require more than doubling the agency’s budget.
The White House said it supported updating the product-regulating agency but that some of the measures Democrats are considering are apt to bog down safety efforts.
“This wasn’t about the price tag; this was about a couple of the policies that are within a particular bill,” said White House press secretary Dana Perino.
Asked whether the White House supported a ban on lead in toys, Perino said: “There is some concern regarding how do you test for that.”
The trade group for American toy makers said lead is only a concern when children playing with the toy can access it.
“Lead is everywhere,” said Frank Clark, spokesman for the Toy Industry Association. “It’s a little difficult to remove lead to no detectable level.”
The House has a jam-packed legislative calendar and few days left this year, but Speaker Nancy Pelosi said passing a bill would be a priority.
She called for Nord’s firing.
“Any commission chair who … says we don’t need any more authority or any more resources to do our job does not understand the gravity of the situation,” she said.