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Senate Passes Historic Consumer Reform Legislation with Klobuchar Toy Safety Measures

Bill bans lead in toys, strengthens toy recall provisions

March 6, 2008

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Senate today passed historic consumer product safety legislation that includes key provisions by U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) to protect children from dangerous toys and improve accountability at the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission Reform Act passed by a vote of 79-13. The bill now moves to a conference committee with the House.

“It is past time to get these toxic toys off our shores and out of our stores,” said Klobuchar.   “We have seen too many headlines this year to sit around and think this problem is going to solve it itself. This is an important step to protect the safety of our children.  This bill finally makes it criminal to sell recalled products, bans lead in children’s products, and I hope will give parents some peace that the toys in their children’s hands are safe.”

The final Senate bill includes three safety provisions authored by Klobuchar. It would ban lead in children’s products - the first time the federal government has adopted such a mandatory lead standard. It would require that “batch numbers’’ be printed directly on toys and their packaging so parents can identify a toy after it has been recalled and remove it from their homes. The bill also bans the sale of recalled toys, a practice that is not now prohibited.

Klobuchar introduced these measures last year following millions of recalls of toxic, lead-tainted toys, and the death of Jarnell Brown, a four-year-old boy from Minnesota who died after swallowing a toy charm made almost entirely of lead.

“When I think about that little 4-year-old boy's parents back in Minnesota, and the children all over this country that have been hurt by toxic toys and the parents who have lost wondering how they are going to find these toxic toys in their own child’s toybox,” said Klobuchar.  “We must beef up this agency that has been languishing for years. This bill isn't just a matter of banning lead in children's toys. This bill is a matter of finally implementing consumer safety laws and regulations, it is a matter of protecting kids from more harmful products, helping parents to understand what to do when something has been recalled. It is a matter of keeping customers informed and safe when purchasing products in the United States. And it is a matter of bringing the Consumer Product Safety Commission back into the 21st century.”

On Wednesday, the Senate also adopted an amendment by Klobuchar and Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) to ban industry-paid travel by CPSC commissioners and employees. Klobuchar and Menendez authored the amendment following press reports last year that CPSC staff had taken dozens of trips worth thousands of dollars paid for by industries with business before the Commission. The amendment passed by a vote of 96-0.

To access radio actualities from the Senator’s floor speech today click here.