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CPSC Senate Bill Advances Klobuchar Toy Safety Measures

Clears the way for Klobuchar provisions to make lead in children's products, sale of recalled toys illegal

February 16, 2008

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar’s (D-MN) efforts to protect children from toxic toys are on the path to becoming law. Klobuchar advocated for her provisions to be included in the agreed upon Senate bill announced late Friday.  Earlier this year, following millions of recalls of toxic, lead-tainted toys, Klobuchar introduced legislation to protect children and enable parents to remove unsafe toys from their children’s toyboxes.

“This legislation will help keep toxic toys off our shores and out of our stores,” said Klobuchar.  “Parents must know that when they buy products for their children they have met the highest safety standards and will be safe.  It’s simply unacceptable that we continue to see more and more toys recalled due to high lead content and safety flaws – we must act now.”

Klobuchar also thanked Commerce Committee Chairman Senator Inouye (D-HI), Ranking Member, Senator Stevens (R-AK) and Subcommittee Chairman Senator Pryor (D-AR) for their efforts in reaching a bipartisan agreement on the bill. 

Klobuchar’s legislation bans lead in children’s products – the first time such lead standards will be put into law.  The legislation requires packaging and the toys themselves to contain batch numbers so parents can easily identify recalled toys already in their home.  Finally, Klobuchar’s legislation makes it illegal to knowingly sell a recalled toy.

All three of Klobuchar’s provisions are included in the final Consumer Product Safety Commission Reform Act of 2007.  Klobuchar was one of the first Senators to call for reform of the Consumer Product Safety Commission to help better protect consumers when the first recalls were announced last year.

The legislation passed the Senate Commerce Committee, on which Senator Klobuchar serves, in October.  A vote by the full Senate is expected the first week in March.

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