Congressman Rick Larsen's Online Office

Washington, D.C. — Congress is poised to pass legislation to protect children from dangerous toys by strengthening the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and increasing fines for those who produce faulty products, as U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) proposed in legislation introduced last fall.

“The legislation we passed this week strengthens the Consumer Product Safety Commission so unsafe toys and other products are found before they reach hands of our children,” said Larsen. “By increasing the maximum penalties for companies that make unsafe toys, this legislation ensures that those who put our children at risk face consequences with real teeth and not just a slap on the wrist.”

Last year, 45 million toys and children’s products were recalled from stores across the country. Yet the CPSC, the agency tasked with protecting American consumers from unsafe products, has been dangerously underfunded and understaffed in recent years. Even the CPSC’s acting director admitted last year that there was only one “lonely” toy tester at the commission.

Larsen and his colleague Mark Kirk (IL-10) responded to this crisis by introducing the bipartisan Import Safety Act of 2007 (H.R. 3100), legislation which increased fines for companies who make unsafe products and strengthened the CPSC’s ability to stop dangerous toys from reaching store shelves. Similar provisions were included in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (H.R. 4040), which passed the House on Wednesday by a nearly unanimous vote. The bill is expected to clear the Senate as early as today.

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act:

• Authorizes increased funding for the Consumer Product Safety Commission and increases criminal penalties for companies who make faulty products;
• Bans lead beyond a minute amount in products intended for children under 12 years of age;
• Prohibits use of the potentially dangerous chemicals called phthalates in children’s toys and child care articles;
• Requires manufacturers to place distinguishing marks on products and packaging to aid in recalls of products;
• Requires CPSC to provide consumers with a user-friendly database on deaths and serious injuries caused by consumer products;
• And provides whistleblower protections for private-sector employees regarding alleged violations of any CPSC-enforced product safety requirements.