Dick Durbin: Durbin Statement on Fisher Price's Massive Recall of Popular Children's Toys

August 2, 2007 -- [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – United States Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) issued the following statement tonight, after Fisher Price announced the recall of nearly 1 million units of popular children’s toys:

“Sadly, this is the most recent in a series of disturbing recalls of children’s toys. While the toys may be different, they have one thing in common – they were manufactured in China.”

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“It is vital that we protect American consumers. With the current tools and resources the Consumer Product Safety Commission has, it cannot adequately protect American consumers.”

“Congress and the Administration need to act. I’ve introduced a bill that address the problem of scarce resources for CPSC and along with Senator Nelson (D-FL), am working to ensure that all products designed for children five and under, meet a rigorous set of safety standards.”

“I’ll be meeting with Chairman Nord of the CPSC, and the leading toy manufacturers and retailers to promote this effort and put a stop to the seemingly never ending string of recalls of Chinese products.”

“I’ve met with the Chinese Ambassador, on several occasions, to discuss the steps his country needs to take to ensure that products meet adequate safety standards. The current negotiations between the United States and China must result in meaningful safety standards and a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and China, on toy safety.”

Last month, Durbin introduced the Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act, will dramatically expand CPSC’s ability to protect American consumers. This bill increases the authorized funding level for the agency over the next five years, repeals the requirement that the CPSC have a quorum to engage in regulatory actions, decreases the amount of time that firms have to respond to the information CPSC releases, institutes a civil penalty for retailers that knowingly sell a recalled product, and increases maximum fine for violations.

He is also the lead cosponsor of the Children’s Products Safety Act, introduced by Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), which would require all children’s products to be certified as having met rigorous product safety standards by independent laboratories.

Source: Senator Dick Durbin