Cliff Stearns: “I would like to commend, obviously, Congressman Moore for his dedication and his determination to move H.R. 814, the…”

“I would like to commend, obviously, Congressman Moore for his dedication and his determination to move H.R. 814, the Gasoline Burn Prevention Act. He has been, Madam Speaker, and as my colleague knows, the chairman of the committee has been tireless in his efforts to ensure portable gasoline containers are fitted with child-resistant caps, and that is simply what this legislation does. This bill mandates that all portable gas cans sold in this country be equipped with child-resistant caps. I'd like to note, however, that mandating the standard is not a substitute for preventing access to gasoline. In fact, all prepackaged gas containers are required to be sold with child-resistant caps. And empty gas containers, which this legislation addresses, are now sold with such caps as a matter of compliance with a voluntary industry standard. Let me repeat. The industry has complied with this on a volunteer basis. The very standard that this bill adopts, industry has voluntarily complied with and set up themselves or in compliance with State environmental laws requiring child-resistant and spill-resistant caps. As a consequence, I'm just a bit concerned about this legislation.”