Mark Kirk: “Yesterday the Consumer Product Safety Commission and toy company RC2 announced a recall of 1.5 million Thomas & Friends…”

“Yesterday the Consumer Product Safety Commission and toy company RC2 announced a recall of 1.5 million Thomas & Friends railway toys because they might contain dangerous amounts of lead. Lead poisoning causes vomiting and diarrhea, convulsions, anemia, a loss of appetite, abdominal pain, irritability, fatigue and coma. It can even be fatal. The toys were made in China and were retailed throughout the United States. First, it was pet food, then toothpaste, now Thomas the Tank Engine. Just about every family with kids in my district has a Thomas the Tank Engine. We need to send a clear notice to importers that goods that threaten the safety of kids should be left on America's docks. That's why I'm introducing legislation this week that prohibits the importation of any product from an importer of processed food or retail goods that the Secretary of Health and Human Services has determined contains unsafe levels of contaminants. Mr. Speaker, we need to do this to defend America's families, especially its children.”