Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman from California. This language is going to destroy the early warning system that has been put in place in order to give parents the information they need in order to protect their children. If this amendment passes, it will grant industry's wish to once again make the government its secret partner in crime by keeping reports of serious injury or even death hidden from public view. In 2000 and again in 2003, the Consumer Product Safety Commission documented cases of children suffering intestinal injuries after swallowing small but powerful magnets that had fallen out of toys. The public didn't know, and the CPSC did nothing. By mid-2005, after more reports of safety concerns associated with the magnets and two reports of serious, life-threatening injuries, the public still didn't know, and the CPSC still did nothing. On Thanksgiving Day 2005, 22-month-old Kenny Sweet of Redmond, Washington, died after swallowing magnets that had fallen out of Magnetix toys. It was only after Kenny's death and an additional four hospitalizations that the CPSC finally gave the public an inkling of what was going on. But it actually took until April of 2007--after 7 years of reports of risks, numerous serious injuries and a death-- before a full recall of all the products was undertaken. And that is not the only example of deaths and injuries that could have been avoided had parents known the risks to their children. In all of these cases, we heard the same story.…”