Ted Poe: “What do toys, pet food, jewelry, toothpaste, lipstick, and glazed pottery have in common? Well, if these products are…”

“What do toys, pet food, jewelry, toothpaste, lipstick, and glazed pottery have in common? Well, if these products are from China, it's toxic chemical poisoning. In 2007, millions of toys were imported to the United States from the People's Republic of China, and then they were recalled after it was discovered that they contained high amounts of lead paint. Mr. Speaker, one of those was Thomas the Tank Engine, and here is a photograph of it. It was one of many of the millions of toys recalled; 1.5 million of these toys were recalled because they were made in China and had lead in them, in the paint that covered these toys. Of course, everyone knows that lead poisoning can cause serious problems for children, including learning disabilities, kidney failure, irreversible brain damage, and anemia. Here in the United States, the leading cause of lead poisoning in children used to be old paint, but U.S. manufacturers stopped using this toxic ingredient over 30 years ago. But despite this ban on U.S. manufacturers, China consistently failed to maintain the same level of concern over the health and safety of consumers in the United States that it sells products to.”