Political Quotes

“2 weeks ago was National Safe Kids Week. Children from all across America came to Washington, D.C. to tell their legislators how important it is that we do something to prevent tragic childhood accidents and deaths. Today, Congress is taking just such a step in passing the Child Safety Protection Act. Childhood injury is the number one killer and health threat facing children under 14 years old. Every year, one out of four children is injured seriously enough to require medical attention. The trauma and heartbreak that a family suffers when a child is seriously injured or dies are incomprehensible. We can and must do something. The costs of prevention are small compared to the costs of accidents. Each year, childhood injury costs our Nation $13.8 billion. But every $15 bike helmet purchased saves $30 in direct health care costs and $420 in indirect costs. For an individual accident victim that $15 bike helmet can save a child from a life confined in a wheel chair or a nursing home. A $15 bike helmet can make the difference between a full and long life or no life at all. In March of last year, I introduced the Child Safety Protection Act, an identical measure to the House-passed bill introduced by Congresswoman Cardiss Collins. The bill mandated safety warning labels on certain toys that contain dangerous small parts and required national mandatory performance standards for bicycle helmets.”