Obama sends letter to Toy Industry Association Head about contamination in Toys

[illinoisprogressive]

Before you think he is just doing this for politics, remember that Barack Obama has 2 young daughters, ages 6 and 9. This is also as a parent who is concerned.


U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today sent the following letter to the Mr. Carter Keithley, president of the Toy Industry Association, raising concerns about the serious and growing issue of lead contaminated toys. In the letter, Obama requests information on how the trade group and its companies are working to reduce the number of lead contaminated toys, and how American companies are attempting to regulate foreign supply chains. Last week, Obama called on the Senate Commerce Committee to move forward his Lead Free Toys Act of 2007 (S. 1306), which would protect our children from products containing lead. Obama originally introduced this legislation in November 2005.

The text of the letter is below:

Dear Mr. Keithley:

I am writing to you about a critical health issue that is endangering the health of too many children in this nation — lead poisoning from children products. It is simply unconscionable that lead contaminated products that pose such a serious and significant danger to children are so prevalent in our department stores and markets.

As you know, in 1998 the Toy Industry Association (TIA) pledged that its members would help reduce children’s exposure to hazardous lead levels, by going beyond what the law requires and eliminating lead from children’s products. This announcement was met with great enthusiasm due to TIA’s role as the lead trade association for toy manufacturers, representing about 85 percent of toy sales. Through its partnerships with the federal government, standard development organizations, independent toy safety experts and others, the toy industry has made important progress in developing globally recognized toy safety standards. And yet, despite its efforts, 10 years later we know that millions of children products, including candy, jewelry, bibs, drum sets, toy bears, and gardening sets, are still contaminated with lead.

http://thinkonthesethings.wordpress.com/2007/08/10/obama-raises-concerns-about-lead-contaminated-toys-to-industry-trade-group/

[UrbScotty]

1. Responsible parents often make responsible Presidents.

Not always, but often.

[Heywood J]

2. That's nice.

We already have laws banning the use of lead, especially around children. They've been around for decades. Rather than telling us how you plan to give make-work legislation to Congress, you might want to tell us how about how you plan on enforcing the existing laws first, much less anything new.

Perhaps you might want to take a stand on banning imports of toys and other lead risks from China? But hey, that's sacreligious these days and would require real leadership. That might require actually taking on the Chinese government and corporations.

[Gelliebeans]

3. K&R

[Colobo]

4. President Obama: Looking Out For America.