Toy safety hearing to be held today

WASHINGTON The U.S. Senate Appropriations Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee is meeting today to discuss ways of improving toy safety standards.

Jerry Storch, chairman and ceo of Toys "R" Us, is among the retailers and toy manufacturers expected to testify before the Subcommittee on the issue of toy safety. According to Toys "R" Us, Storch will reaffirm his company's support of proposed federal legislation to build a more effective Consumer Product Safety Commission, strengthen third-party testing requirements for products, and introduce production code stamping.

"We recognize that the issue of toy safety goes well beyond business and directly to the well-being of the families we serve. We have reiterated that simple, single fact to our employees, suppliers and business partners. We will not tolerate products that do not meet our rigorous safety standards," said Storch.

In conjunction with the Subcommittee's hearings, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced their plans for reforming the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and uniting manufacturers and retailers in improving toy safety.

Klobuchar said she will introduce a bill in the coming weeks that will focus on reforming and streamlining the recall process and giving parents tools to identify recalled toys in their own homes.

Durbin, as well, has been active on legislation dealing with product safety. Last month, he introduced the Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act, and he is the cosponsor of the Children’s Product Safety Act, introduced by Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), which will require all children’s products to be certified as having met rigorous product safety standards by independent laboratories.