Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester, a member of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, voted to advance key consumer protection measures for consideration in front of the full Energy & Commerce Committee.

“The bills we considered in the subcommittee today help protect babies and infants from furniture tip-overs, stop the use of dangerous crib bumpers, and help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning,” said Congresswoman Blunt Rochester.  “I applaud the leadership of Chairwoman Schakowsky and the entire Consumer Protection & Commerce Subcommittee for their work in advancing these bills. I look forward to their continued consideration in the full committee.”

The Subcommittee advanced the following bills:

H.R. 2211, the “Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth Act” or “STURDY Act,” introduced by Schakowsky, would direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to issue a consumer product safety standard for clothing storage units to prevent them from tipping over onto children.  The bill requires CPSC to adopt the consumer product safety standard within one year of enactment.

H.R. 3172, the “Safe Sleep Act of 2019,” introduced by Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), would prohibit the manufacture for sale, offer for sale, distribution in commerce, or import of inclined sleepers for infants.  The bill’s prohibition would take effect 180 days from enactment.

H.R. 3170, the “Safe Cribs Act of 2019,” introduced by Schakowsky, would prohibit the manufacture for sale, offer for sale, distribution in commerce, or import of crib bumpers.  The bill’s prohibition would take effect 180 days from enactment.

H.R. 1618, the “Nicholas and Zachary Burt Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act of 2019,” introduced by Reps. Annie Kuster (D-NH) and Buddy Carter (R-GA), would direct CPSC to establish a grant program for states to purchase and install carbon monoxide alarms in dwelling units of low-income families or the elderly; facilities that commonly serve children or the elderly, including childcare facilities, public schools, and senior centers; or dwelling units owned by public universities, and to assist in enforcement and education efforts related to carbon monoxide alarms.

H.R. 806, the “Portable Fuel Container Safety Act of 2019,” introduced by Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA) and David Joyce (R-OH), would direct CPSC to issue a consumer product safety rule to require flame mitigation devices in portable fuel containers.  H.R. 806 further directs CPSC to conduct an education campaign to alert consumers to the dangers of using or storing portable fuel containers near ignition sources and to report to Congress on the campaign.  The bill also amends the Children’s Gasoline Burn Prevention Act to expand existing child-resistance requirements for closures for portable gasoline containers to include portable kerosene and diesel fuel containers and component parts.

H.R. 2647, the “Safer Occupancy Furniture Flammability Act” or “SOFFA,” introduced by Reps. Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Morgan Griffith (R-VA), would adopt the California upholstered furniture flammability standard known as Technical Bulletin 117-2013 as a national flammability standard for upholstered furniture.  The bill would preempt state laws that provide for a furniture flammability standard for upholstered furniture but would not preempt the California standard itself or associated regulations.  The bill provides that the California standard would be considered a flammability standard promulgated by CPSC as of 180 days after enactment.

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