2008 Legislation/Education Committee
Community Health Committee
Fact Sheet

Download 2008 Resolution [PDF]

2008 House of Delegates Resolution: In Support of Legislation and Regulation of Toys and Other Products Containing Lead

• Pediatric lead poisoning remains an important preventable public health problem in the United States (U.S.).
• Lead paint on toys has been banned in the U.S. since 1977.
• This ban did not extend to other lead-tainted products marketed to children and lead-based paint has been used as a cost-saving tactic.
• The Consumer Product Safety Commission has not had the resources for adequate inspection of imported toys and other child care items or enforcement of existing rules.
• The 2008 NSNA House of Delegates encouraged the NSNA and constituent members to support current legislation that would regulate companies to make it more difficult to produce and distribute dangerous products for children in the U.S. (H.R. 4040).
• The 110^th  Congress agreed to a compromise product-safety bill (H.R. 4040) that would lower lead levels in toys manufactured, distributed, and imported to the United States and require third-party safety testing before toys are put on the market and then sent the bill to the White House for signature (July, 2008).
• President Bush signed the bill H.R. 4040 into law on August 14, 2008 and it became Public Law 110-314 titled, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008.

What Can Nursing Students Do?

• Become educated on the safety of toys and other child care products that may contain lead and other toxic chemicals for children. Review The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. To review your own copy go to http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_public_laws&docid=f:publ314.110.pdf
• Educate the NSNA members at your school and educate the community about purchasing toys and child care items this holiday season that are safe, healthy, and lead-free.
• Locate your U.S. Representative and his/her contact information (by your zip code) at http://www.house.gov  Locate your U.S. Senators and their contact information (by your State) at  http://www.senate.gov.
• Write your U.S. Representative and thank them for their unanimous support of H.R. 4040; and your U.S. Senators* for their support of the Senate bill (H.R. 4040 as amended) which once signed into law, became the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. * Senators not voting for the bill were Senator DeMint of South Carolina; Senator Coburn of Oklahoma; and Senator Kyl of Arizona.
• As a National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA) member, continue to advocate for prohibition and regulation of toys and other products containing lead and other harmful chemicals that can place the health of U.S. children at risk.

Resources:

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
4330 East West Highway
Bethesda, MD 20814

Toll-free Consumer Hotline: 800-638-2772 (TTY 800-638-8270). Call to obtain product safety and other agency information and to report unsafe products. Hotline staff may be reached from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm ET. Messages may be left anytime after these hours. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.