April 28, 2021

Bipartisan Bill Introduced by Duckworth, Portman and Blumenthal to Protect Infants from Deadly “Crib Bumpers” Passes Senate Committee

 

Since 1985, dozens of deaths and more than 100 serious injuries have been directly attributed to these dangerous products

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] — Bipartisan legislation introduced by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Rob Portman (R-OH) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) to protect infant lives by banning the sale of crib bumpers—which have been proven to pose an unnecessary, deadly risk to sleeping infants—passed the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) Committee unanimously today and will now be considered by the full Senate. The Safe Cribs Act would also make it unlawful nationwide to manufacture and import crib bumpers, which remain widely sold by retailers despite current recommendations advising parents to keep cribs bare to prevent sudden infant death syndrome. The Senators’ legislation would direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to enforce a ban nationwide.

“The fact that these deadly products can still be found on shelves across the country is extremely confusing to new parents who don’t believe stores would be selling them if they were truly dangerous to babies,” Duckworth said. “We should be doing everything we can to help new parents and end preventable deaths like these, which is why I’m glad this bipartisan bill that would ban the sale of deadly padded crib bumpers passed out of committee today. I’ll keep working with Senators Portman and Blumenthal to get this legislation to President Biden’s desk.”

“The use of crib bumpers pose an unnecessary threat to the health and safety of infants everywhere, there is no reason the sale of these items should continue,” said Portman. “I applaud the Senate Commerce Committee for unanimously passing this legislation and I look forward to continuing to work with Senators Duckworth and Blumenthal so that this act may become law, protecting infants from the unnecessary and unacceptable risk of crib bumpers.”

“This bill would ensure deadly and dangerous crib bumpers are pulled off store shelves. New parents can still unwittingly purchase this perilous padding for their children’s cribs despite dozens of babies suffocating,” said Blumenthal. I’m grateful for the Committee’s swift action on this legislation and I will continue working with Senators Duckworth and Portman to see it passed into law.”

The legislation has been endorsed by American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Kids in Danger, Consumer Federation of American and Breathable Baby.

Duckworth has been a leading proponent of policies supporting working women and families in the Senate. After introducing legislation to help families with diaper needs in February of this year, Duckworth helped secure provisions in the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to support low-income families with diapers and diapering supplies. Duckworth’s Friendly Airports for Mothers Improvement Act was also signed into law last November, which means that airports all across the country are now required to support nursing mothers by providing accessible, clean and convenient lactation rooms for travelers. Duckworth also introduced a bipartisan bill in May of last year that would have ensured more new parents quickly received the additional $500 per child in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act stimulus payments without having to wait until 2021.

In 2011, the City of Chicago became the first city to ban the sale of crib bumpers. Maryland and Ohio also banned the sale of these products in 2013 and 2017 respectively, with minor exceptions.

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