I think it’s fair to say that the safety and welfare of children is a top priority for every single member of this subcommittee, and probably every single person in this room. Most of us are parents, some of us are even grandparents, and no one would ever want to see a child get hurt. The internal instinct to protect children transcends party lines, and I think that Republicans and Democrats alike can agree that our children are our most precious resource and we must nurture and protect them. So, in that regard, I do thank the leadership of this committee for their dedication to our children.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is tasked with the job of trying to safeguard our society, and children in particular, from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products. According to Acting Chairman Nancy Nord’s testimony, they have been able to accomplish this in part, even on a tight budget. On page two of her testimony, she estimates that “injuries and deaths associated with the use of products under our jurisdiction have declined by almost one-third since the agencies inception.” She further reports that “crib related deaths have declined an astonishing 89 percent since 1973 and poisoning deaths from cribs and household chemicals by an equally impressive 82 percent since 1972.” In a perfect world, we would all like to see those numbers at 100 percent; however, it’s important to remember that lives have been saved thanks to the hard working folks at the CPSC.

Of course, more can, and should, be done to protect our society. We need to have a quorum on the CPSC board so they can vote on important measures, and I don’t understand why the Senate is waiting over two months to even hold a hearing on the President’s nominee for the chairmanship. As it is with many agencies, the Senate does not act fast enough to confirm nominees. That is obviously not within the House’s jurisdiction, but I do urge my colleagues in the other chamber to have an up or down vote on crucial appointments.

Many of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have introduced well-meaning legislation to help protect our children. I think that some of these pieces of legislation warrant a legitimate policy debate, and I look forward to beginning that today. However, I caution my colleagues in trying to create a “nanny state.” As much as we want it to be, nothing in this world is 100 percent safe, and educating parents on some inherent dangers will go along way to protecting our children. Education, on so many levels, can save lives. That is a part of the function of the CPSC, and I think today’s hearing will help to accomplish that goal. The Chicago Tribune did its part in bringing the dangers of magnets to its readership, and today our subcommittee will do our part on educating our Members and the public on this important topic of child safety.

Again, Mr. Chairman, thank you for this hearing.

I yield back the remainder of my time.