KITTY PILGRIM: The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced recalls of more products imported from communist China, Taiwan and India and those recalls because of dangerous levels of lead. Now the latest recalls include Disney Tinker Bell Wands and Pirates of the Caribbean Sleeping Bags, yellow Sure Grip Paint Brushes, basic Beat Guiro Instruments, and a variety of United Scientific Magnets.
If you have one of these products the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends you stop using it immediately. You can find more information at loudobbs.com.
We have reported extensively on the flood of tainted toys imported from communist China. Families of children who suffered lead poisoning from those toys were on Capitol Hill this week, those families demanding that the government take action and protect this nation's children from dangerous imports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) PILGRIM (voice-over): Beth and Kevin Fischer (ph) had their 3- year-old son Ryan tested for lead after they realized Ryan owned many of the Mattel toys made in China that were recalled last year for lead content.
BETH FISCHER, SON POISONED BY LEAD IN TOYS: His blood lead level was at 27, anything above 10 is cause for concern and it has to be treated. Two weeks later it was at 21, which I thought was a good sign, but actually it was not. What it meant was more had settled in his bones and in his tissues.
PILGRIM: The Fischers (ph) are in Washington to lobby lawmakers for tougher penalties on companies that sell toxic toys. Tough new measures have passed in the House and Senate; the Senate version would make mandatory many toy safety standards that are now voluntary, but there is concern some provisions will be cut in the final version. Some lawmakers who met with families are adamant about making imported toys from China safe.
REP. JAN SCHAKOWSKY (D), ILLINOIS: We're certainly going raise the amount of funding for the Consumer Product Safety Commission. But we're also going require that the toy companies get independent testing of these toys. They're going to have to test those products regardless of where they're made before they come to the United States.
PILGRIM: Consumer watchdog groups want the bills to continue to include mandatory testing of toys, enhance power and funding for the CPSC, and high penalties up to $20 million against companies that violate standards.
JOANNE DOROSHOW, CENTER FOR JUSTICE & DEMOCRACY: It's also the responsibility of the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the U.S. government to make sure that these toys as they come in are not on the shelves if they violate these standards.
PILGRIM: The Fischers aren't taking any chances. Now they don't buy toys from China.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PILGRIM: The House and Senate bills now in conference have to be voted on by July 4 for the new standards to be in place by this coming Christmas season. Mattel, one of the country's biggest toy brands, now says they support the legislation.
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