Bill bans dangerous chemicals in toys

Congress has finally passed a new bill to prohibit lead (except for trace amounts) in toys, following recalls of dangerous, chemical-laden toys that have plagued the industry. The bill also cracks down on phthalates that have long been banned in other countries and have been linked to health problems.

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act has such strong public support that it passed the House 424 to 1 and passed the Senate 89 to 3.

Who were the only lawmakers to vote against it? Well, the bill's only congressional opponents are Republicans, of course. In the Senate, the only 3 opponents are (ahem, ahem, ahem) Tom Coburn, Jim DeMint, and Jon Kyl. The only House opponent is...Ron Paul.

The Bush regime has also blasted the bill, but Bush can't very well veto it, because Congress would then quite properly override his veto.

The real story may be that it took until 2008 to do anything about chemicals in toys. Congress deemed cutting off aid to the poor so urgent that it did that way back in 1996. But it took another 12 years to make sure our children have safer toys.

Now the obstructionism by the madcap Kyl/DeMint/Coburn contingent has finally been overcome!

(Source: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hk2PsdpRbmKmS0Wm45tU1HU5DSawD9295RV00)