Cárdenas, Schakowsky Applaud House Passage of Safe Sleep for Babies Act
The legislation would ban crib bumper pads and infant inclined sleep products that have caused numerous deaths
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the United States House of Representatives passed the Safe Sleep for Babies Act of 2021, legislation introduced by Congressman Tony Cárdenas (CA-29), Vice Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL-9), Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce. The legislation will add inclined sleepers for infants with an inclined sleep surface greater than ten degrees and crib bumpers to the list of banned hazardous products under the Consumer Product Safety Act.
“There have been numerous deaths linked to crib bumper pads and infant inclined sleep products over the last decade,” said Congressman Cárdenas. “As a grandfather, this is very concerning to me. Parents and caregivers deserve the peace of mind that comes with knowing the sleep products they purchase are safe. The Safe Sleep for Babies Act will protect our kids by banning life-threatening sleeping products from store shelves. I thank my colleagues in the House for voting to pass my bill and I urge the Senate to pass it as quickly as possible.”
“With the passage of the Safe Sleep for Babies Act in the House today, we are one step closer to it becoming law,” said Congresswoman Schakowsky (IL-09). “It is well past time for Congress to act to protect infants from unsafe sleep products. We must give parents peace of mind and ensure that dangerous crib bumpers and infant inclined sleepers aren’t allowed on the market. I thank my colleague Vice Chair Cárdenas for his partnership on this critical legislation and look forward to getting it to the President’s desk.”
Nearly 200 deaths have been linked to crib bumpers and infant inclined sleep products. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), 83 deaths have been crib bumper-related and 97 have been due to inclined sleepers. The CPSC has issued recalls of the Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play, Kids II Rocking Sleeper, 4-in-1 Rock 'n Glide Soother and the 2-in-1 Soothe 'n Play Glider, among others . Still, many inclined sleep products and crib bumper pads continue to remain on the market. Earlier this month, the CPSC approved a new federal rule that will require products marketed or intended for infant sleep to meet a federal safety standard.
The legislation is endorsed by Consumer Reports, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Consumer Federation of America, Kids in Danger and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.
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