Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act

Floor Speech

VIRGINIA GRAEME BAKER POOL AND SPA SAFETY ACT -- (House of Representatives - October 09, 2007)

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Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I thank our committee chairman for bringing this bill to the floor and all the people who have worked so hard on this legislation over the years.

Mr. Speaker, I am going to rise in support today of H.R. 1721, the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act. During the Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection Subcommittee markup, it occurred to me because of some things that had happened back in my district that there was an additional danger that was not being addressed in the hearings we had leading up to this legislation. So during the subcommittee process, I introduced an amendment that was inspired by the tragic accident that occurred in an ornamental pool back in my district back in Fort Worth, Texas. In June of 2004, three children and one adult drowned at the Fort Worth Water Gardens: Myron Dukes, age 39; his daughter, Lauren, age 8; his son, Christopher, 13; and a family friend, Juanitrice Deadmon, age 11. On that tragic day, one child accidentally fell into the ornamental pool and the other three jumped in trying to save the child. Compounding the tragedy, the water was unusually deep due to a recirculating pump malfunction and recent heavy rains.

Mr. Speaker, let me quote to you and the House from the Fort Worth Star Telegram about that event. Fort Worth Star Telegram June 17, 2004:

``The victims were among the thousands of visitors attending the National Baptist Congress at the Fort Worth Convention Center.

``The pastor, Gerald Dew, said he was told that the children went to the Water Gardens to play because the swimming pool at the Fort Worth Plaza Hotel where they were staying was closed for maintenance.

``One of the children slipped, which started a chain reaction.

``Bike patrol officer Tony Maldonado, who was one of the first officers to arrive at the swimming pool, said he jumped in and the force `literally sucked the socks off of my feet.' ''

From the Fort Worth Star Telegram 2004.

While this tragedy happened in Fort Worth, the visitors were from Chicago and were constituents of my subcommittee chairman and friend, Congressman Rush. I know that both of our cities, Fort Worth, Texas, and Chicago, Illinois, grieved about this loss.

Mr. Speaker, let me quote to you from an online report from the CBS affiliate in Chicago, Chicago.com, on the reopening of the Water Gardens last spring. This is from March 20, 2007: ``The park of artistic pools and fountains closed following the June 2004 drownings of the four from Chicago, who were in Fort Worth for a religious convention. Since then, more than $3 million in modifications to improve the park's safety have been made.

` ``The renovations from the past month don't take away from the mystique,' Mayor Michael Moncrief said during the ceremonies.

``Now, the depth of the Active Pool, where the drownings occurred, has been restricted to less than 2 feet. Other renovations include new pumps and pump system, switches, electrical work, lights and additional handrails, as well as a larger and easier-to-clean drain system around the park's perimeter.''

Mr. Speaker, as with many things in life, awareness and education can save lives. And this disaster, this disaster that happened in my district in Fort Worth, must not be repeated. More education regarding the unseen dangers hidden in ornamental pools is necessary.

Mr. Speaker, almost every single community in this country has an ornamental pool. We have quite a few here at the Capitol. While 36 States have pool safety programs, not all of these States have an ornamental pool safety program, and therefore they likely do not educate their constituency on the dangers that ornamental pools can represent. Ornamental pools often greatly enhance communities, but they can also pose a great threat to communities if the owners and operators are not educated as to the potential danger.

Through my amendment in this bill, there will be a wider public education campaign to alert consumers to the safety hazards associated and the requirements for proper maintenance of ornamental pools. The bill, which requires the use of proper anti-entrapment drain covers and drainage systems, establishes a swimming pool safety grant program to be administered by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

This legislation also encourages States to strengthen pool and spa safety laws and increase public education and outreach to consumers. I believe the inclusions of ornamental pools in this bill is an important component of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

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