Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Mr. President, I rise to speak about an issue that is very close to my heart. I am a mom. I have two young boys at home. Like all parents, I have faith and confidence that the products I use on my children--bath products, lotions, and soaps--are safe. But a new study was recently released by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics revealing that widely used baby products, such as shampoos and baby lotions, contain probable carcinogens and other irritants, in particular formaldehyde and dioxane 1,4.
Like many other moms in New York, when I read this list of potentially dangerous products, I immediately began to worry about my children. I have two boys--Henry who is 11 months old and Theodore who is 5 years old. When I read this list of products, I noticed many of them are literally in my bathroom, and I have used them on my children since they were born. I was immediately very concerned. I began to think about what I could do to make a difference. The bottom line is, I, like all parents in America, need to know the facts about these products.
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics commissioned an independent laboratory study to test 48 products for 1,4-dioxane, and 28 of those products were also tested for formaldehyde. The lab found that 61 percent contained both of those chemicals. Eighty-two percent contained formaldehyde from a level of 54 to 610 parts per million, and 67 percent contained 1,4-dioxane at levels up to 35 parts per million. The report says these chemicals are both probable carcinogens and irritants and have been known to cause cancer in animals.
The FDA, however, has not established a safe level for these chemicals in cosmetics, and these chemicals are currently not listed as ingredients because they are byproducts of the processing and manufacturing.
To me, this situation is unacceptable. Parents have the right to know whether the products they use on their children are safe. While a single product may not be cause for concern, the reality is, babies may be exposed to many products, several times a week. Children are particularly susceptible. Their skin is much finer, much thinner, so they can absorb contaminants more easily. They tend to breathe more quickly than adults, meaning their exposure to inhalation of some of these chemicals can be more considerable. We need to make sure the combination of these products is not causing harm to our youngest. Parents need to know if there are any risks in the products they trust. Parents have a right to know, and the government has a responsibility to make sure these products are safe.
That is why I rise to introduce legislation that will ensure these baby products are safe and that parents have the information they deserve. The Safe Baby Products Act will require the FDA to investigate the safety of baby products, publicly report the findings, and establish manufacturing practices that will reduce or eliminate any harmful chemicals. While there are no known cases of any disease directly linked to these products, what the legislation will do is require the FDA to test the safety and then report the findings so all of us can rest assured the products we use are safe. This commonsense legislation will ensure that we have all the facts we need about lotions and soap products because parents deserve to know.
This legislation will ensure transparency and accountability in this all-important consumer products market. The United States has a great history of taking steps to safeguard our kids. There is an important tradition of child and product safety laws.
As a mother of two young sons, I understand there is no duty greater for the Federal Government than to protect those who are most vulnerable among us. Other countries have taken leadership. The EU and Canada have banned dioxane in cosmetic products and have regulations for formaldehyde. Japan and Sweden have banned formaldehyde. The Israeli Health Ministry has banned the sales of U.S. baby products with carcinogenic chemicals.
All parents want the best for their kids. Our Government must not fail to protect our youngest and those who need our protection the most. This legislation will ensure that all of our parents have the information they need to keep our children safe.
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