Stop Tip-Overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1314) to require the Consumer Product Safety Commission to promulgate a consumer product safety rule for free-standing clothing storage units to protect children from tip-over related death or injury, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 1314

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth Act'' or the ``STURDY Act''. SEC. 2. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY STANDARD TO PROTECT AGAINST TIP-OVER OF CLOTHING STORAGE UNITS.

(a) Clothing Storage Unit Defined.--In this section, the term ``clothing storage unit'' means any free-standing furniture item manufactured in the United States or imported for use in the United States that is intended for the storage of clothing, typical of bedroom furniture.

(b) Consumer Product Safety Standard Required.--

(1) In general.--Except as provided in subsection (c)(1), not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Consumer Product Safety Commission shall--

(A) in consultation with representatives of consumer groups, clothing storage unit manufacturers, craft or handmade furniture manufacturers, and independent child product engineers and experts, examine and assess the effectiveness of any voluntary consumer product safety standards for clothing storage units; and

(B) in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code, promulgate a final consumer product safety standard for clothing storage units to protect children from tip-over-related death or injury that includes--

(i) tests that simulate the weight of children up to 60 pounds;

(ii) objective, repeatable, and measurable tests that simulate real world use and account for any impact on clothing storage unit stability that may result from placement on carpeted surfaces, drawers with items in them, multiple open drawers, or dynamic force;

(iii) testing of all clothing storage units, including those under 30 inches in height; and

(iv) warning requirements based on ASTM F2057-17, or its successor at the time of enactment, provided that the Consumer Product Safety Commission shall strengthen the requirements of ASTM F2057-17, or its successor, if reasonably necessary to protect children from tip-over- related death or injury.

(2) Treatment of standard.--A consumer product safety standard promulgated under paragraph (1) shall be treated as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under section 9 of the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2058).

(c) Subsequent Rulemaking.--

(1) In general.--At any time subsequent to the publication of a consumer product safety standard under subsection (b)(1), the Commission may initiate a rulemaking, in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code, to modify the requirements of the consumer product safety standard described in subsection (b)(1) if reasonably necessary to protect children from tip-over-related death or injury.

(2) Revision of rule.--If, after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revises its Clinical Growth Charts, the consumer product safety standard described in subsection (b)(1) shall, on the date that is 180 days after such revision, be revised to include tests that simulate the weight of children up to the 95th percentile weight of children 72 months in age, as depicted in the revised Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Clinical Growth Charts, unless the Commission determines the modification is not reasonably necessary to protect children from tip-over-related death or injury.

(3) Treatment of rules.--Any rule promulgated under paragraph (1) or revision made pursuant to paragraph (2) shall be treated as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under section 9 of the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2058).

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Mr. PALLONE. 1314.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 1314, the STURDY Act. I want to begin by thanking Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee Chair Schakowsky for championing and reintroducing this critical piece of legislation, which will help protect children from deadly furniture tip-overs.

Tip-overs remain one of the top five hidden hazards in the home. According to new data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, between 2000 and 2019, tip-over incidents have been linked to more than 450 child fatalities and tens of thousands more injuries.

Every 46 minutes a child is injured in a tip-over incident. The victims tend to be young children who are curious and creative, eager to climb and play make-believe with the world around them. But dressers pose a deadly danger, and their crushing weight can lead to tragedy in just minutes.

These incidents often happen silently, too. Parents who have lost children from furniture tip-overs report never hearing the dresser falling because the child's body had absorbed the brunt of the impact or a child was pinned in such a way that he or she couldn't even scream or cry out.

The current voluntary furniture stability standards are woefully inadequate and have not stopped children from dying from unstable dressers. In March, Consumer Reports reported on two tip-over incidents, including one death that happened within 1 week of each other, highlighting the ongoing and urgent need for this lifesaving legislation.

Our children deserve a strong, mandatory standard that keeps them safe from such a common household danger. Right now, the current voluntary standard only applies to dressers 30 inches or taller, despite multiple fatalities and injuries involving shorter dressers.

Also, the voluntary testing doesn't incorporate the upper weight range for children affected by tip-overs. It also ignores real-world dynamics, such as the movement of drawers and different flooring surfaces that a dresser might be resting on.

The STURDY Act would finally establish a strong mandatory furniture stability safety standard and protect children from being crushed under the weight of their bedroom furniture. This legislation will save lives, and that is why I call on my colleagues to support this measure.

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Mr. PALLONE. Schakowsky), the chairwoman of the subcommittee and sponsor of this bill. I am sure many have noticed today that many of these bills that protect consumers, particularly children, have been championed by Ms. Schakowsky.

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Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I also urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Judiciary Committee and the founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Children's Caucus, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1314, the ``Stop Tip-Overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Children Act,'' or ``STURDY Act,'' which directs the Consumer Product Safety Commission to adopt a stronger, mandatory stability standard for clothing storage units within one year of enactment, following the streamlined rulemaking process that it has used for numerous children's products.

A tip-over can involve a piece of furniture, often a dresser or other type of clothing storage unit, falling onto a small child.

These dangerous episodes can lead to a trip to the emergency room, or even death.

A child is sent to the emergency room because of a tip-over incident every 60 minutes, and on average, 1 to 2 children die every month.

Children age 2 to 5 are at the highest risk--their motor abilities allow them to navigate the home by themselves and their intellectual development makes them curious about objects that might be out of reach.

In June 2016, IKEA recalled 29 million dressers and chests due to a tipover hazard; at least 8 children died in tragic tip-over accidents and hundreds of children have been injured by IKEA furniture.

Mr. Speaker, relying upon a voluntary standard for dressers is not enough to protect our children from tip-overs.

The voluntary standard only tests whether a dresser or drawer will tip with 50 lbs. hanging from an open drawer.

This standard has not proven stringent enough to reduce tip-overs, and it also only applies to dressers over 27 inches.

Even as weak as it is, dressers do not have to meet this voluntary standard.

That is why the STURDY Act is needed; it will help prevent the deaths of children from tip-overs.

Specifically, the STURDY Act:

1. Mandates testing on all clothing units;

2. Requires testing to simulate the weights of children up to 72 months old;

3. Requires testing measures to account for scenarios involving carpeting, loaded drawers, and the dynamic force of a climbing child;

4. Mandates strong warning requirements; and

5. Requires the CPSC to issue the mandatory standard within 1 year of the STURDY Act's enactment.

I strongly support H.R. 1314, the Stop Tip-Overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth Act, and urge all Members to join me in voting for its passage.

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