Cameron Gulbransen Kids and Cars Safety Act

CAMERON GULBRANSEN KIDS AND CARS SAFETY ACT -- (Senate - December 07, 2006)

Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I submit to the RECORD my disappointment that the Senate failed to consider S. 1948, The Cameron Gulbransen Kids and Cars Safety Act to improve the child safety features in new vehicles.

Nearly every other day, a child dies in the United States from a completely preventable tragedy--backed over by a driver who could not see behind their vehicle, strangled in a power window, or killed when an automobile inadvertently shifts into gear. The average age of victims in these cases is just 1 year old. In 70 percent of cases, a parent, relative, or close friend is behind the wheel.

Safety is something every family deserves, and it is not a partisan issue. I have been proud to work with Senator Sununu of New Hampshire as my partner on this legislation. We have met with families from our States and listened to parents share their heart-wrenching experience of losing a child.

The Gulbransens are one such family. Two-year-old Cameron was killed when he slipped outside unnoticed by his mother and babysitter and toddled behind the SUV his father was backing into the driveway. It is in memory of Cameron and the hundreds of children like him that we introduced bipartisan legislation to take steps we know can reduce these accidents. The Cameron Gulbransen Kids and Cars Safety Act will help to ensure that America's cars are properly equipped to prevent these tragedies from happening to others.

While the auto manufacturing industry has tried to make some changes to address these issues, this bill is timely and urgently needed. As parents, we do all we can to keep our children safe. As legislators, we should do the same to protect our Nation's children.

I am committed to reintroducing the Cameron Gulbransen Kids and Cars Safety Act in the 110th Congress and will work vigorously to ensure that safer cars mean safer kids across America.

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