Mark Pryor

Mr. PRYOR

Mr. PRYOR. Yes, the bill leaves such authority to impose testing requirements in place without preemption.

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, the first thing I want to say is this is a great bill. It is something every Senator should be proud of, because what we saw in 2007 was a record number of product recalls. In fact, last year, there were 45 million toys that were recalled. Every single toy was made in China that was recalled last year. Unfortunately, it doesn't stop there. In 2008, we are 29 percent ahead of the schedule we set back in 2007. So this problem is not going away. This is a great bill, and this is a classic example that bipartisanship works. We did this bill the way bills ought to be done. We worked it out in committee. I see that Senator Stevens walked onto the floor. He played a vital and important role in the committee process and afterward. We worked together with Democrats and Republicans, and the House worked with the Senate. It has been a great example of how things can and should work around here. We added third-party testing for toys. We added a new database for people to search to look at complaints about products. We give the Attorney General the ability to follow what the CPSC has done and get dangerous products off the shelves. We add whistleblower protection, so if people in the private sector know about a dangerous problem and reveal that, they don't lose their jobs. We increase civil penalties to make sure these companies--especially the ones who are repeat offenders--will know the CPSC has the authority to enforce what they do and make them feel the pain of that. We ban lead in children's products. We move the commission, which used to be a five-member commission and is now down to three, back to a five-member commission. We change the rulemaking process so that the authority rests with the CPSC again and not with the industry. I could go on and on about the great things in this legislation. I know my time is short. Mr. President, how much time do I have?

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, Senator Hutchison said something that is very important. We did focus on toys. Toys capture the imagination of the American public because no parent or grandparent wants to buy something and give it to a young child which could harm or, in some cases, kill them. That is the type of thing that grabs the headlines. Let me tell you, a couple of levels deeper, one of the ways we make toys safer for kids all over this country. What we did in this legislation is we established a statutory toy standard. Once we have that standard, and allow the CPSC to modify it over time, once that is in the statutes, that means we can test for that standard. This bill has mandatory toy testing. For the first time ever, we are going to test these toys to make sure they meet the U.S. safety standards before they are ever sold in the marketplace. If you think about a recall, a recall is a very uneconomical--I will use that term--and inefficient way to find a dangerous product. So the manufacturer comes over here with a product--many cases from overseas-- and it is distributed, sold, and it injures someone, and the recall happens, and these products are all over America. We are streamlining it and making our marketplace more efficient and better for people all over this country. I will end where I started. I see Senator Sununu here, who played a very key role. All of the Senators helped in some ways. Again, I will end where I started, and that is that this is a great piece of legislation. It really is. The American people will be so pleased with the work we have done to get this passed and get the President to sign it. It will make a big difference in everyone's lives all over this country. Again, it shows what we can do if we work together to solve our problems. I am very honored and privileged to have Senator Inouye designate me as the lead guy on our side to do this, and to watch Senators Stevens and Inouye work together. They set the pace on this legislation. I thank the Chair.

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I want to make sure I thank the people who deserve the lion's share of the credit. Senator Stevens was critical. He came in at a very important time, early in the process, and helped shape the bill and helped to get us from a Democratic bill to a bipartisan bill that got us to where we are today. In fact, the House voted last night 424 to 1 to pass this. I also thank Senators Sununu and Hutchison. Senator Inouye, chairman of the Commerce Committee, was fantastic. Senator Boxer was great; she was very focused on several issues. Senator Klobuchar, although a new Senator, had a positive impact on the process. It was an honor to work with them. Also I thank several House Members, of course, including Chairman Dingell and Congressman Barton, fantastic partners over there, who worked hard to get this done. And also Speaker Pelosi weighed in at the end to make sure we got it done. Maybe more important than all of us is the staff. We have a lot of staff sitting on the back benches. They have spent countless hours on this bill. They have been here weekends, in the evenings, and they have been haggling over every word, comma, and paragraph. I am so grateful to all of them. The people on my staff include Andy York and Price Feland. When you look at the Commerce Committee, there is David Strickland, Alex Hoehn- Saric, Jana Fong Swamidoss, Mia Petrini, and Jared Bomberg. They were great. Of course, on the Republican side are Paul Nagle and his team, including Megan Beechener, Becky Hooks, Bridget Petruczok, Erik Olson, Kate Nilan, Tamara Fucile, Brian Hendricks, and Peter Phipps. Also, I thank the CPSC commission. They helped as did their staff. Commissioner Moore, and Michael Gougisha and Pam Weller of his staff, as well as Jack Horner of the acting chairman's staff, all of these people played a key role in getting us to this very good bipartisan piece of legislation. As I said, this is something of which the Senate and House can be very proud. Today, the White House announced they will sign the legislation. This is a major victory for the American people. Again, we followed the rules, we followed the correct process here. We got this done and we are going to make a big difference in the American marketplace. Mr. President, I will turn it over to my colleague from Texas.

Mr. PRYOR. Yes, that is my understanding.

Mr. PRYOR

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Judiciary Committee be discharged from further consideration of H.R. 5938, and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that a Leahy- Specter amendment, which is at the desk, be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read the third time and passed, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements related to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. PRYOR

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 9:30 a.m. tomorrow, July 31; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, and the Senate then proceed to a period for the transaction of morning business until 10:30 a.m., with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each, with the time equally divided and controlled by the two leaders or their designees, with the majority controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the second half. I further ask unanimous consent that following morning business, the Senate resume consideration of the motion to proceed to S. 3001, the Department of Defense authorization bill. Finally, I ask unanimous consent that the time from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. be controlled in alternating 30-minute blocks of time between the majority and Republican sides, with the Republicans controlling the first 30 minutes.

Mr. PRYOR

Mr. PRYOR. I object to any further proceedings with respect to the bill.

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I understand that S. 3348 is at the desk and due for a second reading.

Mr. PRYOR

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 897, S. 2617.

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee substitute amendment be agreed to, the bill, as amended, be read the third time and passed, the committee-reported title amendment be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate, and any statements related to the bill be printed in the Record.

Mr. PRYOR

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 635, which was submitted earlier today.

Mr. PRYOR

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand adjourned under the previous order.

Mr. PRYOR

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. PRYOR

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to a period of morning business with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. PRYOR

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, tomorrow we expect to turn to the consideration of the Consumer Product Safety Commission conference report and the higher education conference report. Therefore, Senators should expect votes throughout the day.

Mr. PRYOR

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask unanimous consent that it stand in recess under the previous order.

Mr. PRYOR

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, as a reminder to all Senators, there will be a moment of silence at 3:40 p.m. in remembrance of Officers Gibson and Chestnut, and all Senators are encouraged to be on the floor for this moment of silence.

Mr. PRYOR

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc, and that any statements be printed in the Record.

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of a resolution submitted earlier today.

Mr. PRYOR

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. PRYOR

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.

Mr. PRYOR

Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that at 3:40 p.m. tomorrow, the Senate have a moment of silence for the fallen Officers Gibson and Chestnut.