{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://pallone.house.gov/media/press-releases/pallone-announces-legislation-ban-water-beads-are-dangerous-and-potentially", "Pallone Announces Legislation to Ban Water Beads that are Dangerous and Potentially Deadly for Children", "2023-11-13", "2023", "2023-11", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Frank Pallone, Jr.", "P000034", "pallone.house.gov", "pallone", "https://pallone.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "NEPTUNE, NJ\u2014Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) held a press conference today at Jersey Shore University Medical Center to announce legislation he is introducing this week to ban water beads marketed for kids. Water beads are colorful, water-absorbing balls that are sold as children\u2019s toys and often look like candy. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), they are a danger to young children and can be deadly if swallowed.\n\n\u201cWater beads come in all sorts of bright rainbow colors, tend to look like candy, and are often labeled as non-toxic,\u201d Congressman Pallone said. \u201cThey look and sound fun, but the reality is these colorful products can become deadly or cause serious injuries when swallowed by children. That\u2019s why I\u2019m introducing legislation to ban water beads marketed for kids nationwide. I\u2019m grateful to everyone who joined me today to raise awareness about the danger these products pose\u2014especially as holiday shopping begins\u2014and I look forward to continuing to work together to advance this legislation to protect our nation\u2019s little ones.\u201d\n\nThe Ban Water Beads Act would direct the CPSC to enforce a ban on all water beads marketed for use by kids. The agency has received heartbreaking stories from parents whose children ingested water beads and suffered severe consequences, including grave internal injuries, lifelong health impacts, and tragic deaths. When swallowed by children, water beads can quickly absorb bodily fluids and swell to block intestines or cause other injuries. According to estimates, children ingesting water beads resulted in 7,800 emergency room visits between 2016 and 2022.\n\nThe Congressman was joined at the announcement by CPSC Chairman Alex Hoehn-Saric, Dr. Harpreet Pall who serves as Chair of Pediatrics at Hackensack Meridian Health K. Hovnanian Children\u2019s Hospital, Consumer Reports Associate Director for Safety Policy William Wallace, Ashley Haugen the President and Founder of That Water Bead Lady, Folichia Mitchell a parent who\u2019s toddler suffered intestinal blockage after ingesting one water bead, and Taylor Bethard a parent whose daughter tragically passed away after ingesting a water bead from a children\u2019s toy kit.\n\n\u201cI have heard heartbreaking stories from parents whose children ingested water beads and suffered horrendous consequences, including grave internal injuries, lifelong health impacts, and even death,\u201d said CPSC Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric. \u201cAll small children who have access to water beads are at risk. I thank Congressman Pallone for his leadership on this issue and look forward to working with him and with parent advocates to protect children.\u201d\n\n\u201cWater beads are a nightmare for parents: they look harmless and fun, but they can be deadly,\u201d said William Wallace, associate director of safety policy for Consumer Reports. \u201cA recent Consumer Reports investigation found that these small, super-absorbent gel balls can grow to dangerous sizes in the body if swallowed by a child. Yet companies are marketing them as safe, leading parents to unknowingly put their children at risk. Consumer Reports is proud to endorse Congressman Pallone\u2019s bill because parents already have enough on their plate to worry about, and they should be able to trust that toys they might buy for their children are actually safe.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs the largest healthcare provider in our state, dedicated to providing the best care and services for children and adults, we applaud Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr.\u2019s call for a national ban on a product severely impacting the health and well-being of so many young children in New Jersey and across the nation,\u201d said Robert C. Garrett, FACHE, CEO.\n\n\u201cParents have so many concerns about their children\u2019s health that are completely out of our control,\u201d said Harpreet Pall, M.D., MBA, CPE, chair of Pediatrics, Hackensack Meridian Children\u2019s Health K. Hovnanian Children\u2019s Hospital and Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. \u201cThat\u2019s why Congressman Pallone\u2019s call for a ban on a product that has endangered our children is so welcome, and will safeguard them from one less hazard.\u201d\n\n\u201cA toy is meant to bring joy, not tragedy,\u201d said Ashley Haugen, Founder and President of That Water Bead Lady. \u201cYet, in 2017, my family\u2019s life was turned upside down when water beads, purchased for my oldest daughter, poisoned, and critically injured my youngest daughter, Kipley. The same water beads that devastated my family remain for sale, a silent threat in any home. Today, alongside Congressman Pallone, the CPSC, and Consumer Reports, we support the Ban Water Beads Act and urge retailers to proactively remove these beads from their online platforms and shelves.\u201d\n\n\u201cIn November 2022, water beads caused serious injury to my daughter, Kennedy Mitchell,\u201d said Folichia Mitchell. \u201cThese beads, sold in packs of thousands, bring a hidden risk into homes, leaving only luck to avert disaster. We must join forces to shield our children from such dangers, as they deserve more than just luck for protection. I stand in support of the Ban Water Beads Act, advocating for the right of every child to have safe toys in their home.\u201d\n\n\"Our sweet Esther Jo is gone all because of a toy; a toy she was never allowed to play with,\u201d said Taylor Bethard. \u201cWater beads are not worth the risk. If you are a parent, caregiver, teacher or therapist, I urge you to remove these from your spaces immediately. Our family is thankful that the Ban Water Beads Act will help ensure that no other family endures the same tragedy we have.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:01:09Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://pallone.house.gov/media/press-releases/pallone-announces-legislation-ban-water-beads-are-dangerous-and-potentially"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3264911249279976, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}