{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-calls-for-ftc-investigation-into-misleading-claims-made-by-manufacturers-of-bulletproof-school-supplies", "Blumenthal Calls for FTC Investigation into Misleading Claims Made by Manufacturers of Bulletproof School Supplies", "2024-11-01", "2024", "2024-11", "Democrat", "Senate", "CT", "Richard Blumenthal", "B001277", "www.blumenthal.senate.gov", "blumenthal", "https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press", "scraper", "[WASHINGTON, D.C.] \u2013 U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate seemingly deceptive advertising practices of manufacturers producing allegedly bulletproof school supplies. According to recent reporting from The New York Times, manufacturers of such products, including bulletproof pencil cases, binders, and backpack inserts, have touted certification by the National Institute of Justice, which neither tests nor certifies school products of any kind. Blumenthal is urging the FTC to take action, as these false marketing claims may give parents a false sense of security and potentially divert resources and attention away from solutions that are proven to help keep kids safe.\n\n\u201cWhile it is tragic that school supplies that purport to protect our children from gun violence in the classroom are necessary, at least 139 instances of gunfire have occurred on K-12 school grounds so far in 2024 alone. Eager to protect their children, parents are paying high prices, such as $185 for a pencil case and $149 for a \u2018bulletproof backpack insert.\u2019 And costs are even higher for school districts: desks marketed as bulletproof can cost up to ten times the price of a standard desk,\u201d wrote Blumenthal in a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan.\n\n\u201cThese unsupported claims of U.S. government approval suggest that these companies are interested in profit, not children\u2019s safety,\u201d Blumenthal concluded. \u201cI ask that the Commission investigate these companies to determine whether any unlawful, unfair, or deceptive advertising practices are taking place. Parents deserve better than false promises of security for their children.\u201d\n\nIn addition to calling for an FTC investigation, Blumenthal wrote to more than a dozen companies that have made seemingly deceptive advertising claims, seeking information about the safety and certifications of their products. Blumenthal\u2019s letters to these companies are available here.\n\nThe full text of Blumenthal\u2019s letter to the FTC is available here and below:\n\nNovember 1, 2024\n\nThe Honorable Lina Khan\n\nChair\n\nFederal Trade Commission\n\n600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW\n\nWashington, D.C. 20580\n\nDear Chair Khan,\n\nI write with serious concerns about the seemingly deceptive advertising practices of numerous companies regarding their allegedly bulletproof school supplies. In recent months, millions of children across America went back to school. School districts prepared their classrooms and parents took their children shopping for supplies. Sadly, this increasingly means purchasing products that promise to keep children safe from gun violence.[1]\n\nWhile it is tragic that school supplies that purport to protect our children from gun violence in the classroom are necessary, at least 139 instances of gunfire have occurred on K-12 school grounds so far in 2024 alone.[2] Eager to protect their children, parents are paying high prices, such as $185 for a pencil case and $149 for a \u201cbulletproof backpack insert.\u201d[3] And costs are even higher for school districts: desks marketed as bulletproof can cost up to ten times the price of a standard desk.[4]\n\nYet the manufacturers of these products frequently claim certifications that their products have not actually received.[5] Particularly worrying are false claims of certification by the National Institute of Justice, an agency of the U.S. Department of Justice, which neither tests nor certifies school products of any kind.[6] These phony certifications help justify the steep prices for \u201cbulletproof\u201d products while giving parents a fraudulent and unearned sense of security.\n\nMyriad firms claim their backpack inserts, binders, pencil cases, and other school supplies provide NIJ-rated protection. For example, Premier Body Armor claims its \u201cPremier Body Armor Level IIIA Ballistic 3-Ring Binder Cover\u201d is \u201c[t]ested to meet the NIJ ballistic standards for Level IIIA.\u201d[7] The Premier Body Armor \u201cUniversal Fit Level III+ Rifle-Rated Backpack Insert\u201d is described as \u201c[t]ested to meet the NIJ 0101.06 ballistic standard.\u201d[8] Bullet Blocker\u2019s \u201cNIJ IIIA Bulletproof Tactical Organizer\u201d is allegedly \u201c[t]ested to the NIJ IIIA standards stopping a 357 Magnum, 44 Magnum, 9mm, .45 caliber hollow point ammunition and more.\u201d[9] And Hardwire claims its \u201cBulletproof Clipboard Level 3A\u201d features \u201cNIJ Level 3A protection.\u201d[10]\n\nSimilar claims are made by Safe Life Defense, RTS Tactical, Atomic Defense, White Horse Defense, Level-4 Armor, Leatherback Gear, Armored Republic, UARM, Bulletproof Zone, Citizen Armor, BulletSafe, and more.[11]\n\nThese unsupported claims of U.S. government approval suggest that these companies are interested in profit, not children\u2019s safety. And false promises with expensive price tags risk diverting resources and attention of school districts and parents away from solutions that are proven to help keep kids safe. I ask that the Commission investigate these companies to determine whether any unlawful, unfair, or deceptive advertising practices are taking place. Parents deserve better than false promises of security for their children.\n\nThank you for your attention to this important matter, and I look forward to your response.\n\nSincerely,\n\n-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:07:06Z"]], "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://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-calls-for-ftc-investigation-into-misleading-claims-made-by-manufacturers-of-bulletproof-school-supplies"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6047237440943718, "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"}