{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://castor.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397814", "2014 Trouble in Toyland Survey Released", "2014-12-01", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Kathy Castor", "C001066", "castor.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL) , the Florida Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), Florida Consumer Action Network (FCAN) and All Children\u2019s Hospital teamed up to urge parents and shoppers to remain vigilant about hazardous toys currently on shelves. In addition, practicing toy safety \u2013 such as using helmets and fastening belts correctly \u2013 is just as important when it comes to keeping kids safe and out of the emergency room.\r\n          share:\r\n          f \r\n          t \r\n        \r\n      \r\n      Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL) , the Florida Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), Florida Consumer Action Network (FCAN) and All Children\u2019s Hospital teamed up to urge parents and shoppers to remain vigilant about hazardous toys currently on shelves. In addition, practicing toy safety \u2013 such as using helmets and fastening belts correctly \u2013 is just as important when it comes to keeping kids safe and out of the emergency room.\n\u201cI want families to have a happy and safe holiday. I highlight reports like Trouble in Toyland every year to empower today\u2019s consumers with the information they need to keep their little ones safe. This is also an annual reminder of the additional tools consumers have year-round at their fingertips since the landmark Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act was passed in 2008,\u201d said U.S. Rep. Castor, who championed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. \u201cThis includes saferproducts.gov, where consumers can submit reports and search the database for product hazard reports.\u201d Parents can also subscribe to government announcements of recalled products at www.recalls.gov\u00a0 \nAmong the toys surveyed this year, PIRG found numerous choking hazards and five toys with concentrations of toxics (lead, chromium, phthalate) exceeding federal standards. The report also describes the potential hazards in toys and children\u2019s products. The Consumer Protection Safety Commission does not test all toys, and not all toys on store shelves necessarily meet the Commission\u2019s standards. The toys included in the 2014 Trouble in Toyland report are presented as examples, and other hazards may exist. That\u2019s why parental vigilance is an important part of toy safety. \n\u201cAs parents venture into crowded malls and browse for the perfect toy on the Internet this holiday season, they should remain vigilant about often\u2010hidden hazards posed by toys on store shelves, particularly as more and more toys are imported from countries where toy safety is not as stringent,\u201d FCAN\u2019s Olivia Babis said. \u201cPIRG's report provides safety guidelines for parents when purchasing toys for small children and provides examples of toys currently on store shelves that may pose potential safety hazards.\u201d\u00a0 \nThe Florida Suncoast Safe Kids Coalition at All Children\u2019s Hospital Johns Hopkins Medicine was on hand to demonstrate the safe use of toys as a step towards keeping kids safe this holiday season. \n\u201cFrom choking hazards to exposure to toxic chemicals, there are many injuries and medical problems seen in emergency departments across the nation due to children\u2019s toys,\u201d said Joe Perno, M.D., pediatric emergency medicine physician and medical director for care coordination at All Children\u2019s Hospital Johns Hopkins Medicine. \u201cWe want to help parents know and understand the safety risks in order to protect their children year-round.\u201d\u00a0 \nThe entire report can be found in the \u201cProtecting Consumers\u201d section of castor.house.gov\n\u201cLet\u2019s not roll back on the progress we\u2019ve made in protecting our littlelist consumers. Store shelves are replenished with new toys constantly \u2013 especially during the holidays -- and I urge families to use the resources on toy safety and remain vigilant.\u201d\u00a0 \n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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": ["http://castor.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397814"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.475015887990594, "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"}