The Mission Ahead: Children’s Issues
DiNorcia: Piece on Abstinence Education Was Misleading
October 9, 2009
On Oct. 6, I was shocked to find an opinion piece in Roll Call online, masquerading as a news article. Written by Valerie Huber, executive director of the National Abstinence Education Association, the piece was a slanted and misguided rant in favor of abstinence-only-until-marriage programs. It was so rife with misleading statements and outright lies, that I felt it necessitated a response.
Read the full article
Huber: Senate Vote Displays Reality Check in Sex Education Debate
October 6, 2009
In a political landscape strewn with the thorny weeds of hyperpartisanship, a rare bipartisan bloom of common sense and responsiveness to the wishes of constituents prevailed in (of all things) the never-ending sex education debate. In an amendment offered by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), the Senate Finance Committee voted, by a slim margin, to restore Title V, which provides states with funding to provide abstinence education to youths.
Burke: Paper Is the Right Choice for Clothes and Shoes: Marking One Year of the CPSIA
August 14, 2009
On Friday, we are marking the one-year anniversary of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act and the second of three phase-in dates for reductions in lead standards for children’s products.
Levy: CPSC Chairwoman’s Pledge for ‘Common Sense’ Approach to Be Tested
July 27, 2009
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act has resulted in serious unintended consequences for a number of industries due to its overly broad definition of children’s products, unrealistic implementation timelines, and retroactive bans on the sale of existing inventory.
Wilson: Small Businesses Are Being Hurt by New Toy Safety Law
June 17, 2009
Nancy Cowles’ recent Mission Ahead piece, New Toy Regulation Act to Further Protect Children, resembles the new safety law she defends: overreaching and misguided.
Cowles: New Toy Regulation Act to Further Protect Children
June 8, 2009
The Mission Ahead piece “Congress Should Return Toy Safety Regulation to the CPSC” (June 1) illustrated amply why the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 is so necessary.
Woldenberg: Congress Should Return Toy Safety Regulation to the CPSC
June 1, 2009
I am a toymaker and I do not make “toxic toys.” I never thought I would have to make that statement, but unfortunately, all children’s products companies remain under assault by consumer groups capitalizing on a notorious series of toy recalls in 2007 and 2008 to propagate misconceptions about safety. Having pushed Congress to pass the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act last year, these same groups now refuse to acknowledge the flaws in this law. Despite an outcry over the overly broad reach of the new law, a misguided labeling policy and the devastating retroactive application of the new standards, Congress has refused to budge. Politics has taken over children’s product safety.
Janssen: Congress Needs to Ensure Ban on Toxic Toys Is Implemented
May 20, 2009
It is no longer legal to sell a toy or child care product containing certain toxic industrial plasticizers known as phthalates, which leach from toy to child when mouthed and are linked to reproductive disorders and cancer. This phthalates ban — part of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act — is a major milestone in consumer safety.
Johnson: Science Vs. Politics: the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act’s Impact on Child Safety
May 13, 2009
A year after the enactment of sweeping toy safety legislation, it is fair to ask, “Are our children better off?” The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act was supposed to bring rigor and discipline to children’s products. But, in the wake of confounding mandates, confusing standards and unfunded implementation, the answer to the question is one of the few things that is clear. No, our children are not better off. Indeed, new hazards are entering the marketplace as a result of the law’s more shortsighted provisions. In some very real ways, a law that was supposed to make things safer may do just the opposite.
Taylor & Gifford: Putting a New Face on ADHD
May 5, 2009
If there is one mental health disorder that has captured the attention of the American public over the last few decades, it is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.
Reeves: The Implementation Audit: How to Stop Education Stimulus Fund Waste Before It Starts
April 14, 2009
Whether the new federal education funding stimulates innovation and student achievement, as President Barack Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan hope, or another round of “spray and pray” initiatives in already-overwhelmed school systems is an open question. In order to tilt the odds in favor of the former, the Department of Education should insist that school systems have an implementation audit in place before they spend a nickel of federal funds.
Frist: A Healthy Populace Requires More Than Medical Care
April 9, 2009
In the halls of Congress, most attention regarding our nation’s health focuses on reforming our health care system. But health and health care are not the same, and health reform alone won’t improve the health of all — or even most — Americans.
Bill & Melinda Gates: A Bold Vision for Stimulus, Education Reform
February 10, 2009
Like many Americans, we are impressed with the goals outlined in the Obama administration’s economic stimulus package, goals that would promote short-term economic recovery but also jump-start needed reforms in key areas like public education, which in turn will accelerate long-term economic growth.
Honda: Nation Needs Commission to Find Solution to Deteriorating Education System
January 30, 2009
The direction in which California and 27 other states are headed with regard to education is a dangerous and deeply disappointing one. While I recognize the dilemma facing Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in light of the economic woes stemming from Bush-era policymaking, which forces tough choices in trimming budgets, education must be off-limits. Schwarzenegger’s proposed education spending cuts, in the billions of dollars, will adversely impact our state’s schools, particularly those most vulnerable. These cuts will significantly set back our capacity to provide an equitable education for all children and will position California for further economic hardship in the long term.
Powell: To Restore Economic Health, Congress Must Put Children First
November 20, 2008
When the 111th Congress convenes in January, it will be faced with the most challenging agenda in recent history. Members of Congress will confront record budget deficits, pressing domestic and international issues, and follow-up to the financial rescue and stimulus packages. These challenges have shaken our country to its core and caused our leaders to sail into uncharted territory.
Chun: Cyber Attacks Demand Strong Public-Private Response
Nov. 6, 12:35 p.m.
The federal government is increasingly taking a leadership role in improving the nation’s cybersecurity. But, with a threat that is quickly growing and more sophisticated each day, it’s clear that the government — for all of its good intentions — cannot win this battle without a robust commitment from technology companies. Read Full Article
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