Amendments ToFlammability Act IntroducedA movement is underway in Congress to amend and expand coverage of childrens sleepwear regulations under the Flammable Fabrics Act. Senators John Breaux (D-La.), Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Joseph Biden ( D-Del.) have each introduced legislation that would reverse a Consumer Product Safety Commission regulation that exempted childrens sleepwear sizes 0 to 9 months and tight-fitting sleepwear from the flammability regulations. In issuing the revised regulation, the commission said infants are not mobile and therefore are not at risk, and that tight-fitting garments will not support flames.The three bills would reverse that decision, but the Breaux bill goes much further than the other two. It not only would restore coverage of infants and tight-fitting garments, but also would extend coverage to what Breaux calls a functional definition of sleepwear for children up to seven years of age. That definition would include any garments that are sometimes used as sleepwear, such as togs, bunny suits and garments with cartoon characters that are attractive to young children.June 2002
