CR letter to U.S. House supporting H.R. 3172, the Safe Sleep for Babies Act

Consumer Reports (CR), the independent, non-profit member organization, urges you to vote yes on H.R. 3172, a bill that would help parents and caregivers protect their babies from getting hurt or killed by products that are not safe for infant sleep yet remain on the market.

H.R. 3172 would ban two types of infant products—infant inclined sleep products and crib bumper pads—as hazardous products under section 8 of the Consumer Product Safety Act. Both of these products are associated with dozens of infant deaths, with at least 73 deaths linked to infant inclined sleepers and at least 48 deaths linked to crib bumpers. CR testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee in June 2019 in support of these measures, and now urges your approval of H.R. 3172 on the House floor.

Infant inclined sleep products and crib bumpers directly conflict with safe sleep recommendations established by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). These guidelines, developed through a rigorous, multi-year process to evaluate the state of the medical evidence, advise that babies should be placed to bed on a firm, flat surface in their own space, with no extra bedding.

It is clear—based on the AAP recommendations, additional research we outline below, and the dozens of infant deaths that have occurred—that inclined sleep products and crib bumpers are not safe for infant sleep, and they should not be for sale. As long as these products remain on store shelves and online, well-meaning parents and caregivers may unwittingly put countless infants at risk. Today, you have the opportunity to help protect these infants.

Accordingly, we urge you to vote yes on H.R. 3172, and look forward to working together to ensure a safe sleep environment for infants and a safe marketplace for all consumers.

For the full letter, click here.