Rep. Gillen, Del. King-Hinds, Mackenzie Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Combat Counterfeit Car Seats

"As a mother, I know there is nothing more important than the safety of our children," said Rep. Gillen. "Noncompliant and counterfeit car seats put babies' and children's lives at risk due to improper testing, inadequate safety features and poor construction. This leaves our children vulnerable in the moments that matter most. This bipartisan bill ensures parents have the education and resources they need to identify and avoid these dangerous products and gives states the tools to keep every child safe on the road. Protecting our children is not optional and we must do everything we can to make sure every car seat is safe for them."

"I'm proud to join Congresswoman Gillen in introducing this bipartisan legislation to better protect children and give families the information they need to avoid counterfeit or unsafe car seats," said Del. King-Hinds. "In the Northern Mariana Islands, where families rely on safe and reliable transportation every day, parents deserve confidence that the products they use meet federal safety standards. This effort strengthens education and awareness so we can help keep children in our communities, and across the nation, safe on the road."

"As a father of two young children, there is nothing more important to me than keeping our kids safe. Parents should be able to trust that the car seat they buckle their child into meets the safety standards designed to protect them," said Rep. Mackenzie. "Unfortunately, counterfeit and noncompliant products are making it harder for families to know whether the equipment they rely on is actually safe. This bipartisan effort will help educate parents and caregivers about how to identify dangerous products and avoid them so more children are properly protected every time they're on the road."

"Infants and toddlers are uniquely vulnerable in a motor vehicle crash, which is why it is important they are secured in a safety seat that is appropriate for their age and height, is installed correctly and meets federal safety standards," said Cathy Chase, President of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. "We are proud to support Rep. Laura Gillen (D-NY) and Del. Kimberlyn King-Hinds' (R-CNMI) bipartisan legislation to help ensure families can confidently choose compliant child safety seats and secure every young child on every trip."

"It is crucial that families have full confidence in the quality of the car seats they purchase, and this campaign will help them choose safe products over unsafe imposters," said Joe Colella, Director of Child Passenger Safety for the Baby Safety Alliance. "Fully compliant car seats and booster seats are proven to protect children from violent crash forces, saving more than 12,000 lives and reducing countless injuries over the past 50 years."

"Every time we buckle a child into a car seat, we deserve to know that child is safe," said Courtney Griffin, Director of Consumer Product Safety at the Consumer Federation of America. "Unfortunately, counterfeit and noncompliant child restraints are a silent threat hiding in plain sight. We strongly support giving caregivers the tools to spot dangerous products before tragedy strikes."

"Children are our most precious cargo and should always be properly secured in a child's car or booster seat that meets federal regulations," said Daniel Greene, Senior Director of Consumer Protection & Product Safety at the National Consumers League. "Regrettably, a pipeline of counterfeit and noncompliant child restraint systems is flooding the market, deceiving parents and guardians into strapping their child into dangerous contraptions not fit to withstand crash forces or protect children. The National Consumers League applauds Representatives Gillen and King-Hinds for championing legislation to educate parents and loved ones about the dangers of these defective child restraint systems."

"Safe Kids Worldwide commends Representative Gillen and Delegate King-Hinds for introducing legislation to help parents and caregivers make safe choices and avoid noncompliant or counterfeit car seats," said Safe Kids Worldwide President Torine Creppy. "The best way to protect children in the event of a crash is to ensure they are properly restrained in a compliant and correctly installed car seat. Too often we have seen car seats that don't meet federal safety standards being used by well-meaning families, and we support Rep. Gillen and Del. King-Hinds efforts to educate the public on the risks associated with these products."

This bill is endorsed by: Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, Baby Safety Alliance, Consumer Federation of America, National Consumers League, SafeKids Worldwide.

Rep. Gillen has been a leading advocate in Congress for strengthening road safety and reducing preventable traffic deaths. The CAR SEAT Act is part of her broader, comprehensive road safety strategy to protect families and children on the nation's roadways. Her approach includes increasing high-visibility enforcement, prioritizing safety in roadway infrastructure design, and advancing measures to prevent impaired driving. Through this bipartisan legislation and her ongoing work on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Rep. Gillen continues to champion policies to help communities across Nassau County safer and save lives.

A copy of the bill is available HERE.

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