Today, Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA-01) and Congressman Seth Magaziner (D-RI-02) relaunched the bipartisan Congressional Toy Caucus to create a forum for the U.S. toy industry and elevate the important role the industry has in the education and development of our nation’s children.
The Toy Caucus is dedicated to raising awareness on issues impacting the toy industry, including ensuring product safety; protecting children’s online safety; securing resilient supply chains; mitigating the sale of illegal and counterfeit products; and advancing environmental sustainability.
“America’s toy industry is a major economic driver, creating thousands of jobs and enhancing communities across the nation,” said Rep. Wittman. “Virginia’s First District is the proud home to a major LEGO Group packaging facility, and I look forward to championing product safety, fair trade policies, and supply chain issues through the launch of the bipartisan Toy Caucus.”
“I am proud to relaunch the bipartisan Congressional Toy Caucus with Rep. Wittman to promote product safety and the positive impact of playing for children,” said Rep. Magaziner. “Toys are in nearly every household across America – including mine, as a father – and contribute to the development of cognitive, motor, and emotional skills. I’m looking forward to working with representatives from the industry to strengthen domestic businesses and ensure Americans can safely play, learn, and grow.
“The Toy Association applauds Congressman Wittman (R-VA-1) and Congressman Magaziner (D-RI-2) for coming together to start The Congressional Toy Caucus. This caucus will create a forum for members of the toy community to engage directly with lawmakers in a constructive dialogue about issues currently facing the U.S. toy industry and their individual businesses,” said Andy Keimach, president and chief executive at The Toy Association. “In addition to raising awareness about critical issues like product safety, trade, and counterfeits, the caucus will enable us to educate Members of Congress on the positive economic impact that toy businesses have in their local communities and nationwide, as well as the developmental benefits of play for children of all ages. At the end of the day, the decisions made by federal policymakers impact real people and real companies, and we intend to underscore that message through our work in the caucus.”
The U.S. toy industry is a producer of good jobs, opportunity for small business growth, and exemplifies American excellence in design and ingenuity. The annual economic impact of the toy industry in the U.S. is estimated at $102.8 billion. The toy industry supports approximately 573,379 jobs, generating approximately $33.8 billion in wages for U.S. workers.
Rep. Wittman represents Virginia’s First Congressional District, home to a LEGO Group packaging facility in Chesterfield County. Rep. Magaziner represents Rhode Island’s Second Congressional District, where Hasbro, Inc. is headquartered in the City of Pawtucket.
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