Wasserman Schultz, Carter, Allred Lead Bipartisan Pool Safety Legislation Reintroduction to Save Young Lives
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23),John Carter (TX-31), and Colin Allred (TX-32) re-introduced the bipartisan Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety (VGB) Reauthorization Act to help decrease preventable drownings. Original cosponsors on the bill also include U.S. Reps. Nikema Williams, Sylvia R. Garcia, Mike Flood, Kathy Castor, Deborah Ross, Raul M. Grijalva, and Josh Gottheimer.
Drownings and near-drownings in pools and spas pose a significant public health risk to our nation’s children. This public health crisis remains the leading cause of unintentional death for children ages one to four, with higher incidents of drowning deaths for American Indian and Black individuals. However, we are not powerless in addressing these tragedies, and strong education, awareness, and enforcement efforts can help make children safer around the water and save lives.
“No work we do in Congress is more important than keeping our children healthy and safe. And the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act did that by saving countless lives over the years. So, it is critical that we continue this bipartisan, common-sense law, and as we’re doing now with this reauthorization, expand its life-saving impact,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Just this last month, in my home state there were several drownings and near-drownings – as we stare in horror at these tragedies, adding to the layers of protection that keep innocent children safe is paramount. This law does that by helping decrease drownings in pools and spas, a concern every parent holds close as we enter the summer season when water activity picks up. Let’s keep our kids safe with sensible outreach, education, and precautions.”
“Since 2008, the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act has saved lives by requiring certain safety equipment in public pools and educating Americans about pool safety,” said Representative Carter. “With the temperatures rising, families are heading to the pool and the reauthorization of this bill will help keep them safer. It’s a commonsense bipartisan bill and I urge my colleagues to support it.”
“Summer is here and as a father of two young boys, I know how important it is that our pools are safe,” said Congressman Allred. “This commonsense bipartisan legislation will help make our public pools safer and will give local governments and nonprofits the funding they need to establish laws and educate the public on pool safety. I’m proud to help co-lead this legislation and thank Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz for her leadership.”
The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (VGB), first authorized in 2008, is aimed at improving the safety of all pools and spas by increasing the layers of protection and promoting uninterrupted supervision to prevent child drowning and entrapment. The law has three principal elements:
- First, it requires every public pool in the US to install safe drain covers that prevent suction entrapment.
- Second, it initiates a grant program that incentivizes states and municipalities to have their own pool and spa safety laws and requirements on the books. These grants have provided critical support for local officials to educate communities about drowning and entrapment dangers.
- Third, it launches “Pool Safely,” a national public education campaign to raise awareness about drowning prevention.
The VGB Reauthorization Act will continue to carry out these primary functions as it builds on over a decade’s worth of expertise in proper execution of the programs. The Reauthorization would extend grant program eligibility to non-profit organizations and Indian Tribes to expand the reach to even more communities and families, and allow grant dollars to be used for swim lessons. It also would create a grant awareness campaign to increase participation across the country. Further, the bill would increase staffing at the CPSC to carry out the grants and Pool Safely campaign, and would increase oversight and reporting requirements to continue to learn how to improve the programs in the future. With this reauthorization, we will ensure that the infrastructure, resources, commitment, and robustness of the program reflects the seriousness of this public health issue.
“The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act is a perfect example of how sensible and sound policy can save lives. Since the passage of the legislation, entrapment deaths in public pools have ceased and have been substantially reduced in private pool settings. This shows how well-designed legislation can have direct impacts on child safety and engineer our pool environments to be safer for all. The reauthorization not only ensures communities continue to be safe from this preventable tragedy, but also that water safety efforts will continue across the country to address the more than 4,000 fatal drownings the US experiences each year”. Dr. Adam Katchmarchi, Executive Director of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA)
“Our daughter Abbey’s hope was that no other child would experience a death or injury from a dangerous pool or spa. The VGB act was the realization of that hope. We can all still do better with the reauthorization of this critical safety legislation. We unequivocally support this bill,” said Scott and Katey Taylor, Founders of Abbey’s Hope Charitable Foundation.
“The passage of the VGB Act, in a significant way, has helped to make some sense of the tragic death of my daughter, Graeme, and so many children whose lives have been lost in preventable drownings. The reauthorization of the legislation also makes sense, as we have learned over the past 15 years what works well and what might be done even better to ensure water safety. I am fully support of the bill,” said Nancy Baker, Mother of Virginia Graeme Baker and water safety advocate.
“The VGB Act, passed only five months after our son Zachary’s death, brought a semblance of peace and hope to our family. That no one has died by entrapment in a public pool since the VGB Act was passed is a victory that we should all celebrate but, there is more work to be done. Even now, sixteen years later, we are seeing recalls on drains that aren’t compliant. The reauthorization of this bill is vital to our communities and will ensure that all public pools comply with entrapment prevention requirements and will support efforts to address traditional forms of drowning. Our family and the ZAC Foundation for Children’s Safety, founded in our son’s honor, are committed to the success of this bill,” said Karen and Brian Cohn of the ZAC Foundation for Children’s Safety.
“The core purpose of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance is to prioritize safety and health in pool and hot tub environments. We have been unwavering in our support for the reauthorization of the VGB Act, recognizing its significant impact on saving lives. PHTA is proud to play a role in the VGB Act through the development of two industry safety standards that establish stringent requirements for suction outlet fitting assemblies and suction entrapment avoidance. By reauthorizing this legislation, we will ensure a substantial reduction in fatal drownings—a cause that deserves universal backing.” – Sabeena Hickman, CAE, President & CEO of the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA)
“CamerEye has always been a vocal leader in advocating for safe aquatic environments—they are absolutely critical to industry. Not only does Virginia Graeme Baker Act reiterate the requirement for safe and compliant drain covers, but it also incentivizes state, local, and Tribal jurisdictions to implement and enforce swimming pool and spa safety standards which has been proven to save lives. This act is a perfect example of how policy can positively impact saving lives and this reauthorization represents a chance to build on that success. We’re in full support of this reauthorization act.” Sai Reddy, Founder/CEO CamerEye.ai
“The Virginia Graeme Baker Act is a shining example of how good policy can save lives, and this reauthorization represents a chance to build on that success. This is also an opportunity to address the serious and persistent inequities that exist around water safety,” said Safe Kids Worldwide President Torine Creppy.
“The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act has saved lives. Reauthorization of this Act allows for its proven safety standards to continue to do its good work, making pools and spas across the United States safer for those who use them. This legislative intervention creates actions and outcomes that those working in public health so often hope to see. It works!
The associated Pool Safely funding mechanism is also an essential piece and has been effective in keeping the message of water safety top of mind. The American Red Cross fully supports this reauthorization and all efforts to reduce drownings across the country.” William Ramos, Ph.D., American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council Aquatics Chair.
“On behalf of the nation’s YMCAs, which operate more than 2,100 pools across the country, YMCA of the USA strongly supports the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Reauthorization Act. As the largest provider of swim instruction in the country, the Y greatly appreciates the inclusion of nonprofits in the act’s Swimming Pool Safety Grant Program, which creates opportunities for community-based organizations like YMCAs to secure additional resources to raise awareness about drowning prevention and make swim instruction more accessible to those who need it.” Suzanne McCormick, President and CEO, YMCA of the USA.
To read the full text of the bill, click here. To read a one-pager of the bill, click here. To read a section-by-section description of the bill, click here.
Groups supporting this legislation include:
Abbey’s Hope Charitable Foundation, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Red Cross, AquaStar Pool Products, Because of Brayden, CamerEye, CAST Water Safety Foundation, Cayla’s Coates, Colin’s Hope, CPR Party, D& D Technologies, Drennan’s Dreams, Independent Pool & Spa Service Association, Jack Helbig Memorial Foundation, Jasper Ray Foundation, The Josh Project, Joshua Collingsworth Memorial Foundation, Judah Brown Project, Just Against Children Drowning, Kacen’s Cause, The Ken Brindley Memorial Foundation, Live Like Cati, Levi’s Legacy, Lifesaver Pool Products, The LV Project, Miss Tristan Foundation, National Drowning Prevention Alliance, No More Under, Olympic Pools, Pool & Hot Tub Association, Rees Spect the Water, Rory the Warrior, Safe Kids Worldwide, Sisters Too, Stew Leonard Children’s Charities, Swim 4 Elise, Swim On Foundation, Tadpole Pool Service, Team Kareem, Total Aquatic Programming, YMCA, The ZAC Foundation.