Awning Safety Act of 2025

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1767) to require the Consumer Product Safety Commission to promulgate a mandatory consumer product safety standard with respect to retractable awnings.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 1767

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Awning Safety Act of 2025''. SEC. 2. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY STANDARD FOR RETRACTABLE AWNINGS.

(a) Consumer Product Safety Standard Required.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Consumer Product Safety Commission shall promulgate, under section 553 of title 5, United States Code, a final consumer product safety standard for fixed and freestanding retractable awnings within the jurisdiction of the Commission to protect against the risk of death or serious injury related to the hazards associated with such awnings, including the risk of death or serious injury related to the awning unexpectedly opening and striking a person while removing the bungee tie-downs for the cover of the awning.

(b) CPSC Determination of Scope.--The Consumer Product Safety Commission shall specify the types of retractable awning devices within the jurisdiction of the Commission that are within the scope of subsection (a) as part of a standard promulgated under this section, as reasonably necessary to protect against hazards associated with retractable awnings.

(c) Treatment of Standard.--A consumer product safety standard promulgated under subsection (a) shall be treated as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under sections 7 and 9 of the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2056 and 2058).

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1767, the Awning Safety Act of 2025, led by my good friend, Representative Balderson.

This legislation directs the Consumer Product Safety Commission to establish a consumer product safety standard for retractable awnings to help prevent serious injuries and deaths.

Motorized awnings pose a known hazard to the public, so the CPSC issued a recall covering 270,000 units following reports of injuries and one tragic death unfortunately. These preventable incidents occur when the tie-downs on the awning unexpectedly release, causing the awning to strike the consumer.

Coming from the State of Florida, I know how important this is, and I know how popular awnings are, but they have to be safe for consumers. Consumers should not have to fear that their awning might suddenly spring open and cause harm. This bill will make sure they won't have that problem.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this particular bill. I commend the primary sponsor, my good friend, Mr. Balderson, from the great State of Ohio.

H.R. 1767 should be passed by this body and sent over to the Senate.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support this particular piece of legislation in memory of Dr. Michael Hnat, a cherished part of the Energy and Commerce Committee family, who tragically lost his life, as has been said, in an awning accident. I thank his family for joining us here today.

Mr. Speaker, let's pass this good bill in his memory, and I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source