Why It Matters

The Toy Association faces a perfect storm requiring intensive Washington engagement. Tariffs on Chinese imports—comprising 80% of U.S. toy supply—threaten industry devastation, with manufacturers facing potential $100 million annual tariff bills. The Trump administration has fired three of five CPSC commissioners and proposed eliminating the agency entirely, dismantling decades of safety infrastructure. Combined with escalating counterfeiting on e-commerce platforms, the industry faces existential challenges across tariffs, consumer safety, and intellectual property.

By the Numbers

The Toy Association Inc. $180,000 second quarter lobbying investment reflects these stakes: defending the CPSC, pushing tariff relief through the Educational Toy Tax Relief Act, and advancing marketplace accountability via the SHOP Safe Act.

The association has filed 82 lobbying disclosures since 2003, totaling $6.11 million across two decades.

The association also contracted two external firms this quarter: Ballard Partners LLC ($300,000 across five filings on tariff issues) and Ridgeline Advocacy Group LLC ($130,000 across four 2025 filings on consumer protection, manufacturing, environmental policy, tax, and trade).

This hybrid model reflects strategic resource deployment: Ballard Partners handles tariff-specific advocacy while Ridgeline covers broader portfolio issues, allowing in-house teams to focus on sustained congressional relationship-building.

The Agenda

The association is lobbying on several critical issues:

  • Product Safety and Consumer Protection: Advocating for robust CPSC funding and enforcement, children’s product safety standards, and e-commerce regulation through the SHOP Safe Act.

  • Trade and Tariffs: Supporting the Educational Toy Tax Relief Act (H.R. 4726), which would prohibit duties on certain children’s toys and educational products. Members including Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA-49) have publicly criticized tariff impacts on toy businesses.

  • Intellectual Property and Counterfeiting: Combating counterfeit products through advocacy related to S. Res. 314 designating July as "National Anti-Counterfeiting Month" and supporting the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act.

Broader Context

Congress is actively debating multiple issues affecting the toy industry. The Educational Toy Tax Relief Act proposes prohibiting duties on children’s toys, while bipartisan members highlight how tariffs threaten manufacturers’ viability.

Consumer protection remains another focal point, with legislation on marketplace safety including the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act and S. Res. 314, which explicitly notes health risks from counterfeit goods sold online.

The CPSC’s authority and funding face congressional scrutiny. Lawmakers including Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-9) are defending CPSC authority against administration actions.

Between The Lines

The association operates within a coalition effect alongside Mattel Inc., which maintains lobbying on trade policy and counterfeiting protection, and the National Association of Manufacturers, which amplifies manufacturing sector concerns on counterfeiting enforcement.

This alignment creates collective momentum for tariff relief legislation, CPSC funding protection, and e-commerce marketplace accountability measures. The shared focus suggests coordinated messaging across the toy industry ecosystem.

The Bottom Line

The Toy Association’s investment reflects an industry facing simultaneous pressures: tariff uncertainty, CPSC authority threats, escalating counterfeiting, and shifting regulations. The hybrid lobbying strategy positions the organization to engage across trade, consumer protection, and intellectual property issues as Congress actively debates the Educational Toy Tax Relief Act and marketplace safety legislation. This spending represents part of a larger coalition effort with industry competitors pursuing similar advocacy priorities.

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