The latest recall of toxic toys made in China — last week, 4.2 million Aqua Dots craft kits contaminated with the date-rape drug were pulled from store shelves — should be inspiration enough for Congress to get off the dime and push ahead on consumer protection reforms.

The House and the Senate have separate versions of reforms. Now, congressional leaders must work together to merge both plans to create a sensible bill that puts the consumer first — and overhauls the weak-kneed Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Both plans have encouraging elements. The House version, for instance, focuses on child safety, tightening standards regarding lead and requiring independent third-party testing of all children's products made both here and abroad. The Senate's plan calls for doubling the agency's feeble budget to $141 million over the next seven years and adding additional safety inspectors. The agency's current $63 million budget is less than half of what it was in 1974, when it was founded, when adjusted for inflation, according to The Denver Post. Both plans include tougher penalties for violators and more recall authority for the CPSC.

White House efforts to have the industry, in essence, police itself with voluntary reforms fall short of the mark. And acting CPSC chief Nancy Nord is not the leader to navigate through this change in course. Nord is facing calls for her resignation after reports that she and her predecessor, Hal Stratton, accepted more than 30 trips paid in full or in part by the companies they regulate. Nord also had opposed a bill that would have brought more staff and authority to her agency.

Clearly, Congress must step in. With the holiday toy shopping season upon us, there should be no need for further reminders or recalls to prompt lawmakers to do the right thing and act in the best interest of consumers.