On May 8, 1990, testimony concerning the Child Labor Act of 1990 was heard at a joint hearing of two U.S. Senate subcommittees. Opening statements by Senators Metzenbaum and Jeffords concerned: (1) the increase in child labor law violations since 1983; (2) the lack of increase in penalty fines since that time; (3) child death and injury during illegal work; and (4) the relationship between child labor and difficulty in school. Representatives of the business community were not present at the hearings, but records of the hearings were kept open for 10 days to receive business responses. A child worker, mother, and medical professional provided testimony about cases of child injury during illegal work. Representatives of several governmental agencies and private organizations also provided testimony. Represented were the National Consumers League, the Child Welfare League of America, and the AFL-CIO. The record also contained several items of testimony from a 1989 hearing in which the poor working conditions for home work in the women's apparel industry were described by the women workers. Prepared statements by the National Safe Workplace Institute and several other organizations are provided. (BC)