Washington, D.C. ? The Senate on Thursday passed and sent to the White House legislation that bans lead from children’s toys and seeks to ensure that chemicals posing possible health problems will not end up on toys and articles that kids chew on and play with.

The Senate, stymied by partisan differences over the energy crisis, put aside those differences momentarily to vote 89-3 for the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. The House passed the bill Wednesday by 424-1, a reflection of the national outcry over a rash of recalls last years of toys and children’s products contaminated by lead and other dangerous elements.

The administration has objected to parts of the bill, but White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Thursday that President Bush would sign it.