DELAURO DEFENDS FOOD SAFETY LEGISLATION AGAINST REPUBLICAN CUTS

DELAURO DEFENDS FOOD SAFETY LEGISLATION AGAINST REPUBLICAN CUTS

Landmark legislation protecting American consumers at risk

Washington, DC— Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3), Chairwoman of the FDA and Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, released the following statement upon President Obama signing the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act into law today.

“This new law is a significant step forward in modernizing our country’s antiquated food safety systems. It incorporates key provisions from legislation I introduced two years ago, including increased inspections of high-risk facilities, access to company records during recalls, improved traceability, and most critically, mandatory recall authority. The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act provides the tools the FDA needs to improve their ability to both prevent and respond to food-borne illness outbreaks.

“It is disturbing that there will be an effort by Republicans to cut FDA funding and thus prevent this landmark new law from being implemented adequately. In the same week that Republicans announced their intention to cut FDA funding for the new food safety law, it was announced that a salmonella outbreak involving alfalfa sprouts had sickened nearly 100 people in at least 15 states. Without appropriate funding levels, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act would not be as effective in protecting our food supply and saving lives.”