DeLauro Calls for Single Food Safety Agency after Connecticut Resident Dies from Listeria-Contaminated Cheese

WASHINGTON, DC — Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today released the following statement regarding news that a Connecticut resident has died in connection with a multi-state outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes tied to cheese. The Listeria outbreak comes as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is also investigating a nationwide outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7, more commonly known as E. coli. “News that a Connecticut resident has died and more people across the country have become sick after consuming Listeria-contaminated cheese is both tragic and troubling. More than 100 years after we enacted the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 and more than 6 years after we enacted the Food Safety Modernization Act, Americans should not be dying from the food they eat. President Trump should take outbreaks of foodborne illnesses seriously and should immediately fill the vacancies at the FDA, as well as rescind the federal hiring freeze. When American lives are at stake, we cannot afford any lapses in food safety oversight. “Congress should also enact the Safe Food Act, which I plan to reintroduce in the coming months, in order to streamline inspections, enforcement, and labeling into a single food safety agency. Through this legislation, we can enable consumers, like those affected by the current cheese and SoyNut Butter outbreaks, to turn to a single point of contact when they are impacted by foodborne illnesses. A single agency could also enhance the food safety efforts of food companies by helping them identify potential issues sooner and avoid major problems later.”