Political Quotes

“I rise to express my deep disappointment that the Senate will not be considering amendment No. 2252, the Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments of 2012. Unanimous consent was required for this amendment to be voted on, but it is my understanding that there were objections to its consideration. That is unfortunate because this was a bipartisan amendment cosponsored by Senators Blumenthal, Scott Brown, Cantwell, Collins, Kerry, Lieberman, Menendez, Merkley, Murray, Sanders, Vitter, and Wyden. The amendment was supported by the vast majority of the egg industry, and it was supported by the vast majority of animal welfare organizations. The major opposition to this amendment came from groups wholly unaffected by it. Without Congressional action, the egg industry in California and the rest of this Nation is very much in jeopardy. Individual State standards threaten to cripple the industry. That is why I introduced this amendment--to give the industry a chance to survive. The amendment would have set a national standard for the treatment of egg-laying hens and would have established standards for egg labeling. Let me briefly explain the specifics: The size of new and existing hen cages would have had to be increased over the next 18 years. The practice of depriving hens of food and water to increase egg production would have been outlawed. Minimum air quality standards would have been put in place for hen houses, protecting workers and birds.…”