Henry Waxman: “funding for the Food and Drug Administration is incredibly important--FDA oversees products that make up one quarter of…”

“funding for the Food and Drug Administration is incredibly important--FDA oversees products that make up one quarter of all consumer spending in the U.S. and it is vital to protecting the public health. But for all that we ask of this agency, I am concerned that we do not give FDA what it needs to do its job. For years, FDA has been underfunded--its costs have risen dramatically while its appropriations have barely increased. In fact, the number of staff at FDA has actually dropped since 2003, despite rapidly expanding burdens. I know that the chairwoman is a staunch defender of food safety, and I share her concerns. I have my own doubts about whether this administration is doing all that it can to protect our food supply. But I also know that FDA cannot keep our food safe if it doesn't have the people to make decisions or conduct inspections. Because FDA's food programs do not involve user fees, unlike the drug and device programs, food safety is one of the most neglected functions at the agency. Partly as a result of this shortage, FDA's ability to ensure a safe food supply is severely limited. The effect of this is simple: Less money for food safety means fewer staff working to protect the food supply; fewer inspections; a diminished ability to respond to outbreaks, and--most important--a limited ability to develop policies that can prevent future catastrophes. FDA is facing a shortfall of crisis proportions, and I believe that greater funding is imperative.”