Tom Harkin: “the amendment that I just offered would restore $66 million for the President's Food Safety Initiative, the funding of…”

“the amendment that I just offered would restore $66 million for the President's Food Safety Initiative, the funding of which I believe should be a national priority. I understand the constraints faced here on this subcommittee on spending. But food safety is an increasing problem in this country. As the President has pointed out, I think we ought to make food safety a priority. If there is one thing we all do, it is that we all eat. And there are few things more important than knowing that the food you are going to eat isn't going to make you sick. So this amendment really is to ensure that the health and safety of American consumers is protected, and protected even better than it has been in the past. Again, Mr. President, I don't know the reason why this is happening. But more and more frequently we are getting outbreaks of pathogens and foodborne illnesses in this country. Just last month, in June of 1998, there were 12 outbreaks of foodborne illnesses in this country. Here is the chart that depicts that. I know there are more dots here than 12. But there are 12 different outbreaks. Some outbreaks occurred in more than one State. So we had 12 different outbreaks. It affected consumers in 41 States and caused more than 7,000 illnesses. That is in the month of June of this year. That is one month. That is just the tip of the iceberg.…”