Political Quotes

“I am pleased that the sponsors of the bill recognize the importance of strengthening our Nation's protections for food safety and of addressing potential bioterrorist threats against our food supply. Among the bill's provisions are new authorities for the Food and Drug Administration to require the maintenance of food records, to inspect such records, and to detain unsafe foods. I would appreciate clarification regarding the standard of serious adverse health consequences or death, which applies to the authorities for inspection of records and administrative detention, among others. It is my understanding that some have suggested that foodborne pathogens such as salmonella, listeria monocytogenes, shigella dysenteriae, and cryptosporidium parvum, which in 1993 sickenened over 400,000 people in Wisconsin who drank contaminated water, may not pose a threat of serious adverse health consequences to healthy adults. Most of these pathogens have been identified by the CDC as possible biological agents that could be used in an attack against our citizens, and they could clearly pose a threat of serious adverse health consequences or death to vulnerable populations, such as children, pregnant women, the elderly, transplant recipients, persons with HIV/ AIDS and other immunocompromised persons.”