Political Quotes

“It is generally agreed that the 21st century brings with it a new era of biological sciences, with the advances in molecular biology and biotechnology that promises longer, healthier lives and the effective control, perhaps elimination of a host of acute and chronic diseases. Right now we have the best safeguards in the world in testing any new food product. The biotechnological development of new plants that is achieved through this new technology is more safe (according to witnesses testifying at five hearings I have had now in my Subcommittee on Research) more safe than the traditional cross-breeding or hybrid breeding of plants. Most everything that we eat now, and buy at the grocery store, has been genetically modified. The genetic modification has been accomplished by crossing one plant with another. With maybe 25 to 30,000 genes in a typical plant crossed with another plant, not knowing what the end result is going to be is potentially more dangerous than using the new technology. With the new biotechnology, we have the ability to identify particular genes and the folding of proteins related to those genes to help assure that the resulting product is going to be safe. In addition to that, we have the best regulatory safeguards anywhere in the world, with USDA, with the Food and Drug Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency all looking into safeguarding these new plant and food products.”