Trent Lott: “it is rare for both Houses of Congress to reach a unanimous agreement--fully bipartisan legislation. The Food Quality…”

“it is rare for both Houses of Congress to reach a unanimous agreement--fully bipartisan legislation. The Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) was enacted in this manner in 1996. This new law eliminated the famed Delaney Clause for residues in raw and processed foods--replacing it with a scientific, rational standard of ``reasonable certainty of no harm.'' Food and agricultural interest, as well as the pesticide industry, saw the passage of FQPA as an opportunity to assure that sound science is paramount in EPA's determinations on use of crop protection chemicals. It is worth saying it again--a scientific, rational, sound and reasonable standard. Mr. President, sound science is what the authors intended and expected. This is what Congress wanted--sound science as the rule's foundation. Further, the new law provided an additional safety factor to protect infants and children, and new ways of assessing pesticide benefits and risks. This is something Congress fully supported. Despite a unanimous Congressional vote, implementing the law at the regulatory level has been a very difficult and unnecessarily complex process.”