Political Quotes

“Chairman Dingell, I want to thank you for all the hard work you have put in on this bill, and also Chairman Waxman. We worked on a bipartisan basis. I rise today in strong support of the Food Safety Modernization Act. After 2 years of hard work, we're finally on the cusp of enacting landmark comprehensive food safety legislation. The modernization of our food safety system is desperately needed. The current food regulatory regime was established in 1938 and hasn't been overhauled in 70 years. Since this time, the U.S. food supply has evolved into a global network made up of foreign products, processors, and growers over whom the U.S. has little or no control. Think about what a different world it was in 1938. That alone should be reason enough to update our food safety laws today. Every time we have a food safety crisis, be it eggs or spinach or peppers or peanuts, we shake our heads at the vulnerability of our food supply and bemoan the fact that we don't have the tools to protect it. And these aren't isolated instances. Each year, 48 million Americans are sickened from consuming contaminated food, and as many as 3,000 to 5,000 of these people die. The Food Safety Modernization Act will give the FDA the ability, the authority, and the resources to protect American consumers from contaminated food domestically and abroad.…”