On the recordSeptember 16, 2010
we have worked for this entire Congress on food safety. I have had a number of people from Nevada--about a dozen people--who have talked about their foodborne illnesses, children whose growth is stunted their entire life. One young woman spent 11 months in the hospital as a result of eating tainted spinach. All over America this is happening. We have food safety laws that are inadequate and causing people to get sick because the food is not checked closely enough. Senators Durbin, Harkin, chairman of the committee, and Enzi have worked hard to get something done. I have talked with Senator McConnell. He thinks something should be done. We thought we finally had it worked out. We could take care of this, but Senator Coburn has said no. He wants it paid for a different way. We spent a whole Congress on this legislation. Of course, at the last minute, he comes in, and likely we are not going to be able to get this done before we go home for the elections. What a sad thing for our country. People are dying as a result of these problems with food. It is a shame we cannot get this done. We have almost 400 matters that have passed the House of Representatives, and we cannot deal with them here because the Republicans say no. That is not the way to do business. In years past, these things would have gone through very easily.
