On the recordSeptember 19, 2012
In 1992, the Food and Drug Administration decided that genetically modified organisms were the functional equivalent of conventional foods. They arrived at this decision without testing GMOs for allergenicity, toxicity, antibiotic resistance, and functional characteristics. As a result, hundreds of millions of acres of GMO crops were planted in America without the knowledge or consent of the American people, no safety testing, no long-term health studies. The FDA has received over a million comments from citizens demanding labeling of GMOs. Ninety percent of Americans agree. Why no labeling? I'll give you one reason. The influence and the corruption of the political process by Monsanto. Monsanto has been a prime mover in GMO technology, a multimillion dollar GMO lobby here and a major political contributor. There is a chance that Monsanto's grip will be broken in California, where a GMO labeling initiative is on the ballot. Here in Congress my legislation, H.R. 3553, will provide for a national labeling bill. Americans have a right to know if their food is genetically engineered. It's time for labeling. It's time for people to know how their food is being produced. ____________________
