Political Quotes

“Today, I will vote against S. 764, a bill that would preempt state genetically modified organism (GMO) labeling laws and replace them with a wholly inadequate federal standard. People should be able to know what they are eating. The bill before us today would exempt many genetically engineered (GE) foods from any labeling altogether and would preempt pro-consumer state laws, including the engineered food labeling laws in Vermont, Connecticut, and Maine. I actively supported an effort to pass a GMO labeling law in my home state of Oregon, and I continue to support strong state efforts to stand up for transparency in the face of federal inadequacy or inaction. The bill also includes several vague standards, and its labeling requirements would allow corporations to decide how to give consumers access to GE information, including through the use of a smartphone or the internet. Making access to GE labeling information electronic and/ or dependent on a smartphone is not transparent, accessible, or available to many Americans. S. 764 has been sold as a ``compromise'' because it would require some labeling, but these provisions are clearly just a fig leaf We need plain language, mandatory, on-package labeling, and until federal law protects our right to know what we are eating, the federal government should not preempt state efforts to protect and inform their citizens.…”