Henry Bonilla: “Mr. Chairman, I rise, very respectful of the gentleman offering the amendment, to oppose the amendment offered today.…”

“Mr. Chairman, I rise, very respectful of the gentleman offering the amendment, to oppose the amendment offered today. While I, too, have concerns for the safety of our food that has been genetically engineered, we need to continue the FDA's oversight and expertise in this area. Handcuffing the FDA by prohibiting their review process has very broad policy implications. The risks associated with transgenic fish, and specifically salmon, are overstated. Claims that transgenic salmon will create genetic pollution are unfounded because only sterile all-female stock would be commercialized, virtually eliminating any risk of cross-breeding with wild salmon. Legislating the approval process of FDA has far-reaching implications which could negatively impact future innovations to improve our food supply and our health. We have a world to feed, Mr. Chairman, and I urge my colleagues to oppose the amendment.”