Political Quotes

“Mr. President, the Senate is poised to pass the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, which will take much needed and long overdue steps to protect Americans from unsafe food. I am disappointed that the Senate will not consider, however, an important amendment I proposed that would have held criminals who poison our food supply accountable for their crimes. My amendment would have greatly strengthened the ability to deter outrageous conduct that puts Americans at risk. It received unanimous, bipartisan support when it was reported by the Judiciary Committee as the Food Safety Accountability Act. It is unfortunate that, despite this bipartisan support in committee, Republican objections prevented the amendment from being considered by the full Senate. This legislative proposal would increase the sentences that prosecutors can seek for people who knowingly violate our food safety laws in those cases where there is conscious or reckless disregard of a risk of death or serious bodily injury. If it were passed, those who knowingly contaminate our food supply and endanger Americans could receive up to 10 years in jail. Just this summer, a salmonella outbreak caused hundreds of people to fall ill and triggered a national egg recall. The cause of the outbreak is still under investigation, but salmonella poisoning is too common and sometimes results from inexcusable knowing conduct.…”