Herb Kohl: “I rise today and would like to briefly speak about Senator Durbin's amendment regarding food safety. I was happy to…”

“I rise today and would like to briefly speak about Senator Durbin's amendment regarding food safety. I was happy to cosponsor this amendment, and I agree with all of the sentiments expressed by the Senator earlier today. This amendment deals with many of the underlying problems that allow food safety issues, such as the ones we have dealt with in recent months that have affected not only humans, but their pets as well. It requires the FDA to set standards for pet food and to update them as necessary, and it directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a system capable of detecting pet food contamination and outbreaks of pet illnesses and death--this will prevent the type of confusion that continues to surround the recent melamine outbreak, and will help detect these problems much earlier. It requires FDA to develop effective communication plans to coordinate with stakeholders during outbreaks of both pet and human foods, so people know what is going on--quickly--and know what to do. It directs the Secretary to work with States to collaborate on activities and programs that assist in improving the safety of raw agricultural products such as spinach, which was the cause of a major food safety recall last fall.”