Washington, DC - Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI15) called on the United States Senate to take quick action on food safety legislation after a scathing report by the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council said the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not have the resources to prevent foodborne illnesses.  The Congressman today made the following remarks:

“I don’t know how many more reports need to be written or how many more Americans need to be sickened before the Senate wakes up and realizes we have a real public health problem on our hands that can easily be addressed in a bipartisan manner.  Leaders of the Committee that prepared the report criticize FDA for being too reactive and not having a systematic focus on prevention.  It is ironic that the same thing can be said about the US Senate.  Nearly 100 food recalls have been issued since the House acted on my food safety bill.  Unfortunately, the onset of the summer season will increase the number of recalls American consumers will have to deal with.  Without action, this year we can expect 5,000 Americans will die and more than 300,000 will be hospitalized due to unsafe food.  I hope Senate leaders can find time to address this challenge for the sake of our people.  At a time when our food is increasingly supplied by foreign firms that are held to lower, and sometimes non-existent, safety standards, we must equip FDA with the proper authorities and resources needed to protects American consumers.”

The report and a report brief are now online.  The U.S. House passed H.R. 2749, the “Food Safety Enhancement Act” with strong bipartisan support by a vote of 283-142.  The bill will better ensure the safety of the nation’s food supply by improving inspections and oversight of the food we eat.  The Food Safety Enhancement Act gives the FDA increased authority and resources needed to prevent food-borne illnesses from occurring.  President Obama has already indicated he supports the Dingell bill.  The following organizations are also supporting Congressman Dingell’s bill:

The Obama Administration
Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA)
United Fresh Produce Association
Food Marketing Institute (FMI)
Wine Institute
Wine America
Distilled Spirits Council of the United States
Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)
Consumers Union
Consumer Federation of America (CFA)
Center for Foodborne Illness Research & Prevention
Food & Water Watch
Government Accountability Project
National Consumers League
The Pew Charitable Trusts
Safe Tables Our Priority