Improving -- or Gutting -- Food Safety Regs

Submitted by Jan on Thu, 03/02/2006 - 8:12am.

The House of Representatives has postponed a March 2 vote on the "National Uniformity for Food Act" (H.R.4167) until next week. Food safety advocates say this bill would not set national food safety standards that raise the bar but would eliminate key food safety measures in the states, like those that protect Californians against chemicals causing birth defects. H.R. 4167 would also limit states' ability to enact new food-safety laws in areas where the federal government has not acted, like mercury levels in fish.

Update March 9: The bill passed the House on a 283-139 vote on March 8.


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Amendments Help
Submitted by Jan on Mon, 03/06/2006 - 6:43pm.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest reports that the U.S. House of Representatives will vote this week on amendments offered by opponents of the National Uniformity for Food Act of 2005, H.R. 4167.

However, even if these amendments are approved by the House, the bill will remain a serious threat to the safety of food.

The Congressional Budget Office has said that H.R. 4167 could nullify 200 food-safety and labeling requirements, including critical laws governing shellfish safety, milk safety, and the safety of food in restaurants. It could also overturn California’s Proposition 65, which warns Californians of chemicals that are known to cause cancer or birth defects.

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