National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my support for S. 764, the Senate- passed biotechnology labeling legislation that we are considering today.

Without enactment of this legislation today, right now, we will continue to see the emergence of an incompatible patchwork of State laws, like the one that took effect in Vermont just 2 weeks ago.

As a farmer myself, I can tell you with some authority that if these State laws, with their conflicting definitions and labeling requirements, are allowed to take effect, it will increase the cost of production and compliance for farmers as well as food producers.

This, in turn, will drive up grocery bills for American families by hundreds, even thousands of dollars. Mr. Speaker, I believe that is an unacceptable and unconscionable outcome to inflict on the American people.

To be clear, I don't think this bill is perfect. It is far from it. It is filled with ambiguous statements and, in many places, offers little guidance to USDA on how to best implement the bill's provisions.

I am also disappointed the Senate waited until the very last moment, imposing this crisis on the House, leaving us with only two options: either act on this imperfect bill or let the American people suffer.

Mr. Speaker, let the record reflect that the House did its job. It passed a biotech labeling bill for the Senate's consideration an entire year ago.

Generally, when we are talking about food labeling, it is for health and safety purposes. I believe people have a right to know what it is they are eating. But today we find ourselves in a place to require mandatory labeling for agriculture products that are 100 percent safe.

With my reservations noted, passing this bill is the right thing to do. It will establish a meaningful national standard for biotech labeling that will prevent an unworkable patchwork of conflicting State laws. It will provide consumers with information they want. And, finally, it will create an environment where farmers and researchers can continue to do their work and develop new food varieties that are healthier, more abundant, and more pest- and disease-resistant, and allow us to continue to feed our Nation and the world.

I urge my colleagues to support its passage.

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