Fudge, DeLauro, Thompson Introduce Safe Line Speeds in COVID-19 Act

Press Release

Today, Reps. Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11), Rosa DeLauro (CT-3), and Bennie Thompson (MS-2) introduced the Safe Line Speeds in COVID-19 Act to protect worker, food, and animal safety at meatpacking plants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) intends to introduce companion legislation in the Senate.

Across the country, meat processing plants have become COVID-19 hotspots. To date, more than 30,000 meatpacking workers have tested positive for COVID-19 and more than 100 have died, according to the Food and Environment Reporting Network.

"The meat and poultry processing industry has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic, with infection hotspots appearing in plants across the country," said Rep. Fudge. "Fast line speeds make the dangerous conditions workers at these plants already face even worse by packing them closer together and placing them at greater risk of contracting or spreading the virus. Waiving limits on processing speeds also threatens the safety of our food supply. As COVID-19 cases continue to soar at processing plants, we must prioritize worker, food, and animal safety over increased production and profits."

"For years, USDA has been complicit in the consolidation of the meat processing industry by gifting linespeed waivers to corporate meatpackers at the expense of worker safety, the livelihoods of farmers and ranchers, and the safety of the nation's meat supply," said Rep. DeLauro. "The high-profile COVID-19 outbreaks at meat packing plants have raised questions of the safety of the conditions inside these plants. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, these workers experienced injuries at a higher rate than comparable occupations. And now, faster linespeeds make it impossible for workers to practice social distancing and to comply with safety guidelines. That is why I am proud to join the leadership shown by Rep. Fudge in introducing this legislation that will reign in these reckless line speed waivers for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency."

"It is imperative that we ensure worker safety on slaughter lines," said Rep. Thompson. "Safety cannot be exchanged for high production. During this unprecedented time of COVID-19, we should take the necessary precautions to ensure employees are safe while working at meat and poultry establishments."

"Since mid-March, outbreaks of Covid-19 have continued to surge in meatpacking plants across the country, infecting tens of thousands of workers and tragically killing more than 100. The majority of these workers are from immigrant communities and communities of color," said Senator Booker. "The situation has only worsened since the USDA has approved nearly 20 requests from meatpacking plants to exceed regulatory limits on line speeds despite the risks posed to workers, consumers, and animal welfare. The USDA should be in the business of prioritizing worker and consumer safety over the profits of large multinational meatpacking corporations, not the other way around. The Safe Line Speeds in COVID-19 Act will rein in the USDA's reckless oversight by limiting its ability to grant dangerous line speed waivers."

In October 2019, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a final rule, which was implemented in December 2019, establishing the New Swine Slaughter Inspection System, which removes federal limits on the speed of production lines. Meanwhile, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued nearly 20 waivers for meat and poultry processing plants to increase the speed of their production lines since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration, the Safe Line Speeds in COVID-19 Act would:

Suspend all active waivers issued by USDA related to line speeds at meat and poultry establishments and suspend USDA's authority to issue new waivers in this area;
Suspend implementation of, and conversion to, the New Swine Slaughter Inspection System established under USDA's final rule published on Oct. 1, 2019 titled, Modernization of Swine Slaughter Inspection; and
Prohibit USDA from using federal funds to develop, proposed, finalize, issue, amend, or implement any policy, regulation, directive, constituent update, or any other agency program that would increase line speeds at meat and poultry establishments.
Additionally, the Safe Line Speeds in COVID-19 Act would:

Ensure the provisions of the bill are in addition to, not in lieu of, any State laws or regulations designed to further protect worker safety or animal welfare beyond what this bill provides;
Require Government Accountability Office to review the effectiveness of various actions taken by USDA, the Department of Labor (DOL), the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and meat and poultry establishments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to protect animal, food, and worker safety; and
Require USDA, DOL, and HHS to issue a report to Congress by December 31, 2020, including their respective actions taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to protect animal, food, and worker safety.

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