Food Safety is A Second-Class Citizen At the Fda

Floor Speech

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Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the Food Safety Administration Act, which I am introducing today, along with Senator Dick Durbin.

The FDA regulates almost 80 percent of our food supply. Consumers and industry depend on the FDA to perform its regulatory role. Every year, nearly 48 million people get sick from foodborne illness, resulting in 128,000 Americans being hospitalized and 3,000 dying. This is preventable and costly.

Between inadequate responses to recalls, a failure to implement a culture of outbreak prevention, and proposed rules and initiatives that languish for years, FDA's food program has struggled in its role to protect consumers.

Food safety is a second-class citizen at the FDA. As highlighted by the infant formula crisis, there are dire consequences when food safety is not prioritized. The FDA has the authority to appoint a deputy commissioner of foods with a background in food safety but has yet to do so. This affects all aspects of FDA's food program.

That is why I am introducing this bill that will establish the Food Safety Administration under Health and Human Services and incorporate the existing food programs within the FDA into a separate agency. This will increase leadership and accountability, strengthen oversight of the food supply, and enhance the industry's ability to operate effectively.

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