Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009

FOOD SAFETY ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2009 -- (House of Representatives - July 29, 2009)

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Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009. This bipartisan legislation will address and reform the shortcomings in our food supply system.

Serious gaps have been exposed in the Food and Drug Administration's ability to protect the American public due to recent outbreaks and recalls of food-borne diseases in spinach, peanuts, peppers, and other foods that many Americans depend on daily. These outbreaks have not only shaken consumer confidence in the industry that produces one of our most basic and important commodities, but it has also caused sickness and even death.

We need to ensure that FDA has the necessary tools and resources to fulfill its vital mission in protecting the American public from unsafe products. The Food Safety Enhancement Act will accomplish this by bringing the FDA into the 21st century so that it can address the challenges and problems created by a global food system and to prevent the causes associated with food-borne illnesses. Currently, FDA is only able to inspect approximately one percent of imported food at the border. The bill will require the FDA to inspect high-risk facilities once every six months to a year and create a system to prevent contamination of imported and domestically produced food from occurring.

Mr. Speaker, American consumers should not live in fear of the food they eat. I want to thank Chairman Waxman and Chairman Dingell for their leadership on this very important issue. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this much-needed legislation.

Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009, and I thank Chairman Emeritus Dingell, Chairmen Waxman, Pallone, and Stupak, and Representatives DeGette and Sutton for their hard work to bring it to the floor today. This bill gives the Food and Drug Administration the authority and resources it needs to ensure that all Americans can be confident that the food they are putting on their family tables is free of contamination.

A string of recent food safety scares shows that this bill is overdue--from the discovery of E. coli in spinach to salmonella in peppers and peanut butter. In fact, Time magazine reports that contaminated food causes 5,000 deaths and 325,000 hospitalizations each year. Unsafe food does not only put health and lives at risk; it undermines confidence across the board and poses a real threat to Americans' trust in our food industry. And that lack of trust is harmful to both families' peace of mind and the food industry's economic future. So it is in the interest of consumers and industry alike to see safety regulations faithfully enforced.

This bill speeds up the inspection schedule, ensuring that the FDA checks up on high-risk food facilities every six to 12 months, and on lower-risk facilities at least once every 18 months to three years. It requires all food facilities operating in the U.S. or exporting to the U.S. to develop and submit food safety plans. It strengthens safeguards against unsafe imported food products. And it provides for a faster, more effective FDA response in case we do see a food emergency: with an up-to-date registry of food facilities, better traceability of contaminated food, and stronger authority to quarantine and recall dangerous products, the FDA will be empowered to take quick action that can nip outbreaks in the bud and save lives.

These steps, and more, combine to make this what many have called the most sweeping reform of food safety laws in 50 years. One only needs to watch the news to see that this reform is highly needed. I urge my colleagues to support it.

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