Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 2 minutes.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment would make clear that foods labeled ``natural'' cannot contain genetically modified material.

I want to emphasize right from the outset it is about our basic right to know what we are eating and what we are feeding to our children.

FDA already requires clear labeling of over 3,000 ingredients, additives, and food processes. One example: fruit juice must indicate whether or not it is from concentrate. Clearly, that is not a judgment on food safety; it is a simple matter of transparency.

Calling GMO foods ``natural'' is not transparent. It is confusing, and we have the data to back that up.

As Members can see from the chart behind me, almost two-thirds of American adults believe that ``natural'' already means GMO-free, and 84 percent agree that that is what it should mean.

We need to make sure that food labels reflect that commonsense understanding. As drafted, this bill would do the opposite. It would codify the status quo, being that food companies can put ``natural'' on a product, even if it was genetically engineered, which allows misleading labels. It would perpetuate misunderstandings and confusion. It would keep American families in the dark.

This is not what the American public wants. More than 90 percent of us want clear GMO labeling. In response to this overwhelming demand, three States--Vermont, Maine, and my home State of Connecticut--have passed laws restricting the ``natural'' label to foods that do not contain GMOs. Several other States are considering similar laws.

Without my amendment, this bill would nullify those State laws. This would represent a serious setback for the right to know in these States around the country.

Mr. Chairman, American families want clear information about GMOs. They deserve that information. I urge my colleagues to support the amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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