Food Uniformity Bill Passes in the House Despite Widespread Opposition

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Food Uniformity Bill Passes in the House Despite Widespread

Opposition

 

Members of the House put special interests before public interest

 

http://ga3.org/campaign/fooduniformity_house_passage

 

 

Despite opposition from many environmental, health and consumer

rights organizations, 39 state Attorneys General, 7 state Governors,

the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, the

Association of Food and Drug Officials, the National Conference of

State Legislators and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, the

United States House of Representatives passed H.R. 4167, The

National Uniformity for Food Act, on Wednesday, March 8th.

 

 

 

Pushed forward by the food industry under the guise of

promoting " uniformity " of food safety and labeling laws in the U.S.,

the bill requires all state food safety laws to be identical to the

requirements of the Federal Food and Drug Administration. If the

FDA has not passed a regulation on a food threat, then all state

regulations on that threat would immediately be voided. And, since

the states regulate many food safety issues not covered by the FDA,

many food safety laws will be voided and replaced with no law at

all.

 

 

 

The bill passed the house with a vote of 283 to 139 (see how your

Representative voted here) even though there has NEVER been a

hearing in either the House or the Senate on this " uniformity " bill.

 

 

 

While special interests trumped public interest in the House

yesterday, we still have a strong chance to stop this dangerous

legislation in the Senate. At least 7 Senators have already come out

in opposition to the Food Uniformity bill. Our Senators need to know

that we oppose any attempts to strip state's abilities to protect

and inform their own citizens concerning food safety and labeling

issues.

 

 

 

CONTACT YOUR SENATORS NOW AND ASK THEM TO STRONGLY OPPOSE ANY

COMPANION BILL IN THE SENATE!

 

Tell me more

Subject:

 

 

 

 

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

 

 

I am writing in opposition to the recently passed House bill H.R.

4167, " the National Uniformity for Food Act of 2005, " and to ask you

to strongly oppose any companion bill in the Senate.

 

 

(Edit Letter Below)

 

I am very troubled by this industry-supported bill. It is an obvious

attempt at eliminating state food safety and labeling laws on behalf

of the food industry and at the expense of the rights of citizens

and their state and local governments to protect their own public

health. Because the FDA does not comprehensively regulate food

safety, eliminating all state laws unless they are identical to FDA

requirements will eliminate approximately 200 state food safety and

labeling laws. The " uniformity " created by this bill will in many

instances be the uniform absence of food safety laws.

 

Local and state officials are now responsible for 80% of the

nation's food safety enforcement. H.R. 4167 puts a strangle hold on

the people most informed about local needs. The bill was opposed by

the Association of State Departments of Agriculture, the Association

of Food and Drug Officials, 39 state Attorneys General, the National

Conference of State Legislators and the Wisconsin Department of

Agriculture. These authorities are right to be concerned about the

risks to public health that H.R. 4167 presents.

 

Obviously special interests trumped public interest in the House,

don't let that happen in the Senate. Please stand up for the rights

of our local governments and citizens to protect our public health

and food supply and oppose any companion bill in the Senate.

 

Sincerely,

[Your name]

[Your address]

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