House Subcommittee Considers Food Safety Reports
The Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on May 6, 2010, to consider food safety reports prepared by the Government and Accountability Office (GAO) and the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Both the GAO report and testimony from an Inspector General administrator focused on Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other agency weaknesses in ensuring that imported foods are safe and domestic food facilities are subject to meaningful inspection in terms of frequency and breadth.
According to Subcommittee Chair Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), the hearing marked the 12th conducted since January 2007 to consider food contamination issues. He concluded his remarks by stating, “We are fortunate that today’s hearing was prompted by the HHS and GAO reports rather than another widespread food contamination outbreak like we saw with spinach in 2007, peppers in 2008 and peanut butter in 2009. But make no mistake: Without legislative action it is not a matter of if but when more lives will be put at risk by another outbreak. We cannot put off action any longer.”
Among those testifying were FDA’s Deputy Commissioner for Foods Michael Taylor, GAO’s Director of Agriculture and Food Safety Lisa Shames and HHS Office of Inspector General Region II Inspector General for Evaluation and Inspections Jodi Nudelman. Taylor testified about ongoing FDA programs intended to minimize food safety risks, and, specifically addressing each report, he agreed with many of their recommendations and promised that the agency will incorporate them, as appropriate. He commended the House for passing the Food Safety Enhancement Act (H.R. 2749) in 2009 and looked forward to its reconciliation in conference with a related Senate bill, which is pending floor action. This legislation would provide FDA with enhanced authority in a number of areas, including mandatory recalls and the development of traceability requirements.
