U.S. Lawmakers Once Again Propose Creating Single Federal Agency to Oversee Food Safety
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) this week introduced legislation (Safe Food Act of 2015) that would consolidate food safety duties currently managed by 15 different agencies to the oversight of a single food safety authority.
“The fragmented nature of our food safety system has left us more vulnerable to the risk of foodborne illness, it has too often forced citizens to go it alone in the case of outbreak,” Durbin said.
Among other things, the proposal would transfer responsibility for inspections, enforcement and labeling to the new Food Safety Administration. DeLauro and Durbin introduced similar legislation in 1999, 2004, 2005 and 2007. See Press Release of Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Sen. Richard Durbin, January 28, 2015.
Issue 553