'Monsanto Protection Act’ quietly extended by Congress

[BelgianMadCow]

A budget provision protecting genetically-modified seeds from litigation in the face of health risks was extended for three months in an approved US House of Representatives’ spending bill on Tuesday evening.

Called “The Monsanto Protection Act” by opponents, the budget rider shields biotech behemoths like Monsanto, Cargill and others from the threat of lawsuits and bars federal courts from intervening to force an end to the sale of a GMO (genetically-modified organism) even if the genetically-engineered product causes damaging health effects.

The biotech rider first made news in March when it was a last-minute addition to the successfully-passed House Agriculture Appropriations Bill for 2013, a short-term funding bill that was approved to avoid a federal government shutdown.

Source: RT article

--------------

Important news, given the huge march against Monsanto earlier this year.
Not in LBN from any other source.

[Glassunion]

1. Do you mean to tell me, that a multi-national company

with billions in revenue had a bill passed in their favor? What next? Are you going to try and convince me that water is wet?

[BelgianMadCow]

2. No no! Ignorance is still strength.

and I thought DU would care a wee bit more

[woo me with science]

3. K&R

[Berlum]

4. "Smirk." - Corporatists

[woo me with science]

5. kick

[LWolf]

6. I'd like to see who voted to extend it. nt

[BelgianMadCow]

7. so I tried to look that up. Here's a Salon link

The biotech rider dubbed the “Monsanto Protection Act” by food and agriculture activists has been extended by the House, advocacy group the Center for Food Safety reported Wednesday.

The earmark, which was slipped into a vast budget bill passed six months ago without being read by most Congress members who voted it through, protects biotech giants like Monsanto and their genetically modified seeds from litigation in the face of possible health risks. Despite over 250,000 people signing a petition against the earmark, and a number of rallies taking place in response to its passing, the rider remains in the three-month extension of the appropriations bill voted through the House Tuesday evening.

“It is extremely disappointing to see the damaging ‘Monsanto Protection Act’ policy rider extended in the House spending bill,” said Colin O’Neil, director of government affairs for Center for Food Safety. “Hundreds of thousands of Americans called their elected officials to voice their frustration and disappointment over the inclusion of ‘Monsanto Protection Act’ this past spring. Its inclusion is a slap in the face to the American public and our justice system.”

http://www.salon.com/2013/09/11/the_monsanto_protection_act_gets_extended/

So based on that, I tried to look for house votes on Tuesday, but nothing looking like an appropriations bill was passed the 10th. I'm guessing maybe because it's an extension, it's not mentioned?

We need the appropriate bill number.

[LWolf]

8. Yes, that would be a good start.

While this is not a surprise, I'd sure as hell like to know if my rep voted for it.

[BelgianMadCow]

9. As per the Center for Foods Safety, it's H.R. 933

but there's no extension to be seen in the records.

http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/press-releases/2509/house-ignores-public-outcry-extends-controversial-monsanto-protection-act

September 11, 2013, Washington, DC—Center for Food Safety has just learned that the controversial corporate earmark known as the “Monsanto Protection Act” has been extended in the short-term 3-month appropriations bill released by the House last evening. The rider, included in last spring’s 6-month continuing resolution (H.R. 933), undermines federal courts’ ability to safeguard farmers and the environment from potentially hazardous genetically engineered (GE) crops.

In any case, with this being added as "pork" so to speak to a general appropriations bill, I guess it would be hard to make anything of the vote.

[liberal_at_heart]

10. so maybe the question is who voted yes on this appropriations bill.

[BelgianMadCow]

11. 53 Dems voted yes in the house on the original appropriations bill

They are the ones in italic, here. 137 dems voted against.

Attaching stuff like the biotech "rider" to a defense spending & general appropriations bill really sucks.

[liberal_at_heart]

13. damn it DelBene voted for it.

[mick063]

12. The President would sign it.

Who does not believe me?

[KoKo]

14. Monsanto Co Contributions to Federal Candidates for 2012..

Monsanto Co Contributions to Federal Candidates
Select a Cycle:

https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.php?cmte=C00042069&cycle=2012

House
Total to Democrats: $72,000
Total to Republicans: $190,500Recipient Total

Barrow, John (D-GA) $2,500
Bishop, Sanford (D-GA) $5,000
Boehner, John (R-OH) $10,000
Braley, Bruce (D-IA) $5,000
Camp, Dave (R-MI) $5,000
Cantor, Eric (R-VA) $10,000
Clay, William L Jr (D-MO) $10,000
Cleaver, Emanuel (D-MO) $5,000
Conaway, Mike (R-TX) $2,000
Courtney, Joe (D-CT) $4,500
Crawford, Rick (R-AR) $2,500
Fincher, Steve (R-TN) $8,000
Gardner, Cory (R-CO) $7,500
Goodlatte, Bob (R-VA) $4,500
Graves, Sam (R-MO) $5,000
Griffin, Tim (R-AR) $1,000
Guthrie, Brett (R-KY) $1,000
Hanabusa, Colleen (D-HI) $5,000
Hannemann, Mufi (D-HI) $1,000
Hartzler, Vicky (R-MO) $3,000
Holden, Tim (D-PA) $1,000
Huelskamp, Tim (R-KS) $2,500
Hultgren, Randy (R-IL) $2,500
Jenkins, Lynn (R-KS) $2,500
Johnson, Timothy (R-IL) $3,000
King, Steven A (R-IA) $2,500
Kingston, Jack (R-GA) $7,000
Kinzinger, Adam (R-IL) $3,500
Kissell, Larry (D-NC) $5,000
Labrador, Raul (R-ID) $2,000
LaMalfa, Doug (R-CA) $1,000
Landry, Jeff (R-LA) $1,000
Latham, Tom (R-IA) $10,000
Loebsack, David (D-IA) $5,000
Long, Billy (R-MO) $2,500
Lucas, Frank D (R-OK) $10,000
Luetkemeyer, Blaine (R-MO) $5,000
Lungren, Dan (R-CA) $1,000
McIntyre, Mike (D-NC) $1,000
Neugebauer, Randy (R-TX) $1,000
Noem, Kristi (R-SD) $1,000
Nunes, Devin (R-CA) $3,500
Owens, Bill (D-NY) $2,000
Peterson, Collin (D-MN) $10,000
Rogers, Hal (R-KY) $7,500
Rokita, Todd (R-IN) $5,000
Roskam, Peter (R-IL) $1,000
Schilling, Bobby (R-IL) $3,000
Schock, Aaron (R-IL) $5,000
Shimkus, John M (R-IL) $5,000
Simpson, Mike (R-ID) $10,000
Smith, Adrian (R-NE) $5,000
Stutzman, Marlin (R-IN) $5,000
Thompson, Bennie G (D-MS) $10,000
Thompson, Glenn (R-PA) $1,000
Upton, Fred (R-MI) $5,000
Valadao, David (R-CA) $2,500
Wagner, Ann L (R-MO) $10,000
Walden, Greg (R-OR) $1,000
Walorski, Jackie (R-IN) $2,500
Womack, Steve (R-AR) $1,000

Senate

Total to Democrats: $37,500
Total to Republicans: $85,000Recipient Total

Akin, Todd (R-MO) $3,500
Baucus, Max (D-MT) $1,000
Berg, Rick (R-ND) $10,000
Blunt, Roy (R-MO) $10,000
Boozman, John (R-AR) $5,000
Casey, Bob (D-PA) $2,500
Chambliss, Saxby (R-GA) $5,000
Fischer, Deb (R-NE) $5,000
Gillibrand, Kirsten (D-NY) $1,000
Grassley, Chuck (R-IA) $2,000
Hatch, Orrin G (R-UT) $5,000
Hirono, Mazie K (D-HI) $1,000
Johanns, Mike (R-NE) $1,000
Klobuchar, Amy (D-MN) $5,000
Landrieu, Mary L (D-LA) $1,000
Lugar, Richard G (R-IN) $3,000
McCaskill, Claire (D-MO) $5,000
McConnell, Mitch (R-KY) $10,000
Moran, Jerry (R-KS) $2,500
Nelson, Ben (D-NE) $13,000
Rehberg, Denny (R-MT) $2,000
Risch, James E (R-ID) $3,500
Roberts, Pat (R-KS) $9,000
Stabenow, Debbie (D-MI) $8,000
Thompson, Tommy G (R-WI) $5,000
Wicker, Roger (R-MS) $1,000
Wilson, Heather A (R-NM) $2,500

Based on data released by the FEC on March 25, 2013.