Senator Durbin's S. 1274 Human and Pet Food Safety Act of 2007

[in_cog_ni_to]

email:


Dear ** *******:



Since you have contacted me in the past regarding the widespread recalls of pet food, I wanted to give you this update.



During the Senate's debate on the Food and Drug Administration Revitalization Act, I offered an amendment to improve several facets of our food safety system as it applies to pets and humans.



Specifically, my amendment will:


require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to update standards for the labeling of pet food to include ingredients and nutritional information;


direct the Department of Health and Human Services to establish an early warning system that will monitor any outbreaks of illnesses associated with pet food;


promote cooperation between state and federal agencies tasked with regulating food safety;


create a registry for reporting cases of adulterated food; and


impose civil penalties on importers or manufacturers that fail to report adulterated food to the FDA in a timely manner.



These provisions will improve the FDA's ability to regulate the pet food industry and help to ensure that pet owners have the information they need to make informed buying decisions.



The Senate passed my amendment by a vote of 94-0 and included it in the final bill, which passed 93-1.
Human and Pet Food Safety Act of 2007 (S. 1274)


I have also introduced the . S. 1274 addresses many problems highlighted by the recent pet food crisis and tackles broader issues related to food safety.



This measure would authorize the FDA to assess civil penalties against companies who fail to recall food products that have been identified as posing a potential threat to public health. In the event that a company refuses to recall a contaminated food product, the bill grants the Food and Drug Administration the authority to issue a mandatory recall.



S. 1274 also would require that all imported food products meet certification standards and would grant FDA inspectors the authority to visit foreign countries for the purpose of conducting investigations.



Finally, the bill would direct the Food and Drug Administration to provide an annual report to Congress that contains information about the origin and type of all imported food products, the number of inspections performed on these products, and any violations identified by inspectors.



Many Americans have suffered the loss of a beloved pet due to the contamination of pet food. We must work to improve oversight of the pet food industry, so that pet owners can feel confident about the safety of the food they find in veterinary offices and on supermarket and pet store shelves.



I will continue to work to improve the safety of our food supply for humans and pets. Thank you again for sharing your views. Please feel free to keep in touch.



Sincerely,

Richard J. Durbin

United States Senator

[illinoisprogressive]

1. that's my senator

[in_cog_ni_to]

2. : )...he's a good guy.

We are so lucky, aren't we? Obama AND Durbin.:loveya:

[reichstag911]

3. And here's a nostril shot:

Up close and personal with Dick!