DeLauro To Oppose Latest Cynical Republican Ploy

Press Release

Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) released the following statement today announcing her opposition to the latest cynical Republican ploy to come before the House of Representatives. House Republicans voted to cut funding for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the subject of today's legislation, in 2011, 2012 and 2013. DeLauro is a former chairwoman of the subcommittee responsible for funding the FDA.

DeLauro will elaborate on her reasons for opposing the legislation at approximately 5:45 p.m. on the House floor. Her comments can be viewed at http://www.c-span.org/Live-Video/C-SPAN/.

"We are almost a full week into this self-inflicted government shutdown now. But because the Speaker refuses to stand up to a vocal minority in his own party, there is no end in sight. Instead, we watching the Republican Majority talk out of both sides of their mouths, and pretend to hold positions they have been voting against from the very first day they took power.

"Foodborne illnesses account for 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths each year, and particularly affect children, pregnant women and older adults. Meanwhile, over 80 percent of the seafood and 30 percent of the fruit and nuts consumed in the United States are produced elsewhere, yet less than one percent of imported food is inspected by the FDA. But this Majority has refused to fund these food safety initiatives adequately.

"This bill does not protect our families from contaminated food. It does not even adequately fund the FDA. It is yet another in a series of purely political bills put forward by this Majority.

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