Letter to Herb Kohl and Robert Bennett, Chairman and Ranking Member of the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, Re: Significant Increase in Food Safety Funds

Letter

Durbin & Smith Lead Bipartisan Letter Asking for Significant Increase in Food Safety Funds

United States Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) today sent a letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee, asking for a considerable increase in funding for the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) food safety functions. Durbin and Smith were joined by 17 other senators in seeking a significant funding increase for the next fiscal year.

"We are concerned that the Food and Drug Administration lacks the resources to effectively oversee the safety of the food supply," the Senators wrote. "The FDA's budgets have not adequately reflected the critical role it plays in our nation's food safety system or its increasing responsibilities."

Last year, FDA Science Board released a report warning that "FDA's ability to provide its basic food system inspection, enforcement and rulemaking functions is severely eroded," due to a lack of resources. The Science Board went on to request $128 million increase for FDA food safety activities and a $75 million increase for information technology in FY09.

Today's letter was sent to the chairman and ranking member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Senators Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Robert Bennett (R-UT). A copy of the letter can be found below.

Also today, Durbin plans to meet with Secretary of Health and Human Services, Michael Leavitt, to discuss food and drug safety. Recent food and drug recalls continue to raise concerns about the FDA's ability to adequately protect American consumers from dangers. Durbin and Leavitt will discuss ways to increase the effectiveness of the FDA, what resources the agency may need, and what can be done to increase foreign inspections of food and drug production facilities.

Text of the letter appears below:

April 24, 2008

The Honorable Herb Kohl
Chairman
Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Robert Bennett
Ranking Member
Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chairman Kohl and Senator Bennett:

We write commending your leadership in significantly increasing funding for major food safety programs in the Fiscal Year 2008 (FY08) Agriculture Appropriations bill and seeking an additional increase for the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) and Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA) in the Fiscal Year 2009 bill.

We are concerned that the Food and Drug Administration lacks the resources to adequately perform its various functions, and we are particularly concerned about its ability to effectively oversee the safety of the food supply. The FDA's budgets have not adequately reflected the critical role it plays in our nation's food safety system or its increasing responsibilities. The FDA Science Board's Subcommittee on Science and Technology recently found that the "scientific demands on the FDA far exceed its capacity to respond. This imbalance is imposing a significant risk to the integrity of the food, drug, cosmetic, and device regulatory system, and hence the safety of the public."

In a letter to the House Energy & Commerce Committee, the Science Board recommended a $128 million increase for FDA food safety activities and a $75 million increase for information technology in FY09. These recommendations include significant increases for both the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, which provides essential scientific leadership and risk assessment activities, and the Office of Regulatory Affairs, which inspects domestic and imported food products.

While we recognize the fiscal constraints faced by the Subcommittee, we respectfully request the resources the FDA needs to protect public health. We appreciate the Subcommittee's willingness to consider our request.

We thank you for your consideration and look forward to working with you on this request.

Sincerely,
US Senator
Dick Durbin, et al.

Source