Titus Votes To Improve Food Safety

Press Release

Titus Votes To Improve Food Safety

Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada's Third District voted today to enhance the safety of the nation's food supply by improving inspections and oversight of the food we eat. The bipartisan Food Safety Enhancement Act, which passed by a vote of 283 to 142, provides the Food and Drug Administration with the authority and resources to prevent food-borne illnesses from occurring and the tools to respond if they do.

"Parents should not have to worry about the safety of the food they put on the dinner table. This legislation will give consumers peace of mind and confidence in the safety of our nation's food supply," Congresswoman Titus said. "By giving the FDA greater authority to inspect food and recall tainted products, we are taking critical steps to protect Nevada's families."

Public health officials estimate that every year about 76 million people in the United States become sick and 5,000 of them die from food-borne illnesses. In the past few years, there have been numerous outbreaks of dangerous infections in common foods such as spinach, tomatoes, peanut butter, and ground beef.

The Food Safety Enhancement Act increases the number and scope of inspections for food production facilities and enhances the safety of foreign food imports. It requires the FDA to issue standards for ensuring the safe production and harvesting of fruits and vegetables, and strengthens penalties on food facilities that fail to comply with safety requirements. The FDA will have the expanded authority to issue mandatory recalls of tainted food and remove these products from the market safely and efficiently.

Source