Statement of CALPIRG on the passage of H.R. 4167
The
U.S. House of Representatives catered to powerful corporate interests
yesterday by passing H.R. 4167, the National Uniformity for Food Act.
This
bill undercuts critical state and local food safety and right-to-know
requirements. It deprives states of the right to protect their citizens
while assigning responsibility for food safety to an increasingly
unresponsive and under-funded federal bureaucracy.
The
federal government has not done enough to fully inform and protect
consumers on a range of food safety issues. State and local governments
have stepped up to fill this gap by passing effective food safety laws
covering everything from eggs to shellfish to citrus juice. The food
industry has reacted by asking its allies in Congress to put the kibosh
on any state that dares to do more than the federal government has.
As
the food industry intended all along, this bill would eviscerate
California’s Prop 65, approved by voters in 1986 to require warnings
for products containing chemicals known to cause cancer or birth
defects. Consumers have the right to know if their food contains
dangerous chemicals. In the absence of strong federal standards, states
and localities have the right to provide this information.
Across
the country, this bill will preempt more than 200 state laws that
protect consumers. Moreover, this bill would forever tie California’s
hands on a range of emerging food safety issues, asking us to trust
that the federal government will do the right thing and address
potential public health concerns.
When
it comes to the safety of America’s food supply, we should not settle
for uniformly low standards. This cynical piece of legislation should
go no farther.
We
applaud the leadership of Representatives Waxman, Capps and Eshoo (CA)
for their diligent work to protect the rights of states to set more
stringent food safety laws.
