Legislation Introduced for Single Food Safety Agency

美国参议院多数鞭子Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. SenatorRichard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Chair of the House Appropriations CommitteeRosa Delauro（D-CT-03）introduced theFood Safety Administration Act of 2022,legislation that would establish theFood Safety Administration，一个单一的食品安全局，负责确保我们国家粮食供应的安全。

这个新机构将接管目前所在的食品安全责任食品和药物管理局（FDA）。

The legislation does not include theFood Safety and Inspection Service(FSIS) of the美国农业部（USDA）。

“In recent years, FDA has been plagued by one failure after another — from a failure to properly recognize the dangers of prescription opioids, to a failure to protect children from e-cigarette products, to a failure to properly ensure the safety of our nation’s food supply,” said Durbin.

“可悲的现实是，FDA似乎不愿或无法利用其权力来保护美国人免受可预防的疾病和死亡的侵害。因此，国会女议员德劳罗（Delauro）和我正在介绍立法，将所有FDA的食品责任转移给一个新机构，我们希望，我们希望在保护我们孩子的午餐盒和餐厅桌上的食品方面取得更大的成功。”

每年有4800万病人从食源性疾病中生病

The FDA regulates approximately 80% of the U.S.'s food supply, and consumers and industry depend on the FDA food program to perform its regulatory role effectively.

Despite increased authorities and funding, the agency has failed to make significant inroads in reducing rates of foodborne illness and death in the U.S.

About one in six Americans — or 48 million people — get sick from foodborne illness each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 128,000 Americans are hospitalized each year and 3,000 Americans die of foodborne diseases. This costs the U.S. more than $15.6 billion each year.

Blumenthal说，美国人应该知道盘子上的食物是安全的。

“通过保护消费者免受食源性疾病的侵害并迅速采取行动以应对召回，食品安全管理局将改善我们国家至关重要的粮食供应的安全。

Food safety would be moved under HHS

The Food Safety Administration Act would establish the Food Safety Administration under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) by incorporating the existing food programs within FDA into this separate agency: the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), and the Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA). This agency would be led by a food safety expert confirmed by the Senate.

In addition to bringing focused leadership and more accountability, a unified structure and a full-time senior leader will strengthen oversight of the food supply and enhance the industry’s ability to operate effectively.

“Food safety is currently a second-class citizen at the Food and Drug Administration,” said DeLauro.

“Right now, there are no food policy experts in charge of food safety at the FDA," continued said DeLauro. "That is unacceptable and contributes to a string of product contaminations and subsequent recalls that disrupt the supply chain, contribute to rising prices, and in many cases, result in consumer illness and death."

该立法得到食品安全中心，美国消费者联合会，消费者报告，捍卫我们的健康，环境工作组，地球之友，健康婴儿的光明未来，停止食源性疾病，环境健康中心和美国消费者联合会的认可。。

You can find the bill text这里and a fact sheet这里。

—喂养& Grain Staff