Sam Farr's Response re: "Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015"

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for taking the time to inform me of your opposition to H.R. 1599, introduced by Representative Mike Pompeo of Kansas entitled the "Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015." I appreciate knowing your views.

I too opposed this legislation for a myriad of reasons. Unfortunately, this legislation passed in the House by a margin of 275 to 150 and has been received in the Senate where it was referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. Hearings have been scheduled for October and the first will be regarding the safety of GMO products while the second will be on H.R. 1599, the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015 legislation. I also have very strong concerns with this legislation because H.R. 1599 would modify the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to codify a voluntary federal labeling standard for genetically modified organisms (GMOs). H.R. 1599 would specifically prohibit Congress or individual states (Three states — Vermont, Connecticut and Maine — have passed statutes requiring GMO labels already)from requiring mandatory labeling of GMO foods or ingredients. Furthermore, H.R. 1599 would allow foods that contain GMOs to be labeled as "natural" and stop the Food and Drug Administration from reforming the current voluntary labeling system or creating a new GMO labeling system in the future.

People have the right to know what is in the food they eat. Requiring transparent and accurate labels informs the consumer. Throughout my career in public service, I have been committed to ensuring access to healthy foods and providing accurate nutrition information to consumers. Communities across the nation deserve to make knowledgeable decisions at the grocery store, and I will continue to monitor debate around GMO safety and labeling. As Congress continues working on keeping the public informed on GMO's, I will keep your thoughts in mind.

Sincerely,

SAM FARR
Member of Congress

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H.R. 1599: Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/114-2015/h462