Safe Line Speeds in COVID–19 Act 2021-03-11 Introduced in House Safe Line Speeds in COVID-19 Act

This bill directs the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the Department of Agriculture (USDA), for the duration of the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency period, to suspend any waivers and not issue new waivers related to line speeds in meat and poultry establishments and inspection staffing requirements for such establishments. Additionally, the implementation of, and conversion to, the New Swine Slaughter Inspection System must be suspended.

No funds made available to USDA during the COVID-19 emergency period shall be used to develop, propose, finalize, issue, amend, or implement any policy, regulation, directive, constituent update, or any other agency program that would increase line speeds at meat and poultry establishments.

Upon termination of the COVID-19 emergency period, the Government Accountability Office shall conduct a review of actions taken by specific federal agencies, including USDA, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to determine the effectiveness of such actions in protecting animal, food, and worker safety.

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