[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2427 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2427

   To require the Secretary of Agriculture to offer to enter into an 
   agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to coordinate the 
  development of recommendations to carry out an improved inspection 
     program for meat and poultry products, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

              August 25 (legislative day, August 18), 1994

 Mr. Heflin (for himself, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Pryor, Mr. Durenberger, Ms. 
   Mikulski, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Craig, and Mr. Helms) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                  Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To require the Secretary of Agriculture to offer to enter into an 
   agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to coordinate the 
  development of recommendations to carry out an improved inspection 
     program for meat and poultry products, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. DEVELOPMENT OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVED MEAT AND POULTRY 
              INSPECTION FOR DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

    (a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to protect the public 
health by providing for the development of a detailed framework for an 
improved meat and poultry inspection program that is both 
scientifically reliable and concentrates on hazards posing the greatest 
risk to human health.
    (b) Coordination by National Academy of Sciences.--Not later than 
60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Agriculture (referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall 
offer to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences 
(referred to in this section as the ``Academy''), under which the 
Academy will coordinate the development and evaluation of strategies 
and mechanisms for carrying out an improved meat and poultry inspection 
program under the jurisdiction of the Secretary that is both 
scientifically reliable and concentrates on hazards posing the greatest 
risk to human health.
    (c) Report on Activities.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
on which the agreement is entered into under subsection (b), the 
Academy shall submit to Congress and the Secretary a report describing 
the results of the activities conducted pursuant to the agreement. The 
report shall include:
            (1) An evaluation of the adequacy of the current scientific 
        basis (as of the date of the report) for carrying out risk-
        based meat and poultry inspection programs using the approach 
        known as hazard analysis critical control point. The evaluation 
        shall include an examination of--
                    (A) data necessary to evaluate and compare the 
                public health impacts of current (as of the date of the 
                report) and future meat and poultry inspection 
                programs; and
                    (B) current (as of the date of the report) and 
                anticipated biological and food science technologies 
                needed to conduct risk-based meat and poultry 
                inspection programs.
            (2) If deficiencies are found in the current scientific 
        basis described in paragraph (1), recommendations regarding 
        strategies needed to achieve the level of scientific data and 
        technology required to adequately protect the public health in 
        conducting meat and poultry inspection programs.
            (3) Recommendations regarding the management structure in 
        the Department of Agriculture and resources necessary for--
                    (A) training the current meat and poultry 
                inspection work force (as of the date of the report) to 
                move from a visual inspection system to a risk-based 
                inspection system; and
                    (B) carrying out an effective risk-based meat and 
                poultry inspection program on a uniform basis 
                throughout the United States.
            (4) A description of the legislative and regulatory changes 
        needed to carry out the recommendations made under paragraph 
        (3).
    (d) Advisory Committees.--
            (1) Consultation.--In preparing the report required by 
        subsection (c), the Academy shall consult with the Meat and 
        Poultry Advisory Committee and the National Advisory Committee 
        on Microbiological Criteria.
            (2) Recommendations.--The Committees referred to in 
        paragraph (1) shall provide to the Academy written 
        recommendations concerning the program referred to in 
        subsection (b). On receipt of the recommendations, the Academy 
        shall include the recommendations as an appendix to the report 
        required by subsection (c).
    (e) Funding.--From funds available to the Secretary for fiscal year 
1995, the Secretary may use not more than $200,000 to carry out this 
section.
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