[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 258 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 258

Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Secretary of Agriculture 
 and the Secretary of Health and Human Services should work to improve 
   cooperation and eliminate duplication in the area of food safety 
                  inspection, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            November 1, 2001

 Mr. Smith of Michigan (for himself, Mrs. Clayton, Mr. Hostettler, Mr. 
 Bartlett of Maryland, Mr. Watts of Oklahoma, Mr. Ehlers, Mr. Lewis of 
Kentucky, Mr. Fletcher, Mr. Greenwood, Mr. Manzullo, Mr. Gutknecht, Mr. 
 Bereuter, Mr. Shays, Ms. Brown of Florida, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Peterson of 
 Minnesota, Mr. Paul, Mr. Pitts, Mr. Rohrabacher, Mrs. Jo Ann Davis of 
Virginia, Mr. Kerns, Mr. Flake, Mr. Cantor, Mr. Issa, Mrs. Napolitano, 
Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Cox, Mr. Wu, Mr. Barcia, and Mr. Chabot) submitted 
    the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Energy 
    and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Secretary of Agriculture 
 and the Secretary of Health and Human Services should work to improve 
   cooperation and eliminate duplication in the area of food safety 
                  inspection, and for other purposes.

Whereas the Nation's relatively open borders present difficult challenges to 
        Federal agencies involved in food safety inspection;
Whereas strong concerns exist about the potential for deliberate or 
        unintentional introduction of foodborne pathogens or toxic agents 
        through the food chain;
Whereas the percentage of food imports that are examined for health and safety 
        needs to be increased;
Whereas to prevent and respond to potential contamination of the Nation's food 
        supply, Federal food safety regulatory agencies need to be prepared to 
        coordinate their activities to act quickly and efficiently to protect 
        the public health; and
Whereas the Department of Agriculture, through the Food Safety Inspection 
        Service and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and the 
        Department of Health and Human Services, through the Food and Drug 
        Administration, jointly share in the task of inspecting imported foods: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that the Secretary of Agriculture 
and the Secretary of Health and Human Services should--
            (1) achieve the highest possible degree of cooperation to 
        ensure that the Nation's consumers receive food that is safe; 
        and
            (2) take steps to ensure that the resources and experience 
        of all involved agencies are used as efficiently as possible to 
        maximize food inspection capabilities, regardless of agency 
        jurisdiction.
                                 <all>