[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6509 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6509

 To establish limitations on the quantity of total arsenic in rice and 
rice products under chapter IV of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic 
                                  Act.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 21, 2012

 Ms. DeLauro (for herself, Mr. Pallone, and Mrs. Lowey) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish limitations on the quantity of total arsenic in rice and 
rice products under chapter IV of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic 
                                  Act.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Reducing food-based Inorganic and 
Organic Compounds Exposure Act of 2012'' or the ``RICE Act''.

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF LIMITATION ON TOTAL ARSENIC IN RICE AND RICE 
              PRODUCTS.

    (a) Regulation Required.--For the purpose of protecting the public 
health, not later than the day that is 2 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs and acting under the 
Secretary's authority under chapter IV of the Federal Food, Drug, and 
Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 341 et seq.), shall promulgate a final 
regulation establishing the minimum quantity of total arsenic contained 
in rice or a rice product which shall cause the rice or rice product, 
respectively, to be deemed to be adulterated under section 402 of such 
Act (21 U.S.C. 343).
    (b) Scope of Regulation.--The minimum quantity established under 
subsection (a) shall apply to rice and rice products containing total 
arsenic regardless of whether the arsenic is present as a result of a 
natural process, an ingredient added to a food, the use of a pesticide, 
or other means.
    (c) Regulation Includes Tolerances.--The regulation under 
subsection (a) shall include the establishment of a tolerance under 
section 406 and section 408 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act 
(21 U.S.C. 346; 346a).
    (d) Minimum Stringency.--The standard established under subsection 
(a) (and any subsequent revision thereto) for total arsenic contained 
in rice or a rice product shall be based on the maximum achievable 
reduction in cancer risk and shall be at least as protective as the 
allowable level for total arsenic in bottled water under Section 410 of 
the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 349).
    (e) Definitions.--For purposes of this Act:
            (1) Food.--The term ``food'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 201(f) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic 
        Act (21 U.S.C. 321(f)).
            (2) Rice.--The term ``rice'' means a food that is rice.
            (3) Rice product.--The term ``rice product'' means a food 
        that contains an ingredient made from rice.
            (4) Total arsenic.--The term ``quantity of total arsenic'' 
        means the total amount of both inorganic and organic arsenic.
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