[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 96 (Thursday, July 21, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 21, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
AUTHENTICATING DOCUMENTS CONCERNING A STATEMENT MADE BY JOHN TAYLOR OF 
                    THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION

                                 ______


                         HON. GARY L. ACKERMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 21, 1994

  Mr. ACKERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have requested that the Committee on 
Government Operations Subcommittee on Commerce, Consumer, and Monetary 
Affairs authenticate, without waiving its privileges, documents 
concerning a statement made by Mr. John Taylor of the Food and Drug 
Administration at a hearing held by the subcommittee on May 28, 1986. I 
thank the subcommittee for the enclosed response:


                                Congress of the United States,

                                    Washington, DC, July 20, 1994.
     Hon. Gary L. Ackerman,
     U.S. Representative,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Ackerman: You have asked that the 
     Subcommittee, without waiving its privileges, authenticate 
     the documents in its file concerning a statement made by Mr. 
     John Taylor of the Food and Drug Administration at a hearing 
     held by the Committee on Government Operations Subcommittee 
     on Commerce, Consumer, and Money Matters. Federal Efforts to 
     Identify and Remove Contaminated Wines: Hearing before a 
     Subcommittee of the Committee on Government Operations, House 
     of Reps., 99th Cong., 2d Sess., (May 28, 1986).
       The Subcommittee's documents on file reflect the following:
       1. The following statement by Mr. Taylor, in response to a 
     question, is found on page 129-130 of the unedited 
     transcript:
       Mr. Horton* * *.
       One question I wanted to ask was that your testimony on 
     page 4 implies that you evaluated the health risk in choosing 
     the method of testing foods by concentrating on those most 
     likely to contain residues. Don't you think that BATF should 
     have acted similarly in targeting the most highly 
     contaminated wines rather than refusing to establish any 
     priorities in the matter?
       Mr. Taylor. Based upon what was in the BATF testimony and 
     the impression they got from what we had said regarding 
     health hazards, and we could have done a better job on our 
     original assessment to them, what Mr. Drake assumed we were 
     saying that everything was contaminated to the point at which 
     we required a recall, they acted improperly with the 
     information we had given them.
       2. Mr. Taylor's unedited testimony was sent to him, on June 
     4, 1986, together with a Subcommittee memorandum form (sent 
     routinely to all witnesses) which stated: ``Only minor or 
     technical corrections for the purpose of improving clarity or 
     correcting obvious misstatements of fact are permitted. 
     Changes which alter meaning are not permitted.'' (Original 
     emphasis).
       3. A document in our file, page 130 of the unedited 
     testimony of Mr. Taylor's response, quoted above, with his 
     proposed changes, reflects the following at lines 3021-24 
     (the proposed changes are in brackets [ ]): ``original 
     assessment to them, where [what] Mr. Drake assumed we were 
     saying that everything was contaminated to the point [at 
     which] we had [required] a recall, they acted improperly 
     [properly] with the information we had given them.'' Also, a 
     little yellow 3M ``self-stick removal note'', which is 
     adhered to page 130, is addressed to me from Steve McSpadden, 
     counsel to the Subcommittee, and states: ``Faye--Let me know 
     if Taylor tries to change this page and the next one (pp. 
     130-31). Thanks S.'' Finally, on the same page, there is a 
     notation in writing in ink pen, with an arrow drawn pointing 
     to Mr. Taylor's proposed change striking the ``im'' from 
     ``improperly,'' the following: ``Change disallowed. Rewording 
     changes meaning and alters it. Original transcript reflects 
     accurately what was said by witness. S. McSpadden, 7/1/86.''
       Under the Rules of the House the documents referred to 
     herein are Subcommittee documents on file in the 
     Subcommittee's offices.
           Sincerely,
                                               Doris Faye Ballard,
     Clerk.

                          ____________________