[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 69 (Friday, May 24, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E923]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RE-INTRODUCTION OF THE SAFE AND FAIR ENFORCEMENT AND RECALL FOR MEAT 
                            AND POULTRY ACT

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                        HON. JOHN ELIAS BALDACCI

                                of maine

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 23, 2002

  Mr. BALDACCI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reintroduce the Safe and 
Fair Enforcement and Recall for Meat and Poultry Act--to help 
strengthen the protection of meat and poultry across the United States. 
As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I have long been 
concerned about the safety of our nation's food and water supplies. My 
SAFER Meat and Poultry Act would expedite the removal of potentially 
contaminated products from store shelves and provide greater 
enforcement authority to protect public health.
  This bill calls for more consistent and vigilant implementation of 
the USDA's Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) program. The 
legislation will strengthen government accountability and expedite the 
removal of potentially harmful meat and poultry from store shelves.
  Recent reports suggest that USDA properly inspects meat-processing 
facilities on a daily basis less than 40 percent of the time. Further, 
a number of plants may have never been tested. I am pleased that the 
Bioterrorism legislation passed earlier this week will help to 
alleviate some of USDA's problems with funding plant inspections.
  However, this bill to provide greater disclosure of contaminants, 
increased penalties for knowingly distributing tainted products, and 
greater authority for the Agriculture Secretary to move swiftly against 
facilities found to be producing harmful meat and poultry products will 
lead to a healthier and safer American food supply.
  Furthermore, my bill will help alert Americans to the seriousness of 
food bome contamination, which is estimated to cause approximately 75 
million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths per year.
  Mr. Speaker, given the new and emerging threats to public health and 
our national security, we must be vigilant in safeguarding our national 
food supply.
  I am pleased to be reintroducing this important legislation, and I 
strongly urge my colleagues to support it.

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