[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 116 (Monday, July 18, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1153]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




PERSONAL EXPLANATION ON CONCURRING IN THE SENATE AMENDMENT TO THE HOUSE 
                          AMENDMENT TO S. 764

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                          HON. JOSEPH CROWLEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 18, 2016

  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I regret that I was not present for the 
vote on concurring in the Senate Amendment to the House Amendment to S. 
764, dealing with labeling requirements for genetically modified 
organisms (GMOs). Had I been here, I would have supported this 
legislation as a step forward in improving consumers' right to know 
more about the products they consume.
  I appreciate that many of my constituents, like many across the 
country, have expressed a desire to know whether the food they purchase 
and consume contains GMO ingredients. However, the status quo does not 
work for consumers, for manufacturers, or for our country.
  Today, if a consumer wants to know more about where the ingredients 
in their food come from, it is far from an easy process. Some 
manufacturers choose to print it on the packaging, others don't. Some 
define a genetically-modified ingredient one way, others another.
  There's not much more clarity right now for food manufacturers. 
Depending on the state or even city, they may face different 
requirements about what foods to label, what ingredients need to be 
labeled, or how the label should look. Many companies have started 
taking steps to provide more information, but the lack of a consistent 
standard makes it difficult for consumers to access this information in 
an easy way.
  The bill that came before the House is not perfect, but I believe it 
moves us in the right direction. It creates a national standard, 
instead of a patchwork of state and local laws. And under this 
standard, it will be mandatory, not voluntary, for manufacturers to 
disclose whether a product has genetically-modified ingredients, which 
will now be clearly defined.
  The measure includes some flexibility for manufacturers to determine 
for their products what format makes the most sense for this 
disclosure, but I am pleased that there are clear requirements in place 
that this disclosure must meet. There is certainly more that can be 
done to build awareness about what to look for on packaging and how the 
information can be used, and so I believe this bill can be the first 
step in a process of education and information-sharing that will help 
consumers. I also believe the use of electronic scannable codes holds a 
lot of promise, particularly as manufacturers come together to 
standardize the codes and information that is provided. I strongly feel 
that this information should remain easily accessible to the consumer, 
so that once a code is scanned, there is a direct link to information 
such as GMO disclosure, ingredients, and nutrition facts. I am 
heartened that many manufacturers have begun recognizing the need to 
make this information clearly available, and I look forward to 
continued progress in this area.
  Overall, I believe that the legislation considered by the House is a 
needed step forward from the situation we have today, and a significant 
improvement from previous legislation that did not require the kind of 
labeling that consumers have asked for. I support this version of the 
legislation, and I look forward to continuing to work to strengthen our 
food safety, nutrition, and anti-hunger laws and programs so that all 
consumers are able to access healthy, affordable food for themselves 
and their families.

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