[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 27 (Monday, July 12, 1999)]
[Pages 1276-1277]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

July 3, 1999

    Good morning. This Independence Day at backyard barbecues and 
picnics in local parks, Americans celebrate the spirit of patriotism 
that has strengthened our Nation for 223 years now. Today I want to talk 
about what we must do to ensure that the food we serve at those 
gatherings is as safe as we can possibly make it, to keep our Nation 
growing healthy, as well as strong.
    Our food supply is the most bountiful in the world. And for 6\1/2\ 
years, our administration has been committed to making it the safest in 
the world, from establishing a nationwide early warning system for 
foodborne illness to expanding food safety research and public education 
programs to increasing inspections of food at every point in the chain 
of production.
    Last year I established the Joint Institute for Food Safety Research 
and appointed the first-ever President's Council on Food Safety to 
coordinate and expand food safety efforts at every level of the Federal 
Government. I'm proud of the progress we're making, but when it comes to 
keeping our families safe, we can always do more--and we must.
    Today, Americans eat more imported food than ever before, and they 
have more choices than ever. Think of it: Thirty years ago, just a dozen 
kinds of fruits and vegetables were available year-round. Today, you 
could buy a different kind of fruit or vegetable every day of the year, 
and many were grown on the other side of the world. There's no evidence 
that these fruits and vegetables are less safe than those grown here in 
the United States. But some recent outbreaks of foodborne illness have 
been traced to imported foods.
    Our import laws are very clear. We will not allow unsafe food to 
enter the United States. But a recent GAO report showed that some 
importers are sidestepping our laws and getting contaminated food across 
our borders and onto our kitchen tables. While most importers comply 
with our regulations, it only takes one bad apple to spoil the whole 
bunch, only one shipment of contaminated food to threaten hundreds, even 
thousands, of Americans.
    That is why today, consistent with our international obligations, 
I'm directing the Treasury Department and the Health and Human Services 
Department to take immediate action to keep unsafe food from crossing 
our borders. First, we will take new steps to stop port shopping, 
preventing importers whose unsafe food has been turned away at one U.S. 
port from slipping their goods in at another. To make sure this unsafe 
food can be easily spotted, we will stamp all rejected food with the 
clear label, ``Refused U.S.''
    Second, Customs and the FDA will rigorously enforce and expand our 
policy of destroying imported food that poses a serious health threat 
rather than risk letting it reach our grocery stores or the global 
market.
    Third, we'll do more to deter dishonest importers by increasing the 
bond they must post while food is being inspected for safety. Too many 
importers forfeit their bonds as a simple cost of doing business. That's 
wrong, and we should stop it. These steps will help us to close the gaps 
in our food safety system.
    But Congress must also act. I'm grateful for the presence here today 
of Congressman Dingell and Congressman Brown. Congress should start by 
passing comprehensive food safety legislation that would increase the 
FDA's authority to turn away imported food that does not meet our high 
safety standards. And Congress should grant USDA the authority to impose 
civil penalties and to order mandatory recalls of unsafe meat and 
poultry.
    Finally, Congress should fully fund my $72 million food safety 
initiative to increase the number of agents and inspections of high-risk 
food products right here at home and increase the number of inspections 
of foreign food processors around the world.
    Americans have a right to know that the food they serve their 
families is safe, whether it comes from the far corners of the world or 
the corner produce stand. I'm pleased that so many Members of Congress 
are committed to giving them that security. I appreciate the 
initiatives, especially of Senator Durbin and Representatives Dingell 
and Brown, along with Senators Mikulski, Kennedy, Harkin, Collins, and 
Representatives

[[Page 1277]]

Eshoo and Waxman. I look forward to working with all Members of Congress 
of both parties to build a stronger nation with a healthier food supply 
for the 21st century.
    Have a happy and healthy Fourth of July, and thanks for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 12:37 p.m. on July 2 in the Roosevelt 
Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on July 3. The 
transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
July 2 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast.