Bad food safety bill to be voted on by lame duck Congress by YourEnchantedGardener .....
Bad food safety bill to be voted on by lame duck Congress
9:19 am
December 22, 2010
FOR THE RECORD
This was one of the emails I
got the day before
#HR 2751 passed the house.
When will the President sign the bill?
I want to see that.
Date: 12/22/2010 11:20:38 AM ( 14 y ago)
9:19 am
December 22, 2010
FOR THE RECORD
This was one of the emails I
got the day before
#HR 2751 passed the house.
When will the President sign the bill?
I want to see that.
THIS IS A RECORD OF THE BILL PASSING
NOVEMBER 30 before it was sent back to the
House, then it went back to the Senate
and then back to the House.
What a ridiculous journey.
From: Marsha Youde [mailto:healthylifestyle101@yahoo.com]
Sent: Monday, December 20, 2010 4:32 PM
To: Marsha Youde
Subject: Bad food safety bill to be voted on by lame duck Congress TOMORROW
Hi Everyone - Happy Holidays to you, altho this Food Bill deal isn't much to be happy about. This so-called Food Safety bill thing isn't over, it just PASSED in the US Senate LAST NITE, Sunday 12-19, and will go to the US House of Representatives tomorrow, TUESDAY. Agribusiness is trying to end our access to hi-quality food from small producers. Here's info from 3 different sources, all about the same thing, not to be redundant, but just to give you 3 diff points of view on the same subject. We all need to act TONIGHT, BEFORE THE HOUSE REPS VOTE TOMORROW:
FROM NATURALNEWS.COM:
In the dark of night, the US Senate passed S.510 last night with a unanimous consent voice vote (not a single US Senator opposed it).
It's now headed back to the House for a possible vote on Tuesday.
We need your help to oppose this dangerous bill that could destroy small, local organic farmers and reduce the availability of local fresh produce.
If you enjoy farmers' markets or buy food from a CSA, your food supply is now in danger due to HR 2751 in the House of Representatives! (See more talking points below...)
Take Action Now to Protect Small Local Farms
Action item #1) Sign our petition at: http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/7025/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=5020
(This will automatically email your appropriate representatives in Washington.)
Here are the talking points from FTCLDF on why this fake food safety bill is so dangerous to our future:
The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act is fundamentally flawed and is not in the best interest of small farmers, especially those who produce raw milk. The Act is a major threat to the local food movement.
1. FDA does not respect individuals' rights to obtain healthy, quality foods of their choice. The agency has stated, as a matter of public record that:
"There is no absolute right to consume or feed children any particular food."
"Plaintiffs' assertion of a 'fundamental right to their own bodily and physical health, which includes what foods they do and do not choose to consume for themselves and their families' is similarly unavailing because plaintiffs do not have a fundamental right to obtain any food they wish."
FDA has even participated in armed raids on small-scale co-ops and membership organizations. This agency should not be given any additional power.
2. FDA has adequate powers under existing law to ensure food safety and effectively deal with foodborne illness outbreaks. FDA has power to inspect, power to detain product and can readily obtain court orders to seize adulterated or misbranded food products or enjoin them from being sold. The problem isn't that FDA needs more power; it's that FDA does not effectively use the power it currently has. The agency has power to inspect imported food yet inspects only 1% of food coming into this country from outside our borders.
3. S.510 does nothing to address many significant food safety problems in this country, such as those resulting from confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and various contaminants (e.g., BPA, pesticides, herbicides, etc.).
4. FDA has used its existing power to benefit the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries at the expense of public health (e.g., allowing the overuse of antibiotics in confined animal feeding operations and refusing to require labeling for genetically-modified foods). This bill does not address the fundamental problems at this agency in order to truly protect public health.
5. S.510 will expand FDA's involvement in regulating food in intra-state commerce, further interfering with local communities. State and local governments are more than capable of handling any problems related to food in intrastate commerce. All the major outbreaks of foodborne illness involve either imported food or food in inter-state commerce.
6. S.510 will hurt our ability as a nation to be self-sufficient in food production because it has more lenient inspection requirements for foreign than domestic producers creating an unfair advantage for food imports. Giving an advantage to foreign producers will only increase the amount of food imported into this country that does not meet our domestic standards. S.510 does not address food security -- the ability of a country to produce enough food to meet its own needs.
FROM THE FARM-TO-CONSUMER LEGAL DEFENSE FUND:
Tell REPRESENTATIVES to Vote "NO" on H.R. 2751 & Stop the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act
On December 19, the Senate passed the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA, formerly S.510) as an amendment to H.R. 2751.
The House had previously passed FSMA as an amendment to a spending bill, H.R. 3082; Senate Democrats were not successful in advancing this version of H.R. 3082 and a subsequent amended version of 3082 which still included FSMA failed as well.
By unanimous consent without a recorded vote, the Senate passed FSMA after substituting its language in H.R. 2751, one of the "Cash for Clunkers" bills originating in the House in 2009; H.R. 2751 was sent back to the House where itcould be voted on as early as Tuesday.
This is the last chance to defeat the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. People need to contact their Representatives now!
TAKE ACTION
Tell your Representative to Vote "NO" on H.R. 2751 and stop the "FDA Food Safety Modernization Act".
even if you've already used the petition, send a message again.
STEP 2 - Call your U.S. Representative and be sure to give your zip code
Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121; ask to be connected to your Representative's office.
OR
Go to http://www.Congress.org;
enter your zip code on the right side under "Get Involved" and click "Go". Click on your Representative's name then click the "Contact" tab to get office phone number(s).
If you get voicemail, leave a brief message with your zip code. If the line is busy, keep calling until you get through.
STEP 3 - Forward this email to others and spread the word!
A shorter link to the petition is http://www.ftcldf.org/stops510;
more information is posted there.
TALKING POINTS
The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act is fundamentally flawed and is not in the best interest of small farmers, especially those who produce raw milk. The Act is a major threat to the local food movement.
1. FDA does not respect individuals' rights to obtain healthy, quality foods of their choice. The agency has stated as a matter of public record, that:
"There is no absolute right to consume or feed children any particular food."
"Plaintiffs' assertion of a 'fundamental right to their own bodily and physical health, which includes what foods they do and do not choose to consume for themselves and their families' is similarly unavailing because plaintiffs do not have a fundamental right to obtain any food they wish."
FDA has even participated in armed raids on small-scale co-ops and membership organizations. This agency should not be given any additional power.
2. FDA has adequate powers under existing law to ensure food safety and effectively deal with foodborne illness outbreaks. FDA has power to inspect, power to detain product and can readily obtain court orders to seize adulterated or misbranded food products or enjoin them from being sold. The problem isn't that FDA needs more power; it's that FDA does not effectively use the power it currently has. The agency has power to inspect imported food yet inspects only 1% of food coming into this country from outside our borders.
3. The Act does nothing to address many significant food safety problems in this country, such as those resulting from confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and various contaminants (e.g., BPA, pesticides, herbicides, etc.).
4. FDA has used its existing power to benefit the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries at the expense of public health (e.g., allowing the overuse of antibiotics in confined animal feeding operations and refusing to require labeling for genetically-modified foods). This Act does not address the fundamental problems at this agency in order to truly protect public health.
5. The Act will expand FDA's involvement in regulating food in intra-state commerce, further interfering with local communities. State and local governments are more than capable of handling any problems related to food in intrastate commerce. All the major outbreaks of foodborne illness involve either imported food or food in inter-statecommerce.
6. The Act will hurt our ability as a nation to be self-sufficient in food production because it has more lenient inspection requirements for foreign than domestic producers creating an unfair advantage for food imports. Giving an advantage to foreign producers will only increase the amount of food imported into this country that does not meet our domestic standards. The Act does not address food security--the ability of a country to produce enough food to meet its own needs.
FROM THE NATURAL SOLUTIONS FOUNDATION:
The original House vote on the food control bill was 212 to 206 and Lame-Duck Speaker Pelosi cut off voting before the last 17 congresspeople could vote. Dirty Vote in the House! No record vote in the Senate!
2nd Chance to make it right TODAY!
ACT NOW; ACT OFTEN!
An Important Messge from General Bert
HOUSE WILL TAKE UP FOOD CONTROL BILL TUESDAY! http://tinyurl.com/GOPbetrayal
WE HAVEBEEN BETRAYED BY THE GOP. THE HEALTH AND FOOD FREEDOM MOVEMENT WAS BETRAYED BY THE GOP, BY PASSING S.510 BACK TO THE HOUSE WITHOUT A RECORDED VOTE BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.
ACCORDING TO THE HILL:
"The Senate unexpectedly approved food safety legislation by unanimous consent Sunday evening, rescuing a bill that floated in limbo for weeks because of a clerical error." http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/food-safety/134447-in-sunday-evening-sur...
Our so-called friends in the Senate had assured us they would object to any effort to pass S.510, the fake "food safety" (really, "food control") in the last days of the lame-duck congressional session. We feel betrayed. We pledge not to forget! S.510 has been attached to HR.2751 and has the unconstitutional revenue raising clause removed.
The office of Sen Coburn, who failed to live up to his pledge to refuse unanimous consent, tells us the majority party had enough GOP support to close off debate and force the bill through. We say, that's no excuse! Sorry Senator, you've lost our trust.
ONE LAST CHANCE TO STOP FOOD CONTROL IN THE HOUSE!
THE HOUSE NEXT MEETS TUESDAY...
24 HOURS TO SAVE FOOD FREEDOM!
The critical moment is now, during the last couple days before the Holiday recess.
KEEP ON PUSHING BACK!
PLEASE USE THE NEW ACTION ITEM EVERY DAY...
OFTEN! And Forward It to Your Contacts! http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/568/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=5395
CNN reported Friday night: "Democrats then wanted to attach [S.510] to a narrower government-funding bill that is expected to pass Saturday but Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma, warned he would object if they did. A GOP leadership aide told CNN it would be impossible to approve the food bill quickly unless all Republicans support doing so. Coburn has said he opposes the bill because, he claims, it spends billions and increases government regulations without actually making the food supply safer. A Democratic leadership aide held out hope an 11th hour deal could save the bill the GOP leadership aide warned that it is not likely." http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/12/17/food.safety.bill/index.html
Health and Food Freedom, like every freedom, is under constant assault. Only vigilance, valor and dedication protect it. We, the Health Freedom Warriors, have proven ourselves to be vigilant, brave and focused. The other side, however, has a bit of that too, and is also equipped with nearly limitless resources.
Our strength?
Out intellegent use of strategy and tactics to bring our shared awareness to a focused laser-like point of impact.
Our impact is targeted, fact based, well-chosen and highly effective.
George Washington's army of viligent, valient and dedicated warriors nearly lost the war because the British were equipped with nearly limitless resources. During the winter at Valley Forge, the American Revolution was nearly lost, not for lack of valor but rather for lack of supplies. It was not until Friends of Freedom came forward with the resources that Washington's army needed that the victory was once again in sight. The people of the neighboring communities found the resources from their meager resources to keep the hope of a better future alive, but keeping the Army alive.
We are Washington's Army. We championthe limited Republic he helped create. Our success in each battle requires persistent dedication from us and threaten to deplete our resources to the point where the other side can roll over us.
We refuse. We adamantly refuse.
We understand, we act and we win. The definition of "we" is the masses of netroots warriors, riding into battle on their electronic (mouse) steeds, doing electronic deeds: demanding "YES!" when "Yes" is the right answer and "NO!" when right action calls for it.
We are the masses, the netroots, the force of truth. We are all volunteers. We all work without pay for the greater, and the personal, good. Please help us get ready for what next year will bring; please donate here: http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/?page_id=189
.
So, warriors, all, I commend you for your valor and I thank you for what you have done - and what you are going to do - to maintain, sustain and retain your health and your freedom. We are very close to victory in the Food Control battle, but we cannot let down our guard until Congress is no longer in session, for, "No one's life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session."
Please continue to use this Action Item to send our message to both of your Senators, your Congressperson and the White House, until Congress finally goes home for the Holidays - http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/568/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=5395+
You have assembled because of one clarion call: the ring of truth.
I salute you!
Yours in health and freedom,
And our very best wishes for this Holiday Season,
Maj. Gen. Albert N. Stubblebine III
(US Army, Ret.)