Barton Opening Statement On Food Safety Labeling Legislation

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, made the following statement today as the full committee began to mark up food safety labeling legislation and legislation to modify property management in the District of Columbia:

“Today the Committee is meeting to mark up two bills. While we had originally planned to markup H.R. 4127 but, Mr. Dingell and I agreed to put off consideration in order to finalize agreements that have been reached in negotiations with the majority and minority. It is the intention of the chair to consider the DATA protection privacy bill as soon as possible. That could happen as early as tomorrow if we’re in session, but it likely won’t happen until sometime in 2006.

“The first bill the committee is going to consider is H.R. 4167, a bipartisan proposal introduced by Mr. Rogers and Mr. Towns that is identical to legislation approved by this Committee in the 108th Congress.

“As we are aware, the manufacture and distribution of food is now a national business. Many believe that it is just common sense for these types of food manufacturers and distributors to have one labeling standard for the country, not 50 standards, one for each of the 50 states.

“Uniformity in food labeling is not without precedent. The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 passed through this committee and is now the law of the land. Like the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act, this legislation provides for a petition process for a state to apply for an exemption to a uniformity requirement. This petition process will allow states to have notification requirements that address food safety issues unique to their areas.

“H.R. 4167 would allow a state to petition the FDA for a new national standard. If a state identifies a potential risk to food, the process will compel the FDA to examine to determine if such a new, nationwide standard should be established to protect consumers in all states.

“It is especially fitting that we take up this legislation now. As millions of families gather around dinner tables to as part of their holiday celebrations, the safety of their dinner should never be in question. In America, food is safe, and I commend our colleagues, Mr. Rogers and Mr. Towns, for introducing this legislation to make sure that it stays that way.

“Next we are going to markup H.R. 3699, a bill that provides for the sale, acquisition, and conveyance of title or management responsibilities for certain real property in the District of Columbia between District of Columbia and the Federal government. This legislation is part of an effort by the Government Reform Committee to give the District of Columbia more lucrative properties to increase the District’s revenue potential.

“The Energy and Commerce Committee’s jurisdiction over this bill relates to two sections that seek to statutorily waive environmental liability for the transferor of the property, be it the District or the Federal government, as the case may be, with environmental responsibility being borne by the transferee. I will offer an amendment to strike these provisions today based on jurisdictional and drafting concerns, with an understanding that Subcommittee Chairman Gillmor and Ranking Member Solis plan to work out an agreement on this language with Chairman Davis and Delegate Holmes-Norton before the bill goes to the floor sometime next year.”

####