IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 202 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Commissioner 

of Food and Drugs should evaluate the scientific evidence on the question 

of whether to add more folic acid to enriched grain products and expand 

folic acid fortification into cornmeal and corn-based food products to 

help prevent further serious birth defects. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 2, 2009 

Mr. SESSIONS (for himself, Mr. PENCE, and Mr. BURTON of Indiana) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

Energy and Commerce 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 

the Commissioner of Food and Drugs should evaluate 

the scientific evidence on the question of whether to 

add more folic acid to enriched grain products and expand folic acid fortification into cornmeal and corn-based 

food products to help prevent further serious birth defects. 

Whereas under section 401 of the Federal Food, Drug, and 

Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 341), standards of identity define what a given food product is and the ingredients that 

must be used; 


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•HRES 202 IH 

Whereas a standard of identity for folic acid fortification for 

enriched grain food products has been promulgated; 

Whereas the Food and Drug Administration (‘‘FDA’’) adopted the current folic acid enriched grain food fortification 

standard of identity in 1998, based on the best available 

scientific evidence, and newer scientific studies have 

shown that the current fortification level is not effectively 

reducing the prevalence of preventable serious birth defects; 

Whereas the scientific consensus is that 70 to 76 percent of 

serious birth-defect births are preventable if women of 

childbearing age consume 400 micrograms of folic acid 

per day, and a higher level of folic acid fortification can 

help prevent heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, 

and some cancers in men and women; 

Whereas since the FDA adopted the current folic acid fortification standard of identity, many peer-reviewed scientific studies have been published and have been reviewed by a distinguished group of leading birth-defect 

scientists and researchers; 

Whereas these scientists and researchers have concluded that 

the question of whether to add more folic acid to fortified 

grains and to corn-based products is too important to 

public health to remain unexamined by the FDA; 

Whereas studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have shown that 60 percent of women are not 

taking supplements to increase their folic acid intake; 

Whereas birth-defect prevention education remains alarmingly low; 

Whereas surveys since 1998 have found that only 24 percent 

of women of child-bearing age know that folic acid helps 


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•HRES 202 IH 

prevent a birth-defect birth and that, among those who 

do know, only 40 percent know that 400 micrograms 

should be consumed every day; and 

Whereas the Institute of Medicine, the American Academy of 

Pediatrics, the United States Public Health Service, the 

March of Dimes, the Spina Bifida Association, and other 

groups have recommended that the FDA revise the current standard on folic acid enriched grain to reflect the 

new scientific evidence: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that the Commissioner of Food and Drugs 

3 should evaluate the scientific evidence on the question of 

4 whether to add more folic acid to enriched grain products 

5 and expand folic acid fortification into cornmeal and corn6 based food products to help prevent further serious birth 

7 defects. 

Æ 


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