NAS determined that the EPA s exposure standard is justified given the possible dangers of methylmercury exposure. Leahy and Harkin have led Congress in fighting for improved standards to protect public health. The senators are jointly developing legislation which will require FDA to adopt the EPA s stricter methylmercury protection standard, to increase its consumer education efforts and to perform scientifically valid testing of mercury levels in fish. The two senators also opposed last-minute language added to a final budget bill in the final days of the last congressional session which stipulated that the FDA must rely on more than one relevant study before revising its consumer advisory. Leahy and Harkin, in their letter to Shalala, asserted that the NAS report did, in fact, present evidence from numerous studies.
Fish can be an important part of healthy diet.
However, some larger species of fish can contain dangerous levels of methylmercury. Leahy has also authored a bill specifically targeting the aging Midwestern coal-fired power plants, which are the leading source of mercury pollution that eventually makes its way to the Northeast. Harkin has called for closer scrutiny of FDA food safety programs, including a General Accounting Office review expected to be released soon.