I
103D CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4562
To require the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into appropriate arrange-
ments with the National Academy of Sciences to coordinate the develop-
ment of recommendations for public policy changes required to implement
an improved inspection program for meat and poultry products.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 9, 1994
Mr. STENHOLM introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Agriculture
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into appro-
priate arrangements with the National Academy of
Sciences to coordinate the development of recommenda-
tions for public policy changes required to implement
an improved inspection program for meat and poultry
products.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. DEVELOPMENT OF FRAMEWORK FOR IM-
PROVED MEAT AND POULTRY INSPECTION
BY DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to pro-
tect the public health by providing for the development
of a detailed framework for an improved meat and poultry
inspection program that is both scientifically reliable and
concentrates on hazards posing the greatest risk to human
health.
(b) COORDINATION
BY NATIONAL ACADEMY
OF
SCIENCES.—Not later than 60 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall
enter into an agreement with the President of the National
Academy of Sciences, under which the Academy will co-
ordinate the development and evaluation of strategies and
mechanisms for implementing an improved meat and poul-
try inspection program under the jurisdiction of the De-
partment of Agriculture that is both scientifically reliable
and concentrates on hazards posing the greatest risk to
human health.
(c) REPORT
ON ACTIVITIES.—Not later than six
months after the date on which the agreement is entered
into under subsection (b), the Academy shall submit to
the Secretary of Agriculture and Congress a report de-
scribing the results of the activities conducted pursuant
to the agreement. The report shall include the following:
(1) An evaluation of the adequacy of the cur-
rent scientific basis for implementing risk-based
meat and poultry inspection programs using the ap-
proach known as hazard analysis critical control
point. The evaluation shall include an examination of
the adequacy of—
(A) data necessary to evaluate and com-
pare the public health impacts of current and
future meat and poultry inspection programs;
and
(B) current and anticipated biological and
food science technologies needed to conduct
risk-based meat and poultry inspection pro-
grams.
(2) If deficiencies are found in the current sci-
entific basis for implementing risk-based meat and
poultry inspection programs, recommendations re-
garding strategies needed to achieve the level of sci-
entific data and technology required to adequately
protect the public health in conducting meat and
poultry inspection programs.
(3) Recommendations regarding the manage-
ment structure in the Department of Agriculture
and resources necessary for—
(A) training the current meat and poultry
inspection work force to move from a visual in-
spection system to a risk-based inspection sys-
tem; and
(B) implementing an effective risk-based
meat and poultry inspection program on a uni-
form basis throughout the United States.
(4) A description of the legislative and regu-
latory changes needed to implement the rec-
ommendations required under paragraph (3).
(d) FUNDING.—From funds available to the Sec-
retary of Agriculture for fiscal year 1995, the Secretary
may use not more than $200,000 to carry out this section.
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