I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2345
To consolidate in a single independent agency in the executive branch the
responsibilities regarding food safety, labeling, and inspection currently
divided among several Federal agencies.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 24, 1999
Ms. DELAURO (for herself, Mrs. LOWEY, Mr. ROEMER, Mr. BONIOR, Mr.
FROST, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr.
MCDERMOTT, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. MCGOVERN, Ms. KILPATRICK,
Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. PALLONE, Mr.
WYNN, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. LATHAM, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. LIPINSKI,
and Mr. CUMMINGS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Com-
merce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned
A BILL
To consolidate in a single independent agency in the execu-
tive branch the responsibilities regarding food safety,
labeling, and inspection currently divided among several
Federal agencies.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
‘‘Safe Food Act of 1999’’.
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of
this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings and purposes.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
Sec. 4. Establishment of independent Food Safety Administration.
Sec. 5. Consolidation of separate food safety and inspection services and agen-
cies.
Sec. 6. Additional authorities of the Administration.
Sec. 7. Limitation on authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 8. Effective date.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:
(1) The safety and security of the food supply
of the United States requires efficient and effective
management of food safety regulations.
(2) The safety of the food supply of the United
States is facing tremendous pressures with regard to
the following issues:
(A) Emerging pathogens and the ability to
detect them.
(B) An aging population with a growing
number of people at high risk for foodborne ill-
nesses.
(C) An increasing volume of imported
foods, without adequate monitoring and inspec-
tion.
(D) Maintenance of adequate inspection of
the domestic food processing and food service
industry.
(3) Federal food safety inspection, enforcement,
and research efforts should be based on scientifically
supportable assessments of risks to public health.
(4) The Federal food safety system is frag-
mented, with at least 12 primary Federal agencies
governing food safety.
(b) PURPOSES.—It is the purpose of this Act—
(1) to establish a single agency, the Food Safe-
ty Administration, that will be responsible for the
regulation of food safety and labeling and for con-
ducting food safety inspections to ensure, with rea-
sonable certainty, that no harm will result from the
consumption of food, by preventing food-borne ill-
nesses due to microbial, natural, or chemical hazards
in food; and
(2) to transfer to the Food Safety Administra-
tion the food safety, labeling, and inspection func-
tions currently performed by other Federal agencies,
to achieve more efficient management and effective
application of Federal food safety laws for the pro-
tection and improvement of public health.