I 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6509 
To establish limitations on the quantity of total arsenic in rice and rice 
products under chapter IV of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 21, 2012 
Ms. DELAURO (for herself, Mr. PALLONE, and Mrs. LOWEY) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To establish limitations on the quantity of total arsenic in 
rice and rice products under chapter IV of the Federal 
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Reducing food-based 
Inorganic and Organic Compounds Exposure Act of 
2012’’ or the ‘‘RICE Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF LIMITATION ON TOTAL AR-
SENIC IN RICE AND RICE PRODUCTS. 
(a) REGULATION REQUIRED.—For the purpose of 
protecting the public health, not later than the day that 
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is 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting 
through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs and acting 
under the Secretary’s authority under chapter IV of the 
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 341 
et seq.), shall promulgate a final regulation establishing 
the minimum quantity of total arsenic contained in rice 
or a rice product which shall cause the rice or rice product, 
respectively, to be deemed to be adulterated under section 
402 of such Act (21 U.S.C. 343). 
(b) SCOPE OF REGULATION.—The minimum quan-
tity established under subsection (a) shall apply to rice 
and rice products containing total arsenic regardless of 
whether the arsenic is present as a result of a natural 
process, an ingredient added to a food, the use of a pes-
ticide, or other means. 
(c) REGULATION INCLUDES TOLERANCES.—The reg-
ulation under subsection (a) shall include the establish-
ment of a tolerance under section 406 and section 408 
of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 
346; 346a). 
(d) MINIMUM STRINGENCY.—The standard estab-
lished under subsection (a) (and any subsequent revision 
thereto) for total arsenic contained in rice or a rice prod-
uct shall be based on the maximum achievable reduction 
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in cancer risk and shall be at least as protective as the 
allowable level for total arsenic in bottled water under Sec-
tion 410 of the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (21 
U.S.C. 349). 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this Act: 
(1) FOOD.—The term ‘‘food’’ has the meaning 
given such term in section 201(f) of the Federal 
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321(f)). 
(2) RICE.—The term ‘‘rice’’ means a food that 
is rice. 
(3) RICE PRODUCT.—The term ‘‘rice product’’ 
means a food that contains an ingredient made from 
rice. 
(4) TOTAL ARSENIC.—The term ‘‘quantity of 
total arsenic’’ means the total amount of both inor-
ganic and organic arsenic. 
Æ 
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