I
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4627
To provide for a program to educate the public regarding the use of bio-
technology in producing food for human consumption, to support addi-
tional scientific research regarding the potential economic and environ-
mental risks and benefits of using biotechnology to produce food, and
for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 9, 2000
Mr. HOLT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Commerce, for a pe-
riod to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for con-
sideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned
A BILL
To provide for a program to educate the public regarding
the use of biotechnology in producing food for human
consumption, to support additional scientific research re-
garding the potential economic and environmental risks
and benefits of using biotechnology to produce food, and
for other purposes.
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 ‘‘Food Biotechnology
Information Initiative Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Biotechnology has been used for many years
to develop new and useful products used in a variety
of industries.
(2) Biotechnology holds the potential for bene-
fits to mankind in a number of areas by allowing in-
dividual, well-characterized genes to be transferred
from one organism to another organism and thus in-
creasing the genetic diversity available to improve
commercial plant species.
(3) Plant varieties created with biotechnology
will offer foods with better taste, more nutrition, and
longer shelf life. Farmers will be able to grow these
varieties more efficiently, leading to lower costs for
consumers and greater environmental protection
through effective and targeted pesticide and herbi-
cide use and a reduction in soil erosion through an
increase in the use of no-till farming.
(4) On April 5, 2000, the National Research
Council released a report entitled ‘‘Genetically Modi-
fied Pest-Protected Plants: Science and Regulation’’.
The report emphasized that there is no evidence that
foods produced though biotechnology are unsafe to
eat, but that, given the current level of public con-
cern over these foods, Federal agencies should con-
duct more research to reduce the concern about po-
tential harm to human health and the environment.
In addition, the report recommends that the quan-
tity, quality, and public accessibility of information
on the regulation of transgenic pest-protected plant
products should be expanded.
(5) The Food and Drug Administration, the
Department of Agriculture, and the Environmental
Protection Agency are all involved in the regulatory
process for the use of biotechnology in foods.
(6) United States consumers are increasingly
concerned that food safety issues regarding the use
of biotechnology in foods are not being adequately
addressed.
(7) All foods, including those based on bio-
technology, should continue to be subject to a rig-
orous Government regulatory process that evaluates
the safety of the products to the consumer and the
environment. This process should continue to be
based on scientific methods that meet state-of-the-
art scientific standards.
(8) Ensuring that the underlying scientific in-
formation and the regulatory framework for man-
aging biotechnology is shared with consumers is im-
perative and should be an integral part of United
States food and agriculture programs.
SEC. 3. PROGRAM OF PUBLIC EDUCATION REGARDING USE
OF BIOTECHNOLOGY IN PRODUCING FOOD
FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agri-
culture, in collaboration with the Secretary of Health and
Human Services (acting through the Commissioner of
Food and Drugs and in consultation with the Adminis-
trator of the Environmental Protection Agency), shall de-
velop and implement a program to communicate with the
public regarding the use of biotechnology in producing
food for human consumption. The information provided
under the program shall include the following:
(1) Science-based evidence on the safety of
foods produced with biotechnology.
(2) Scientific data on the human outcomes of
the use of biotechnology to produce food for human
consumption.
(3) An analysis of the risks and benefits to the
environment of such use, conducted in accordance