The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“OP-ED BY FORMER CONGRESSMAN PETER RODINO ON THE NEED FOR WARNING LABELS ON RAW SHELL EGG CARTONS” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E2377-E2378 on Nov. 11, 1999.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
OP-ED BY FORMER CONGRESSMAN PETER RODINO ON THE NEED FOR WARNING LABELS
ON RAW SHELL EGG CARTONS
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HON. FRANK PALLONE, JR.
of new jersey
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, November 10, 1999
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, over the last two years I have been growing increasingly concerned about the difficulty the federal government has had in combating outbreaks of food borne illnesses in this country. Food borne illnesses are on the rise and, according to a recently released report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are occurring with a far greater frequency--more than double the rate--than was previously thought.
In an effort to address this troubling trend, I have introduced two pieces of legislation this Congress that would improve the safety of the Nation's food supply. The first, the Consumer Food Safety Act, would establish a comprehensive food safety inspection and education program across the nation. The second, the National Uniform Food Safety Labeling Act, would help consumers make more informed choices about the food they eat through warning labels placed on food packaging.
One particular aspect of the second bill I wanted to mention tonight concerns the placement of warning labels on egg cartons. I wanted to mention this for two reasons. The first is that the Secretary of Health and Human Services is expected soon to make a final recommendation on a proposal put forth in July to require warning labels on raw shell egg cartons. I strongly support that language and recently sent a letter to the Secretary urging her to finalize the language proposed in July, which I think will go a long way in protecting consumers against food borne illnesses caused by eggs.
The second reason I wanted to mention this particular provision is one of the House's most distinguished former Members, Congressman Peter Rodino from my home State of New Jersey, has written an op-ed on this matter. Congressman Rodino's op-ed succinctly describes the problem, and the reasons why the Secretary's July language on raw shell egg safety should be finalized.
I commend Congressman Rodino for recognizing the importance of this issue. He is right on the mark in his suggestion that the Federal Government should be looking at food safety as a priority issue. To that end, I submit his op-ed for the record and urge all of my colleagues to follow the suggestions of one of the most respected public figures to ever have served the people of New Jersey and the Nation.
Over the past few years, I've followed with great interest news and television stories about food poisoning. And, this summer, I was disturbed to learn that the incidence of food borne illness is on the rise, and that according to the Centers for Disease Control, 76 million Americans became ill and 5,000 die annually from food poisoning. While E. coli and mad cow disease are significant, severe illness caused by salmonella bacteria are pandemic, and eggs stubbornly remain the number one source of food poisoning caused by salmonella.
Salmonella contaminated shell eggs is an excellent example of government recognizing a major health problem on one hand, and having a solution on the other, yet sitting on its hands.
The Department of Health and Human Service (HHS) projects that the number of cases of illness due to food poisoning from eggs will continue to rise significantly from an estimated 660,000 cases each year. Recently at a public hearing in Washington, both the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) agreed upon a goal of reducing salmonella egg related illness by 50% by the year 2005.
I commend Secretary Donna Shalala for her efforts to combat food borne illnesses by proposing stronger warning labels on egg cartons to warn consumers about the risk of illnesses caused by salmonella.
I've also learned, the very same FDA created a standard to pasteurize a raw egg in its shell, and the USDA designed a process to inspect raw egg pasteurization, even certifying it with a special seal of approval. Experts point out this is a 99.999% solution to the problem.
While I commend the FDA for approving this egg pasteurization technology and the USDA for creating a mechanism for the protection against salmonella, until full-scale, raw egg pasteurization equipment is available to egg producers, there are other common sense steps to protect against food borne illnesses.
One step is in a bill introduced by my friend, New Jersey Congressman Frank Pallone together with a number of other cosponsors earlier this year. The bill, known as the National Uniform Food Safety Labeling Act, requires warning labels on raw or soft cooked eggs, unpasteurized juice, and fish. These foods could be harmful to as much as 30% of the population consisting of children, the elderly, pregnant women and persons with weakened immune systems such as AIDS patients.
Senator Durbin (D-IL), recognizing the gravity of the problem of food borne illnesses, introduced his bill, The Safe Food Act, to address this problem. It would replace the current fragmented federal food safety system with a single, independent agency to oversee all federal food safety activities.
With all the risks facing us, eating eggs should not be one of them. The CDC calls salmonella food poisoning from raw or soft cooked eggs ``epidemic,'' the USDA says that salmonella costs the U.S. economy up to $2.3 billion annually. A story related by Congressman Pallone before the House of Representatives concerning Lynn Nowak, his personal friend and constituent, describes how Lynn became ill from food poisoning while pregnant. This resulted in severe health complications for her unborn daughter, Julia. Although modern antibiotics cured Lynn, her daughter was left scarred.
Until such time as pasteurization is required, I urge that the Congress take the simple step of supporting the egg carton warning label language proposed by Secretary Shalala which states, ``Eggs may contain harmful bacteria known to cause serious illness, especially in children, the elderly and persons with weakened immune systems. For your protection, keep eggs refrigerated, cook eggs until yolks are firm, and cook foods containing eggs thoroughly.''
Hopefully this warning label could help reduce the possibility of one more death or illness like Lynn's from ever occurring again. It is unconscionable to sit still and not support this right to consumer awareness.
There many stories to tell, but Lynn and Julia's compelled me to speak out on this critical issue. The human and economic costs of food poisoning are simply too great to stand by and do nothing.
Not every tragedy can be prevented, but those that can be should be stopped.
Food safety should be looked upon by our government as a priority issue.
Peter W. Rodino, Jr.
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