The Subcommittee on Health, chaired by Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), has scheduled a hearing for Thursday, June 18, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. in room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled, “A National Framework for the Review and Labeling of Biotechnology in Food."
Subcommittee members will discuss the role biotechnology plays on our nation’s farms, food supply, and economy. They will hear from experts about the safety of foods derived from genetically engineered crops and the need for national review and labeling standards for such products. Committee members Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS) and Rep. G. K. Butterfield (D-NC) have introduced H.R. 1599, the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act, and together are circulating updated legislative language, building on their continued efforts in this space.
Pompeo commented, “We are proud of the continued progress we have made on this important legislation and look forward to advancing this bill through the committee. This bill helps to provide clarity in food labeling so consumers, states, and food producers have a consistent framework, while supporting innovation that helps keep the price of food affordable here in America and help us to ensure that we can feed a rapidly growing world."
The subcommittee last year heard from the Food and Drug Administration, outside experts, and interested stakeholders about the agency’s current review process for food ingredients and discussed the role that foods with genetically modified ingredients play in our nation’s food supply and economy.as they are posted.
