January 21, 2010

Senator Harry Reid
Office of the Senate Majority Leader
S-221 Capitol Building
Washington DC, 20510-7010

Senator Mitch McConnell
Office of the Senate Minority Leader
S-230 Capitol Building
Washington, DC, 20510-7020

Dear Majority Leader Reid & Minority Leader McConnell:

Our organizations are writing to urge you to schedule a vote on S. 510, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009, at the soonest possible date. The HELP Committee approved a strong, bipartisan bill in November, and we believe that a vote in the first weeks of 2010 would keep the momentum going for enactment of landmark food-safety legislation.

Strong food-safety legislation will reduce the risk of contamination and thereby better protect public health and safety, raise the bar for the food industry, and deter bad actors. S. 510 will provide the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with the resources and authorities the agency needs to help make prevention the focus of our food safety strategies. Among other things, this legislation requires food companies to develop a food safety plan; it improves the safety of imported food and food ingredients; and it adopts a risk-based approach to inspection.

Our organizations – representing the food industry, consumers, and the public-health community – urge you to bring S. 510 to the floor early this year, and we will continue to work with Congress for the enactment of food safety legislation that better protects consumers, restores their confidence in the safety of the food they eat, and addresses the challenges posed by our global food supply.

Sincerely,

American Public Health Association
Center for Foodborne Illness Research & Education
Center for Science in the Public Interest
Consumer Federation of America
Consumers Union
Food Marketing Institute
Grocery Manufacturers Association
International Bottled Water Association
National Association of Manufacturers
National Confectioners Association
National Consumers League
National Restaurant Association
Produce Marketing Association
The PEW Charitable Trusts
Trust for America’s Health
Snack Food Association
S.T.O.P Safe Tables Our Priority