House Energy and Commerce Committee Approves a New Version of Food Safety Bill
On June 17, 2009, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a mark up of H.R. 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009.
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Committee Adopts its Own Amendment in Nature of a Substitute
H.R. 2749 was introduced on June 8, 2009 and, according to Committee sources, was the same (with the exception of a few technical changes) as the "discussion draft" initially issued by the Committee. On June 10, 2009, the Committee's Health Subcommittee held a markup of H.R. 2749 and adopted a new version of the measure - an amendment in the nature of a substitute.
The full House Energy and Commerce Committee has now adopted another version of the bill, also an amendment in the nature of a substitute, and ordered its amended version of H.R. 2749 reported.
(An amendment in the nature of a substitute is an amendment that strikes out the entire text of a bill or other measure and insert a different full text.)
Other Amendments at Markup Were Withdrawn
At the June 17, 2009 mark up, several Committee members offered a total of five other amendments, but subsequently withdrew those amendments.
The amendments offered and subsequently withdrawn involved issues such as lead content labeling for ceramic tableware and cookware, confidentiality and prohibition of disclosures, proof of safety of critical antimicrobial animal drugs, suspension and cancellation authority, and exemptions for fishing vessels.
See future issues of ITT for BP summary(s) of the Committee's version of H.R. 2749.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 06/12/09, 06/15/09, 06/16/09, and 06/17/09 news, 09061205, 09061530, 09061620, and 09061725, for BP summaries of the Subcommittee version of H.R 2749, including importer and broker/filer registration and fees, certification requirements for high risk food imports, facility requirements, etc. See ITT's Online Archives or 06/11/09 news, 09061105, for BP summary of the Subcommittee's approval of this amended version of H.R. 2749.
See ITT's Online Archives or 06/09/09 and 06/05/09 news, 09060915 and 09060505, for BP summaries of the "discussion draft" version of H.R. 2749 including provisions on penalties, detention, and customs brokers. See ITT's Online Archives or 05/28/09 news, 09052815, for initial BP summary of the discussion draft based in the Committee's summary.)
Committee amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 2749 available at http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_111/20090617/hr2749_ans.pdf.
Text of five withdrawn amendments available at http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1675:energy-and-commerce-markup-on-hr-2749-the-food-safety-enhancement-act-of-2009&catid=141:full-committee&Itemid=85.
Committee Chairman Waxman's opening statement available at http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_111/20090617/haw_open.pdf.