Like a vampire in the books my daughters like to read, S. 510 keeps coming back to life. According to the AP, the Senate will consider a food safety bill (S. 510) after the November elections that would give the Food and Drug Administration more power to prevent foodborne illness.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., laid the groundwork late Wednesday for a vote to end debate on the bill when Congress returns after the Nov. 2 elections. The procedural maneuver requires 60 votes and is a way to circumvent one senator’s objections. Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma has blocked the legislation, saying it adds to the deficit.
The bill would give the agency more power to recall tainted products, increase inspections of food processors and require producers to follow stricter standards for keeping food safe.
The legislation passed the House last year.
One amendment to the bill, the so-called “Tester Amendment” (Tester-Food-Safety-Amendment.pdf) is also still alive and needs to be analyzed – good or bad for food safety? Stay tuned.