There’s been a lot of talk since last week’s election about our leaders coming together and getting things done for American families.
There’s no question the issues are complex and will take some time – unemployment, the economy, housing prices.
But there is one problem that Washington can tackle in the next few weeks that will make a real difference in all our lives – fixing our dangerously outdated food safety system.
The food safety bill has both Republican and Democrat support, and it overwhelmingly passed the House more than a year ago. But it has been stuck in the Senate and is in danger of getting overlooked. If the bill doesn’t pass by the end of the year, Congress will have to start all over again – delays that will put our families at risk!
Our food safety laws haven’t been overhauled in 70 years, and the gaps are devastating. Each year 325,000 people are hospitalized, and 5,000 die. Just last month, the deaths of four people were linked to contaminated celery from a Texas plant.
These food outbreaks cost you real money – $152 billion annually in medical services, lost work and disability. This bill will give regulators the tools they need to focus on preventing these outbreaks, rather than scrambling to identify and remove tainted food after the fact.
Remind your Senators to vote YES on food safety in the next few weeks – don’t let them overlook it!
This is our best chance this year to pass a bill that will make a real difference in saving lives and money. Email your Senators now, and then forward this to friends and family so they can act, too.
Thank you!
Jean Halloran
NotInMyFood.org, a project of Consumers Union
101 Truman Avenue
Yonkers, NY 10703-1057101
