{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/fda-acts-on-kuster-s-request-to-extend-comment-period-for-food-safety", "FDA Acts on Kuster\u2019s Request to Extend Comment Period for Food Safety Rules", "2013-11-15", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Announcement comes after lawmakers raised concerns over technical problems with Regulations.gov that prevented constituents from submitting feedback\nKuster: It\u2019s vital that the voices of New Hampshire farmers are heard\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 In response to a request from Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) and other lawmakers, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced that it will extend the public comment period for two proposed food safety regulations by an additional week. The announcement came in response to a direct request from Kuster and other lawmakers, who urged the FDA to extend the comment period in light of technical problems with Regulations.gov that prevented constituents from submitting feedback. The new submission deadline is now Friday, November 22.\n\u201cI am very pleased that the FDA has agreed to my request to extend the comment period for these proposed rules,\u201d Kuster said. \u201cIt\u2019s vital that New Hampshire farmers have a chance to express their concerns about how these rules would impact them, and extending the comment period will ensure that their voices are heard. I hope that the FDA will fully consider the concerns raised by my constituents as they work to revise these rules.\u201d\nFor months, Kuster has led efforts to ensure that Granite Staters have sufficient time and information to provide comments on the proposed food safety rules. Earlier this year, Kuster and Senator Shaheen led a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers to successfully call on the FDA to come to New England after hearing concerns about these new rules potentially burdening small farmers across the region. In August, Kuster also pushed FDA to answer specific questions raised by New Hampshire farmers about how the proposed rules will impact their operations.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nThe full text of the letter is below:\nNovember 13, 2013\nDear Commissioner Hamburg:\nThank you for your agency\u2019s continued efforts to ensure that farmers and consumers have an opportunity to provide input on FDA\u2019s proposed Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rules.\u00a0 While we appreciate that the comment period for the proposed Produce Safety and Preventive Controls rules was extended until this Friday, November 15, 2013, we write today with concerns regarding the ability of the public to submit their comments electronically.\nIt came to our attention last week that Regulations.gov, the federal government\u2019s website that provides information on proposed federal regulations and allows for the electronic submission of public comments, was experiencing technical problems that prevented the website from functioning.\u00a0 These problems persisted last week and throughout this past weekend, and the website was still nonfunctional on Monday morning.\nWe are gravely concerned that these problems are preventing our constituents from submitting comments on the proposed FSMA rules in advance of this Friday\u2019s deadline.\u00a0 As a result, we request that the comment period for the Produce Safety and Preventive Controls rules be extended for a minimum of one additional week from the day that Regulations.gov is properly running.\u00a0 It is inexcusable to close a public comment period if the public has not been able to submit their comments.\nWe appreciate your continued willingness to ensure that the voices of the American people are heard, and we urge you to extend the public comment period for the Produce Safety and Preventive Controls rules.\nThank you for your consideration of our request.\u00a0 We look forward to your timely response.\nSincerely,\nRep. Ann McLane Kuster (NH-02)  \n\tRep. Joe Courtney (CT-02)  \n\tRep. Chellie Pingree (ME- 01)  \n\tRep. Peter Welch (VT-AL)  \n\tRep. Michael H. Michaud (ME-02)  \n\tRep. Tim Ryan (OH-13)  \n\tRep. Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01)  \n\tRep. William R. Keating (MA-09)  \n\tRep. Peter DeFazio (OR-04)  \n\tRep. James P. McGovern (MA-02)  \n\tRep. Earl Blumenauer (OR-03)\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/fda-acts-on-kuster-s-request-to-extend-comment-period-for-food-safety"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4733390416949987, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}