{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=dc2644e5-0dd6-4032-a786-5c022608d3b7", "Blunt, Colleagues Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Coalition Calling For Changes To FDA Proposed Rules", "2013-11-25", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "MO", "Roy Blunt", "B000575", "www.blunt.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), and U.S. Representatives Joe Courtney (Conn.), Chris Gibson (N.Y.) and Annie Kuster (N.H.) led a bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers in requesting that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issue a second draft of regulations for public comment before issuing final Food Safety Modernization rules. In a letter co-signed by 75 members of Congress, including 42 Republicans and 33 Democrats or Independents, the bipartisan coalition expressed concerns about the impact of proposed rules on farmers and businesses that an additional comment period could help alleviate.\r\n\u201cDespite your agency\u2019s efforts to engage with stakeholders during the rulemaking process, we remain concerned about the ambiguity surrounding many aspects of these proposed rules,\u201d the letter said.\r\nThe lawmakers continued, \u201cWe believe the rules as currently proposed would result in a multitude of unintended consequences that would be severely detrimental to national, regional and local agriculture.\u00a0 By seeking additional input through second proposed rules for public comment before final rules, we believe that producers\u2019 concerns can be addressed and unintended consequences can be greatly mitigated.\u201d\r\nThe FDA recently issued two proposed rules implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), a 2011 law that overhauled food safety laws to increase the safety of our food supply. The rules address preventative controls for human food and standards for the growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of produce for human consumption.\u00a0 As proposed, the 1,200-page rules have left food producers and processors across the country concerned about a number of issues surrounding facility compliance, environmental standards, among others.\r\nTo read the entire letter, please see below or click here.\r\nNovember 22, 2013 The Honorable Margaret Hamburg, M.D.  Commissioner  U.S. Food and Drug Administration  10903 New Hampshire Avenue  Silver Spring, MD 20993\r\nDear Commissioner Hamburg:\r\nWe appreciate the Food and Drug Administration\u2019s (FDA) efforts to implement the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and the agency\u2019s willingness to seek input and guidance from producers and processors, which is of great value to our constituents.\u00a0 We are confident that the rulemaking process for the proposed Produce Safety Rule and the Preventive Controls Rule (Docket Nos. FDA-2011-N-0920 and FDA-2011-N-0921) will bolster the overall process of the law\u2019s implementation.\r\nDespite your agency\u2019s efforts to engage with stakeholders during the rulemaking process, we remain concerned about the ambiguity surrounding many aspects of these proposed rules.\u00a0 In order to improve the law\u2019s implementation, we are writing to request that the FDA propose and submit second proposed rules for public comment before issuing the final rules.\r\nAfter hearing many reservations from our farmers and businesses, we are concerned that the rules as currently proposed, and the heavy cost of complying with them, will force some producers and processors to shutter their operations.\u00a0 Food producers and processors in our states are concerned with a number of issues, including:\r\n \r\nThe testing frequency required for certain agricultural waters;\r\nRestrictions placed on the usage of biological soil amendments;\r\nCompliance issues at mixed-use facilities;\r\nNew requirements that conflict with existing conservation and environmental standards and practices of the U.S. Department of Agriculture;\r\nThe limiting definitions used in the rule for \u201cfarm,\u201d \u201csmall business\u201d and \u201cvery small business\u201d; and\r\nThe lack of consideration of the complexity of various farm ownership entities.\u00a0\r\n \r\nWe believe the rules as currently proposed would result in a multitude of unintended consequences that would be severely detrimental to national, regional and local agriculture.\u00a0 By seeking additional input through second proposed rules for public comment before final rules, we believe that producers\u2019 concerns can be addressed and unintended consequences can be greatly mitigated.\r\nWe appreciate your consideration of this request and look forward to your response.", 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://www.blunt.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news?ContentRecord_id=dc2644e5-0dd6-4032-a786-5c022608d3b7"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.4549819752573967, "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"}