Senate Approves Food Safety Accountability Act

WASHINGTONThe U.S. Senate on April 14 unanimously approved the Food Safety Accountability Act (S 216), which would increase criminal penalties for companies or individuals that knowingly violate food-safety standards and place misbranded or tainted food products in the market.

The bill would increase the offense from a misdemeanor to a felony, establishing fines and giving law enforcement the ability to seek prison sentences of up to 10 years for such offenses. The bill now goes on to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Food safety received considerable attention last year, and I was pleased that Congress finally passed comprehensive food-safety reforms. But our work is not done," said Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and author of the legislation. On behalf of the hundreds of individuals sickened by recent Salmonella outbreaks, I urge the House to quickly pass the Food Safety Accountability Act and join the Senate in continuing to improve our food-safety system."

Leahy chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, which unanimously approved the bill on March 31. The panel first approved the legislation in September 2010. Leahy sought to include the criminal penalties bill in the broader FDA Food Safety Modernization Act that became law this year.