The House of Representatives’ approval of H.R. 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009 is an important step toward reducing illness and death caused by foodborne pathogens. The bill charges the Food and Drug Administration with preventing foodborne illness and gives the agency the tools to do so. It includes the authority to regulate produce safety at the farm and new powers to assure the safety of imported food.

The program will remain only a promise and Americans will continue to be at risk until the Senate acts. American consumers need the Senate to act quickly when they return in September. We urge Congress to not let this important new law be buried in the Senate.

We are grateful for the strong leadership of Democrats Henry Waxman, John Dingell, Rosa DeLauro, Bart Stupak, Frank Pallone, Louise Slaughter and Collin Peterson and Republicans Joe Barton, John Shimkus and Nathan Deal.

We hope the day will come when serious illness or death caused by contaminated food will be a thing of the past and we can feed our families without fear that the food carries a dreaded disease.