WASHINGTON, D.C. –Representative Edward J. Markey, a senior Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released the following statement in response to today’s Federal Trade Commission report on price gouging.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to media reports about elevated levels of benzene—a harmful carcinogen—in many popular soft drinks and fruit and energy drinks, on March 27, 2006, Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Representative Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), senior Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, sent a letter to the FDA urging the FDA to take immediate action to warn and protect the public against the risk of benzene.  The letter also requested that FDA  provide detailed information about FDA’s knowledge of and plan for addressing the benzene contamination by no later than April 10, 2006.  Today, nearly two months later, FDA has not yet responded this letter.  Late afternoon on Friday, May 19, 2006, the FDA decided to release select data from its own tests for benzene in beverages conducted by the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN).