WASHINGTON,
D.C. – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), the top Democrat on the
Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection Subcommittee, today joined Senator
Dick Durbin (D-IL) in announcing comprehensive legislation to increase
protection for students against food-borne illnesses.
“Twenty-seven
million children participate in the National School Lunch program every
day and each and every one of them is at risk of contracting a food-borne
illness. The federal government cannot continue to take a hands-off
approach when it comes to the quality of school lunches and the safety
of our nation’s students,” Schakowsky said.
The
Safe School Food Act of 2003, which was introduced in the Senate and will
soon be in the House, would increase federal oversight of the school lunch
program. U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) is an original
cosponsor of the legislation. Specifically, the Safe School Food
Act of 2003 would:
-
incorporate
USDA safety guidelines into schools’ procurement contracts;
-
give
the Secretary of Agriculture authority to require pathogen testing in purchased
food as needed;
-
provide
methods to share food suppliers’ safety records with the appropriate state
education personnel;
-
provide
vendor information to states;
-
allow
for mandatory recall of any tainted food (donated or purchased); and
-
give
districts the tools and information to more safely prepare food and track
supplies.
During
a joint Congressional hearing last year on school lunch safety, Schakowsky
proposed the creation of a comprehensive database by the U.S. Department
of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. The database
would include the same information the USDA uses in its contracting decisions.
In addition, it would include information from the FDA on inspection and
compliance. The Safe School Food Act of 2003 takes the first steps
towards implementation of that proposal.
From
1990 through 1994, Illinois authorities reported only three school food
outbreaks, in which 66 children were sickened. But during the next six
years, the average annual number of Illinois school food outbreaks more
than tripled, and the number of youths affected increased tenfold, state
records show. Nationwide, between 1990 and 2000, there were nearly
100 reported outbreaks of food-borne illness in schools affecting thousands
of children, many of them resulting in significant health consequences.
“By
passing the Safe School Food Act of 2003, we can to put an end to large
scale outbreaks of food-borne illness in our public schools. I look
forward to working with Senator Durbin and other leaders to achieve that
critical goal,” Schakowsky said.
“With
all the concerns parents face today, they should not have to have to fact
the added fear that their children’s lunch may sicken or even kill their
child. As a former teacher and a proud grandmother, I know
how important it is for the government to take an active role in assuring
parents that we are doing everything possible to protect their children
from harm. Implementation of this bill will go a long way toward
that end,” Schakowsky added. |
