Democratic Senators “Alarmed” by Shutdown’s Potential Impact on Food Safety
Late last week, a group of Democratic U.S. Senators penned a letter to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb about their concerns regarding how the partial government shutdown—currently in its 24th day—and lack of funding will affect Americans’ public health.
The effort was led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP). The Committee is specifically asking “what FDA is doing to protect families across the country and ensure the safety of the nation’s food supply as its operations are hampered by the ongoing government shutdown.” The letter also asks for additional details on how FDA was reducing oversight of food facilities.