The Senate voted last Friday to pass S. 764, the bipartisan legislation authored by Senators Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) that would provide a national food disclosure standard for labeling foods made with genetically modified, or GMO, ingredients. The Senate-passed bill was then sent to the House where a procedural rule was approved that will prevent any amendments to the Senate bill from being considered. The House is expected to vote on the bill later this week before leaving Washington for a seven-week summer recess.   

The Coalition for Safe Affordable Food sent a letter on Monday to House leaders urging them to take up and support the bill this week. IDFA is a member of the coalition.

“The U.S. agriculture and food industry creates over 17 million jobs, representing nearly one in 10 jobs,” the letter said. “This very system – which produces the most abundant, the highest quality and the most affordable food in the world – will be threatened with large economic costs without a national uniform solution on this issue.”

The letter noted that the Senate bill builds on the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act, which the House passed a year ago with overwhelming bipartisan support. 

If the House passes the Senate bill without amendment, it would then be sent to President Obama for his signature.

For more information, contact Dave Carlin, IDFA senior vice president of legislative affairs and economic policy, at dcarlin@idfa.org.