The Senate voted today to curtail debate on bipartisan legislation authored by Senators Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) to provide a national food disclosure standard for labeling foods made with genetically modified (GMO) ingredients. The procedural vote allows the Senate to limit debate on the bill to 30 hours, so it’s likely members will vote on the bill tomorrow or Friday.

If it passes the full Senate, the bill will be sent to the House for consideration next week. The House and Senate are scheduled to start their summer recess on July 15.  

Earlier today, Roberts and Stabenow made comments from the Senate floor in support of the bill. Listen to the comments by Roberts here.

The bill, if enacted, would prevent a state-by-state patchwork of labeling mandates. On July 1, Vermont became the first state to implement a mandatory GMO labeling law, and the negative consequences for consumers and small businesses in the state quickly became apparent, said the Coalition for Safe Affordable Food, of which IDFA is a member. Read “ICYMI: Negative Impacts of Vermont Law Hit Consumers and Small Businesses as Labeling Mandate Goes into Effect” for details.

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