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DeLauro Introduces Bill to Protect Our Children from Unsafe Food from China

July 21, 2017

Washington, DC(July 21, 2017) – Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) introduced the Safe Chicken and Meat for Children Act of 2017. This bipartisan bill ensures that Chinese produced or processed meat and chicken is banned from the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).

In 2013, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) decided to allow the export of Chinese processed poultry products into the United States. Now, the agency is planning to move forward with a rule that allows chicken raised and slaughtered in China to be brought into our country and onto the plates of American families. These actions by the USDA could result in American consumers, including children and older adults participating in federal nutrition programs, eating potentially unsafe poultry products from a country with weak food safety records.

"I am proud to introduce bipartisan legislation that will prevent Chinese meat and chicken from being used in federal nutrition programs. Given China's demonstrably poor food safety record, it is unacceptable to take any unnecessary risks with the health of American school children—our most vulnerable population with respect to foodborne illnesses and sensitivity to potentially dangerous chemicals," said Congresswoman DeLauro.

China has a long history of food safety issues. In 2013, a Chinese poultry supplier provided Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants with chicken fattened by large quantities of illegal drugs. Most recently, a study published in Nature Microbiology found that more than 87% of chicken sold in supermarkets in a Chinese province were contaminated with a superbug resistant to Colistin, one of the "last-resort" antibiotics. In addition, China's own food safety officials have been transparent about their concerns regarding the plight of their country's food safety system. The head of China's Food and Drug Administration is on record stating that he does not have the necessary resources to investigate all of the cases of food that have been adulterated with chemicals and drug contaminants.

"Consumers should not have to worry about whether the chicken they buy comes from China, but at least this legislation will let them know that their local public school is not feeding their children Chinese chicken in the cafeteria," said Thomas Gremillion, Director of the Food Policy Institute at Consumer Federation of America.

"Now that it is becoming apparent that the Trump Administration is cutting reckless deals with the People's Republic of China to allow unsafe imported food into the U.S., we need a permanent ban prohibiting USDA from purchasing this food for the various nutrition programs the department administers. Our kids need to be protected. We applaud Congresswoman DeLauro for being so vigilant on this issue over the past thirteen years," said Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director for Food & Water Watch.

DeLauro has long fought against Chinese chicken and the importation of potentially unsafe food products to the United States. DeLauro successfully included language in the FY 2018 House Agricultural Appropriations bill that prevents Chinese chicken from ending up in USDA meal programs. DeLauro also fought for the inclusion of language that prevents the USDA from moving forward with a rule allowing the importation of chicken raised and slaughtered in China unless the Secretary of Agriculture can assure us that China's food safety systems are equivalent.

The Safe Chicken and Meat for Children Act of 2017 is endorsed by Consumer Federation of America, Food & Water Watch, and the National Farmers Union.