NEWS RELEASE
Committee on Energy and Commerce
Rep. John D. Dingell, Chairman
For immediate release: February 19, 2008
Contact: Jodi Seth or Alex Haurek, 202-225-5735
MEDIA ADVISORY:
Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee
Hearing on Food Safety
Washington, DC – On the heels of the latest major meat recall, the Committee on Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations announced today that it will hold a hearing next week on food safety with the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of major food producing companies testifying.
The hearing, entitled “Contaminated Food: Private Sector Accountability,” will be held on Tuesday, February 26th at 10:00 a.m. in room 2322 of the Rayburn House Office Building.
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“As the Committee moves forward with legislation to address the food safety crisis in the United States, it is important that we understand the effect of lax regulation,” said Rep. John D. Dingell, the Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. “I’m pleased that we will have before us the presidents and CEOs of some of the companies that have produced contaminated food in the past year, and I look forward to not only asking them why the incidents involving their products occurred, but also what our regulators were doing during these incidents.”
The Subcommittee has issued invitations to the witnesses listed below. Should witnesses refuse to testify voluntarily, the Committee may be compelled to subpoena them. Invited witnesses include:
Panel I
Mr. William D. Marler, Managing Partner of Marler Clark, LLP, PS – CONFIRMED
Mr. Jerome Campbell, Assistant Director California Department of Pesticide Regulation – CONFIRMED
Mr. John Williams, Executive Director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance – CONFIRMED
A Representative from the Humane Society is also expected to testify on the first panel.
Panel II
Mr. Gary M. Rodkin, CEO of ConAgra Foods, Inc.
Mr. Keith Shoemaker, President and CEO of Butterball, LLC.
Mr. Christopher D. Lischewski, President and CEO of Bumble Bee Foods, Inc.- CONFIRMED
Mr. Rick Ray, President and CEO of New Era Canning Company.- CONFIRMED
Mr. David DeLorenzo, President and CEO of Dole Food Company
Mr. Steve Mendell of Westland/Hallmark Meat Company
Panel lll
Mr. David Eisenberg, ANRESCO Laboratories – CONFIRMED
Dr. Robert E. Brackett, PhD, Senior Vice President and Chief Science and Regulatory Affairs Officer for the Grocery Manufacturers Association – CONFIRMED