Statement from U.S. Senator Patty Murray:

“We know that the U.S. has the safest food supply in the world, largely because of the joint efforts of the food industry and our regulatory agencies. But each year, millions of Americans are still getting sick as a result of food borne illnesses. I’ve worked with Bill since the early 1990’s, when an outbreak occurred at a Washington state Jack-in-the-Box and as a result four children died and hundreds of others were sickened.”

“While our food system is relatively safe, it is also outdated and underfunded. We still see far too many food outbreaks. Whether it is dinner out at a restaurant, a pre-cut salad picked up for dinner, or a home-cooked meal, Americans deserve to know that the food they’re eating is safe.

For the health and safety of our country, at a time when millions of Americans are struggling to put food on the table, and for the health of our food industry, we can’t afford to have repeated food outbreaks. That is why I worked hard with my Senate colleagues to pass into law the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act last year to give the FDA the tools it needs to make our food supply safer. And I will continue working to make sure families across America can depend on healthy and safe food.”