Civil Eats

President Obama signed a sweeping food safety bill into law today, marking the end of a lengthy legislative drama and turning the focus to whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will get the additional funding needed to implement the bill. Read More

The Senate took a key vote on a high profile deal to extend the Bush-era tax cuts Monday, a move that could clear the way for the food safety bill to be considered later this week. Read More

In a rare demonstration of bipartisanship, the Senate passed the most sweeping food safety reform bill in seven decades Tuesday morning. Despite high tempers in the wake of a contentious cycle, the upper chamber voted 73-25 vote to approve S. 510, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, a bill that would increase the Food and Drug Administration’s fractured oversight of an increasingly globalized food supply. Read More

The Senate food safety bill, which has been inching towards passage the past few weeks, cleared a key procedural hurdle Monday, but Senate leaders put off two votes on amendments and the final vote on the bill to Tuesday morning. Read More

As the Senate gears up to vote on a motion to limit debate and move the pending food safety bill forward today, interest groups are kicking into high gear to lobby for and against key amendments. Read More

Food safety legislation that had picked up steam in the wake of a massive egg recall has hit a major snag.  On the Senate floor yesterday, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said Sen. Tom Coburn’s objection to the bill’s price tag meant the Senate was unlikely to take up the measure before the contentious midterm election season. Read More

After months of uncertainty, the Senate is expected to bring pending food safety legislation to the floor within the next week. Read More

The House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously passed legislation yesterday that would increase government oversight of the U.S. food supply and, if the measure passes in the House, it will be the most sweeping reform of the food safety system in nearly 50 years. The House of Representatives is expected to decide on the bill before the July 4 recess. Read More