Things can change very quickly on Capitol Hill. On the heels of last week’s triumph stopping the completely unacceptable Leahy bill, we have more news on the Senate Food Safety Bill (S. 510).
As you know, we do not think the Senate Food Safety bill will make food safer; quite the contrary. At least we have succeeded in removing the very worst parts of it. Together we have worked to modify language that would have committed the US to harmonization of food and especially supplement rules with the rest of the world similar to those in Europe, where attempts are being made to regulate away natural health. Working with the natural health community, we also succeeded in winning inclusion of the Tester amendment with its protection of small farmers.
The latest development on the Senate Food Safety bill is that Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has, by prior agreement with other senators, inserted some new language into the Manager’s Amendment package we told you about last Friday.
When he withdrew support for his own dreadful Dietary Supplement Safety Act (S. 3002) under pressure from your messages, Sen. McCain worked out an agreement with Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) to include some of his language in the Food Safety bill, and this has been done in a new section of the Manager’s Amendment. Do not be alarmed, however! These inclusions are not a source of worry. The section in question calls for two things:
- The DEA is to be notified whenever the FDA denies a New Dietary Ingredient (NDI) application because of suspected anabolic steroid in the ingredient. This is a good thing, because it will help maintain the integrity of the natural products community.
- The FDA is to issue new NDI guidance. (The FDA was already in the process of drafting it, so there’s really no change there.)
Sen. McCain’s agreement with Sens. Hatch and Harkin called for a number of other provisions, such as FDA recall authority of adulterated or misbranded foods and supplements, but these provisions were already part of the Food Safety bill, so again, nothing was changed.
Rumors have been circulating on the Internet and elsewhere that McCain’s old bill may pass during the lame duck session, but this is absolutely not true. You may recall that McCain’s bill would have made all supplements illegal unless they were on a very short list, pre-approved by the FDA, and this is absolutely not going to happen in the Senate Food Safety bill, so this new section is not a victory in any respect for McCain.
In case you missed the news, we secured a stunning victory last Friday! The obscene ten-year jail sentences for food and supplement manufacturers who violate complicated FDA rules contained in the Leahy bill will not be part of the Senate Food Safety bill. This is thanks to all the phone calls, letters, and email messages that you sent to your senators.
Even better, Henry Waxman has agreed that the House will accept the Senate’s Food Safety bill in place of its own, which is far, far worse, and contained the ten-year jail terms. So this means that ten-year jail terms should not be in a final Food Safety bill.
In addition, Sen. Hatch worked with Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) to remove a section from the Leahy bill that specifically targeted supplements. The section made any lapse in a particular kind of filing to the FDA subject to the full ten-year jail term. We are grateful to Sens. Hatch and Leahy for working together to remove this provision. This change is important because, although the Leahy bill did not become part of the Food Safety bill, it could be brought up on its own or attached to another bill in the future.
Congress is out of session this week. A lot of discussions are occurring on Food Safety, and we are part of them. We’ll report back as soon as we have more news.
all health related websites seem to be hacked.i tried to get info from natural solutions also and i cant get on to send a e-mail again to stop s510.somethings afoot!!!!
The only website that’s having problems is Rima’s “Natural Solutions Foundation”, and I suspect it has more to do with their own incompetence than any unusual outside influence.
Any website will get hacked if they use passwords like “rima” to secure their data. They blame everything on some conspiracy and use it as an excuse to ask for more money.
I have experienced the same problem when trying to add my name to the petitions… I haven’t been able to get them to go through to completion, though I’ve tried over and over again. I hope the problem is fixed in time. This bill is the most oppressive and suppressive of our rights as American Citizens that I’ve ever seen.
same here. i am unable to send any emails to protest the bill.
Our food must be free from chemicals – all chemicals that are used to kill weeds and chemical fertilizer. As well, we must not allow Montsanto to grow and sell food that is not safe for humans. Monsanto grown grains are “dead” food – grown by chemicals and not by fertilizer.
Decades ago, farmers brought rich seeds that were good for all. Now, these seeds may be contaminated – a tragedy.
KEEP OUR FOOD SAFE FROM CHEMICALS IN ANY FORM.
Why are we accepting compromise on this bill? I don’t get it. Taking the jail terms out made this bill ok? I don’t think so. And I don’t really think it is going to matter if that language is specifically in the bill or not. The language is so obscure, with provisions that things can be added later that it needs to be killed, once and for all!
I am with you….the government needs to keep their noses out of our food…..They are messing with the wrong people, they just don’t know it yet.
I agree completely!! The FDA has more than enough powers to do their job. Stop trying to gain a compromise and KILL THE BILL.
I agree!Most of the co-sponsors and supporters of this bill have received huge amounts of money from aspecial interests groups to support this bill. and .http://www.libertynewsonline.com/article_301_29693.php
THANK YOU for keeping us updated on this. Not only do I use supplements – but I’m a health writer for supplement companies. If they go out of business, so do I! Thank you for clearing up some contradictory information I’ve been hearing about the bill. And thanks for all your hard work.
Thank you so much for all of your efforts. I don’t know what I would do without my natural medicines. I think it disgraceful that the pharmaceutical companies have forced so many nasty side effected medicines on us, in a time when we should be producing more of nature’s natural medicines that are actually good for us. The American people need to be more aware of how these side effected medicines are taking us all down into spiraling illnesses. The senators; men and women who are supposed to be looking out for us, and keeping us safe, should also be more aware. The magnitude of how much money that’s made from these pharmaceutical companies seems to rule those who are supposedly looking out for all of us. Americans need to be diligant, and vote out those who would have us lose our rights to natural medicines. It’s never good for big business, and government to rule every aspect of our health care. Better for Americans to pay attention and keep an eye on what, and how these people will affect our lives in the future. I am an American, and I want to chose my own medicines, and make my own health care decisions. I don’t need, and I’m sure no other American needs any politician telling us what we should or shouldn’t take for our health needs, especially medicines with side effiects. Many Americans are not even aware that medicines without side effects are even available. It is my dream for every American to know that fact of life.
It is widely believed that Monsanto’s Michael Taylor (Obama’s “Food Safety” Czar) wrote this horrific legislation. It gives the Uber Cartel virtually everything they can ask for: total control of the market, elimination of all competition, a lap dog regulatory agency to do its bidding for it by this disastrous law, the legal (but not lawful) means to stifle dissent with bogus charges like “food smuggling” to keep people from growing their own food and “smuggling” it into the US Corporation, that boundariless “State” which the US has become, and criminalize literally anything or any activity that gets in its way. Addendums to this legislation or a joke, and can be changed anytime without Congressional support. This bill needs to go away in its entirety.
With out the use of supplemenst, I would be in a wheelchair.
Today I can walk in side the house , with out any devices.
I am 64, male and use 33 rx meds.
only supplements++++helped with 1] weight loss 2} Fibromyalgia, pain,muscle weakness.
I am retired on social security diability.
Keep up the great work. Including keeping us informed. They are experts on these things; they know how to slip into bills at the last minute the biddings of their corporate sponsors. This thing isn’t over yet; not by a long shot. We the People still haven’t gained the high ground. Next election…
Thank you so much. I can see that this will be an ongoing battle as the forces to eliminate healthy foods are persistant and not we our best interests in mind regardless if they say so. Good work for now.
this is BS—-this bill is a violation of basic human rights-part of a criminal conspiracy to take control over the food industry like these same monsters have taken over the banking and health care industry–these guys trying to pass this bill in any form need to be charged and tried for treason and criminal conspriacy under the RICO act and mass murder/genocide–it is the height of insanity to try to molify these bastards with amendments–the criminal FDA has shown over and over they are employees of BIG PHARMA engaging in crimes against humanity–ENOUGH ALREADY–YOU DO BUSINESS WITH SATAN YOU PAY THE PRICE.
I am so glad that you are working so hard to keep the government from taking away our supplements. Thank you.
I am totally confused and frustrated! One environmental pro natural substances group says stall the S510 bill, another says vote for it. One says stall the bill with the Tester amendment, the other says don’t vote for it. As a consumer with MS and on SSI, I am using supplements and am on a protocol to help me function and feel better with MS, but it seems that the “government”keeps attempting to take our freedom away; regarding vitamin supplements. Some of those help me very much, unlike the usual big pharma 20 mg injections that didn’t help me feel or function better. Government should stay out of our business anyway, as the drugs from big pharma are worse and sometimes deadly. I don’t care for a bunch of chemicals, so all my adult life been taking more natural substances and gravitating toward more natural more alternative means of healing the body. My body likes it just fine. I have all kinds of problems and sensitivities when I take substances that are chemical in base.
Thank you,
Linda J Solomon, MI
Have you ever lobbied any of our friendly Senators and Representatives to introduce legislation to
repeal the present doctrine, that only drugs approved by the FDA can treat or cure disease??
I wish you would.
I thought that S-510 was to be voted on next Monday the 11-27-10??!!
This entire bill should NOT pass the house! Period! This marxist take-over is ridiculously stripping out rights right out from under the American people! WAKE UP AMERICA!
What I would like to know is “What causes these senators to write such harsh language in there bill and amendements.”
I really don’t understand their intent.
They seem to love our nation yet they write laws that would made Hitler Proud!!!!!
A BIG THANKS to all you are doing and have done to protect the rights of concerned citizens. I will continue writing letters to my congressman and senator as well.
It is regrettable that certain members of congress have been struggling for years to pass legislation that would be detrimental to our citizens but monetarily beneficial to a handful of multinationals. They will no doubt be back in a year or two with the same old song and dance and we’ll have to do it all over again. What is wrong with this picture? Does no one in congress have the guts to stand up to manipulative corporate interests acting in opposition to the best interests of the people and find a way to put an end to these efforts once and for all? Is there no one in the judicial that could legislate away the rights of huge corporations to purchase congressmen for their own use? One hopes that some champion that actually represents the people will successfully do battle with these powerful but evil and negative forces that seek to impose their control on the people so as to profit from them and grow even larger and more dangerous.
Another major, major concern, will it be unlawful to plant a garden at home and save your seeds? Everyone is asking me that question and will there still be farmers markets with good fresh natual, safe to eat food? A lot of people don’t have much money so they want to grow their own food.
thankx todd
What was the outcome of the part of the bill relative to making it illegal to grow your own food?
Interesting question Robert. Nobody would write a bill directly saying you can’t grow your own food,
That “potential effect” is a possibility of the FDA saying that they have a reason to believe that your continued planting and harvesting of something presents a probability of a hazzard. That was not supposed to change.
INteresting!!!
Fantastic, up to the minute information on a subject that affects our very lives! KIU! God Bless!!!
After three bouts of cancer begining 24 years ago, I am 79 years old and cancer free no thanks to the medical community. All my thanks go to the people who have produced herbal supplements which I decided to take in lieu of traditional chemo and radiation. The FDA’s goal is “make us some more money”, not “how can we actually cure cancer”. Laetrile, Graviola and Essiac are the answer. I will not donate one dime to the American Cancer Society. They refuse to look into alternative medicine for a cure.
All those societies do is divert attention. They promise “cures” but prevent any cheap, natural, safe, method from ever gaining traction. They are merely front groups for the PTB that benefit from cancer, diabetes, heart disease, etc, I cringe when I see all those women “Running for a Cure.” If they only had a clue. Same goes for the youngsters fighting for freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan. The government continually lies 24/7/365 and millions of us suffer the grievous consequences.
Janis i am with you all the way. You said every thought that i was thinking.
I thank God for the work you do!
Adam van Drimmelen
Thank you for working so hard to make sure we have freedom of access to our supplements.
Every time one of these bills is passed we move one step closer to the implementation of Codex in the US, eliminating the DSHEA Act. America is going down the tubes, our liberties are being stripped away faster than we can wave goodbye to them.
The one thing missing from the Food Safety Bill is a requirement for all labels to list all toxic poisons contained in foods whose quantity exceeds 50 mcg/kg [solid] or 50 mcg/l [liquid]. The list of toxins must include arsenic, mercury, lead, uranium, fluorine, Bt-toxin, glyphosate, gufosinate, 2,4,-D [2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid], DDT, and PCB’s.
Yeah, and anytime you got sodium benzoate in there as a preservative in a fruit or berry juice that has vitamin C in it, you automatically will get benzene, a very carcinogenic chemical. I avoid anything that has sodium benzoate in it because it means the product’s maker really doesn’t care about the person who consumes the product. Sodium nitrite and BHA are a couple more to avoid. The state of Indiana had a ban on sodium benzoate but were forced to repeal it not too long after that ban went into effect.
Please stop the bill S.510. We are the people who elected Senators, Congressmen, etc. Prove to us that this is true. We need you to vote against this monster bill. We do not need GMs in our body. Not even animals want to eat this poison. Thank you for caring for the Human Kind.
I’m grateful to Leahy…FOR NOTHING!!!
Keep the pressure on your senators to stop this bill. It is not over so do not relax. I email them a couple times a day. We must be relentless on this one, it is that dangerous.
If we fall for what they are proposing as safety, there will be no more family farmers, or grow our own food, or share said food to say the least. We will no longer be able to so much as buy a vitamin. If this is not a loss of freedom, I do not know what is. This is what we get for being complacent. For too long we have taken our freedoms for granted, never fully understanding that there are those in the nation, and this world who hate our freedoms such as they are. Funny thing is it is all about Capitalism. You know with Capitalism comes freedom. You think?
Thanks ANH. I really appreciate your efforts to get the information out about how our lives are being adversely affected by the intersection of government and business. As a natural health advocate, I am appalled by the messaging of the pharmaceutical industry and their persistent effort to prevent the public from knowing the truth about health and healing. The most aggregious example lately is the attempt by Glaxo to market a perscription Omega-3 under the Lovaza name. I would like to know what credible doctor would perscribe such a thing when they are easily available from many sources. And the FDA goes along with this. This is a classic example of why America’s healthcare system is twice as expensive and significantly less effective as other comparable countries’ systems. In this environment, anyone who wants to be healthy MUST take it upon themselves to manage their health.
Keep up the good work and keep us informed.
If you all could help spread the truth and tell your friends, and those that bump into your life whenever u have the chance, it would help raise awareness on government ill intent for american citizens! thanks, stu
Flood the swttchboards of every Senator They will all still need to be Re-elected