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Cosponsors Bill to Expand FDA Authority to Destroy Products that Fail to Meet U.S. Health & Safety Standards
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today announced that she has cosponsored legislation to crack down on the re-importation of products, including food, previously rejected by the federal inspectors as harmful.
The Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act (S.3213) would grant new authority to the Secretary of Health and Human Services to destroy any products regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that pose significant public health risks. It would also close loopholes that allow importers to “port shop” or attempt reentry of those rejected goods, including contaminated foods, illegal vapes, and unsafe medical products.
“American consumers will be better protected from everything from contaminated seafood to knock-off medications by giving the FDA direct authority to destroy anything that fails to meet U.S. health and safety standards. This would keep those dangerous goods from ever reaching our homes or businesses,” said Senator Hyde-Smith, who also introduced the Safer Shrimp Imports Act well before a recall of “radioactive” shrimp last August.
U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) introduced S.3213.
“Americans should never be put at risk because bad actors, especially from companies in Communist China or other adversarial nations, continuously attempt to sneak dangerous and contaminated food and other products back into our country after being rejected,” Senator Scott said. “My bill makes clear that if the FDA says a product is too hazardous for American families, it will not be allowed back into our markets under any circumstances. This gives federal authorities the tools they need to destroy these shipments quickly and keep our supply chain and families safe.”
While the FDA currently has the jurisdiction to destroy any imported medical devices and medications that pose a health risk to the public, that authority does not extend to imported food products that fail to meet U.S. health and safety standards. S.3213 grants that authority and streamlines the destruction process to keep hazardous products out of American communities, rather than returning those products to the foreign shipper to try to re-import.
U.S. Representative Mike Ezell (R-Miss.) cosponsored companion legislation (HR.2715), which was introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Representative Clay Higgins (R-La.). The Senate and House bills are supported by the Southern Shrimp Alliance.
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