Oakland — Congress — or the Senate, to be more exact — is still dragging its feet on getting a comprehensive food safety law to the president’s desk.
The inaction is especially galling amid this week’s report showing that food-borne illnesses cost the United States an estimated $152 billion each year in health-related expenses.
The findings are from the Food Safety Campaign at the Pew Charitable Trusts and are based on federal government sources using the same statistical methods used by the Food and Drug Administration.
Annually, an estimated 76 million people are sickened by contaminated food in the U.S.
Of those, 5,000 die, according to federal statistics. The majority of the food-borne illnesses are caused by produce, which is regulated by the FDA. Thirty-nine percent of E. coli outbreaks are due to produce regulated by the agency, the report found.
Last year, President Barack Obama created the Food Safety Working Group, intending to see a new food safety law enacted. The House passed a food-safety bill last summer, but the Senate has yet to act on the legislation.
While the financial costs of this inaction are staggering, it is the human toll in terms of suffering and death that is far worse. Now that the Pew report has been released, perhaps enough pressure will come to bear on Congress to once and for all take action on protecting the quality and safety of the nation’s food supply.
Editorials
Sickening
Senate drags feet on food safety law
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What’s ahead?
Is there a future for Cumberland’s Canal Fest/Rail Fest?
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Old Glory
Many of us will display the United States flag this Memorial Day holiday. Special days like the Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Flag Day serve to bring out our patriotism.
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Besides, they’re not interested in dental health
Dear Governor:
I am writing to thank you for your leadership in the recently called special legislative session to avoid the Doomsday budget. -
Here’s why he prefers the school he’s now attending
School is boring but we all have to go, so choose your school carefully. I attend a Christian school because I don’t have to listen to people cussing, teachers and some class mates are caring, and I’m learning about Christ.
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Friends Aware grateful for support of public, legislators
Friends Aware Inc. would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Sen. George Edwards, Delegates Wendell Beitzel, Kevin Kelly and LeRoy Myers and the members of the Allegany County Commissioners for their support of our organization in the awarding of $250,000 through a state bond bill.
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How it works
Anything that can be done to foster transparency in government is a good thing. The latest effort in that direction is an online class explaining how Maryland’s Open Meetings Act works.
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Had enough
There is plenty of blame to go around for the disgraceful way public meetings have been conducted at Keyser city hall.
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Their goal is common good, not personal gain
At his request, I am responding to Arthur Squires’ commentary, “She believes despite evidence to the contrary” (May 17 Times-News).
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Common sense says: One high school and a VA hospital
First we build a hospital we did not need in place of two good hospitals. Now the architects tell us we should tear down the former Sacred Hospital to build a new high school we do not need. (“New Allegany architects: Tear it down — all of it,” May 9 Times-News, Page 1A)
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Historic Cemetery Organization sets Memorial Day activities
Once again members of the Cumberland Historic Cemetery Organization are decorating hundreds of our designated or protected grave sites for the Memorial Day season.
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