Senate invokes cloture on food safety bill in vote of 69-26.

[Tx4obama]

Cloture on substitute amendment #4175: to S.510, Food Safety Modernization Act (60 vote threshold); Invoked: 69-26
http://democrats.senate.gov/calendar/2010-11.html

[jaxx]

1. Good.

[Tx4obama]

2. List of republicans that voted with the dems can be seen on link below

Look in the section that says: Grouped By Vote Position YEAs ---69
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=2&vote=00252

p.s. Pretty cool that the first vote of Kirk (R-IL) after being sworn in today was with the democrats ;)

[Tx4obama]

3. More regarding the bill below

FDA would boost food inspections under Senate bill

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Food and Drug Administration would have to step up inspections of food plants under legislation the Senate is expected to pass this week.

The bill, which has stalled in that chamber for more than a year, would give the FDA authority to order a recall of tainted products and would require food manufacturers and farms to follow stricter safety standards. At present, the agency must negotiate with sellers of tainted food to issue a voluntary recall.

Supporters say passage is critical in the wake of large-scale outbreaks of salmonella and E. coli in peanuts, eggs and produce. Those outbreaks have exposed a lack of resources and authority at the FDA as the embattled agency struggled to contain and trace the contaminated products. The agency rarely inspects many food facilities and farms, visiting some every decade or so and others not at all.

The bill would emphasize prevention so the agency could try to stop the outbreaks before they begin.

Full article here: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CONGRESS_FOOD_SAFETY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2010-11-29-20-26-07

[Tx4obama]

4. UPDATE: Senate Passes Sweeping Food-Safety Bill - The vote was 73 to 25

WASHINGTON -- After stalling for more than a year, a sweeping food-safety bill passed with bipartisan support in the Senate on Tuesday, paving the way for increased federal inspections and other preventative measures. The vote was 73 to 25.

Though the bill has yet to be reconciled with a previous version passed by the House in July 2009, there has been some indication that the House will adopt the Senate's bill, a senior Democratic aide tells HuffPost.

The Food Safety Modernization Act would strengthen the power of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which oversees 80 percent of the nation's food supply, vastly improving its ability to ensure safety.

The law will focus on the areas of food-borne illness prevention, detection and response. It will also protect American consumers from unsafe food made overseas by subjecting imported foods to the same standards as food produced in the United States.

Full article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/30/senate-passes-sweeping-fo_n_789771.html

List of Yea and Nay votes here: http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=2&vote=00257