Bill > HR7521

Introduced Session

To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to suspend increases in line speeds at meat and poultry establishments, and for other purposes. This bill directs the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the Department of Agriculture (USDA), for the duration of the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency period, to suspend any waivers and not issue new waivers related to line speeds in meat and poultry establishments and inspection staffing requirements for such establishments. Additionally, the implementation of, and conversion to, the New Swine Slaughter Inspection System must be suspended. No funds made available to USDA during the COVID-19 emergency period shall be used to develop, propose, finalize, issue, amend, or implement any policy, regulation, directive, constituent update, or any other agency program that would increase line speeds at meat and poultry establishments. Upon termination of the COVID-19 emergency period, the Government Accountability Office shall conduct a review of actions taken by specific federal agencies, including USDA, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to determine the effectiveness of such actions in protecting animal, food, and worker safety.

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Committee Categories

Marcia Fudge (D)*,  Alma Adams (D),  Nanette Barragán (D),  Sanford Bishop (D),  Earl Blumenauer (D),  Emanuel Cleaver (D),  Steve Cohen (D),  Jim Cooper (D),  Danny Davis (D),  Peter DeFazio (D),  Rosa DeLauro (D),  Dwight Evans (D),  Sylvia Garcia (D),  Chuy García (D),  Alcee Hastings (D),  Jahana Hayes (D),  Denny Heck (D),  Hank Johnson (D),  Marcy Kaptur (D),  Ro Khanna (D),  Barbara Lee (D),  Ted Lieu (D),  Alan Lowenthal (D),  Grace Napolitano (D),  Eleanor Holmes Norton (D),  Chellie Pingree (D),  Mark Pocan (D),  David Price (D),  Lucille Roybal-Allard (D),  Bobby Rush (D),  Linda Sánchez (D),  Jan Schakowsky (D),  Bennie Thompson (D),  Rashida Tlaib (D),  Jeff Van Drew (R), 

Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture. (on 09/11/2020)

Official Document