Safe Line Speeds During COVID–19 Act of 2021
- Last Action
- 3/11/2021
Actions
- 2021-03-11Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 2021-03-11Introduced in Senate
CRS Summary
As of 2021-03-11 (00)
Safe Line Speeds During COVID-19 Act of 2021
This bill directs the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to temporarily suspend any waivers and not issue new waivers related to line speeds in meat and poultry establishments and inspection staffing requirements for such establishments through 90 days after the date on which the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) emergency period is lifted. Additionally, the implementation of, and conversion to, the New Swine Slaughter Inspection System must be suspended.
No funds made available to USDA during such 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.
Not later than 90 days after the end of the emergency period, the Government Accountability Office shall conduct a review of actions taken by specific federal departments or agencies, including USDA, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to determine the effectiveness of such actions in protecting animal, food, and worker safety.
Cosponsors (12)
- Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
- Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
- Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
- Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
- Bernard Sanders (I-VT)
- Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
- Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
- Bob Casey (D-PA)
- Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
- Patty Murray (D-WA)
- Ben Cardin (D-MD)
- Alex Padilla (D-CA)
Subjects
- Administrative law and regulatory procedures
- Animal protection and human-animal relationships
- Cardiovascular and respiratory health
- Congressional oversight
- Department of Agriculture
- Emergency medical services and trauma care
- Food industry and services
- Food supply, safety, and labeling
- Government studies and investigations
- Health technology, devices, supplies
- Infectious and parasitic diseases
- Meat
- Worker safety and health
Sourced from Congress.gov (public domain).
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.