Emergency Meeting Gives Food Safety Bill Another Shot

The House Committee on Rules held an “emergency meeting” today, Jul 29, 2009, to discuss the future of H.R. 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act. Early today H.R. 2749 failed to garner the required two-thirds majority of the members “present and voting” necessary for a bill to pass under Suspension of the Rules; however, the legislation did have enough votes to pass under regular order. And that appears to be the next step according to sources on Capitol Hill. The conclusion of the “emergency meeting” is that H.R. 2749 will come to the House floor for a vote under a “closed-rule,” which means no amendments were made in order. The bill, which is somewhat controversial among those in the agricultural community, will likely pass tomorrow by a significant majority based on today's Suspension of the Rules vote outcome...AALA