On December 10, 2014, Wednesday of this week, a hearing will take place to discuss a bill named the “Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2014,” sponsored by Rep. Mike Pompeo of Kansas. Despite its misleading name, this act would stop the GMO labeling movement that is gaining strength and popularity across the nation in its tracks.
More aptly renamed the “Denying Americans the Right to Know Act,” or DARK Act, by organizations like the Center for Food Safety (CFS), this law would take away your right to know what is in your food. According to the CFS, DARK Act legislation would prevent states from adopting their own GMO food labeling laws, block states from outlawing the “natural” label from genetically engineered (GE) foods and prevent the FDA from requiring companies to label GE ingredients. Instead, we would continue with voluntary labeling, a practice most companies simply ignore.
Don’t you have the right to know what is in the food your feed your family? Wednesday’s hearing is a critical and may be a step in denying your right to know if your food is genetically engineered. Not only that, but since several states have already passed mandatory GMO labeling and others are moving towards trend in the near future, states will lose their right to have their own say about how food is labeled. The DARK Act is a serious conflict of interest with states’ rights.
How can we prevent the DARK Act from succeeding? The hearing is being scheduled by the Health Subcommittee of the Energy & Commerce Committee, chaired by Rep. Joe Pitts (PA), and takes please in two days. NOW is the time to make your voice heard. If your congressman or woman sits on this committee, call them and tell them that you support GMO labeling and have a right to know what’s in your food – before Wednesday! The following are the members who will attend this meeting, their state and district number and their phone number:
| Republicans: | Phone: |
| Chairman: Joe Pitts (PA-26) | 202-225-2411 |
| Vice Chairman: Michael Burgess, MD (TX) |
202-225-7772 |
| Ed Whitfield (KY-1) | 202-225-3115 |
| John Shimkus (IL-15) | 202-225-5271 |
| Mike Rogers (MI-8) | 202-225-4872 |
| Tim Murphy (PA-18) | 202-225-2301 |
| Marsha Blackburn (TN-7) | 202-225-2811 |
| Phil Gingrey (GA-11) | 202-225-2931 |
| Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-5) | 202-225-2006 |
| Leonard Lance (NJ) | 202-225-5361 |
| Bill Cassidy (LA) | 202-225-3901 |
| Brett Guthrie (KY-2) | 202-225-3501 |
| Morgan Griffith (VA-9) | 202-225-3861 |
| Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) | 202-225-5755 |
| Renee Ellmers (NC-2) | 202-225-4531 |
| Joe Barton (TX-6) | 202-225-2002 |
| Fred Upton (MI-6) | 202-225-3761 |
| Democrats: | |
| Ranking Member: Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-6) |
202-225-4671 |
| John D. Dingell (MI-12) | 202-225-4071 |
| Eliot L. Engel (NY-16) | 202-225-2464 |
| Lois Capps (CA-24) | 202-225-3601 |
| Jan Schakowsky (IL-9) | 202-225-2111 |
| Jim Matheson (UT-4) | 202-225-3011 |
| Gene Green (TX-29) | 202-225-1688 |
| G.K. Butterfield (NC-1) | 202-225-3101 |
| John Barrow (GA-12) | 202-225-2823 |
| Donna M. Christensen (VI) | 202-225-1790 |
| Kathy Castor (FL14) | 202-225-3376 |
| John Sarbanes (MD-3) | 202-225-4016 |
| Henry A. Waxman (CA-33) | 202-225-3976 |
In addition, several Democratic senators are considering jumping aboard giving their support to this bill as well. Please call the following senators if they are in your state and tell them that you oppose this bill:
| Al Franken, MN | (202) 224-5641 |
| Amy Kiobuchar, MN | (202) 224-3244 |
| Debbie Stabenow, MI | (202) 224-4822 |
| Carl Levin, MI | (202) 224-6221 |
| Richard Durbin, IL | (202) 224-2152 |
WHAT TO SAY:
Introduce yourself and say that you are a voter in their district or state. Do not say anything the safety of GMOs or anything health- or sickness-related (this is very important). Instead, tell them you oppose the “Safe & Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2014,” and that you support the labeling of genetically engineered foods and the states’ right to make that choice. Ask them to join Peter DeFazio and 66 other co-sponsors to support the DeFazio bill, HR 1699, “the Genetically Engineered Right-to-Know Act” instead.
We need your help and we need you to hurry before our right – and individual state’s rights – to label GMO foods is gone for good!
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I do not support the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2014. Every citizen deserves the right to know what is in their food.
Will somebody please let us know the results of this meeting when the information becomes available?
I urge you to NOT take my God given right to know what is in the food I feed my body. GMO labeling is crucial to the health and safety of the American public and human beings around the globe!
I support GMO labeling! We have a right to know what is in our food!
I oppose the ”Safe and Accurate Labeling Act of 2014,’ and I suport the labeling of genetically engineered foods and the states right to make that choice. . Ask them to join Peter DeFazio and 66 other co-sponsors to support the DeFazio bill, HR 1699, “the Genetically Engineered Right-to-Know Act” instead.
Who can we call if our state is not listed? It still impacts us, right?
Call the Senators listed
My name is Kendra Heiss and I am a voter in your district and state. I oppose the “Safe & accurate food labeling act of 2014” I support the labeling of genetically modified foods and the states right to make that choice. Please join Peter DeFazio and the other 66 co sponsors of the bill HR 1699 “The Genetically Engineered Right to Know Act” instead. Thank You.
Sincerly,
Kendra Heiss
I support the labeling of genetically engineered foods and the states right to make that choice. Please join Peter DeFazio and 66 other co-sponsors to support the DeFazio bill, HR 1699, “the Genetically Engineered Right-to-Know Act” – we have a right to make a choice! Please support us in this!!! Thank you!
My name is Martha Torres and I am a voter in your district and state. I oppose the “Safe & Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2014,” and I support the labeling of genetically engineered foods and the states’ right to make that choice. I ask you to please join Peter DeFazio and 66 other co-sponsors to support the DeFazio bill, HR 1699, “the Genetically Engineered Right-to-Know Act” instead. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Martha Torres