WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health,
Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement in response
to the food safety agreement reached with China.
"I commend Secretary Leavitt for this achievement. These agreements are worthwhile
initiatives with Chinese authorities to assure the safety and quality of food, drugs, and
medical devices imported from China, and to investigate problems with Chinese
products. They don't change the fact that the FDA needs new safety authority and
significantly increased funds to do its job, as the FDA Science Board's recent report
makes clear."