1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a critical agency responsible for ensuring the safety and quality of our food supply. Recent staffing cuts of up to 20,000 employees have severely undermined the FDA's ability to carry out its vital mission. Key quality control programs have been suspended, leaving the agency unable to conduct essential testing for foodborne pathogens like Cyclospora in spinach, contaminants like the pesticide glyphosate in barley, and other hazards that put American lives at risk. In the past, the FDA has played a crucial role in safeguarding public health by preventing issues like widespread Salmonella outbreaks in peanut butter, E. coli contamination in romaine lettuce, and melamine adulteration in infant formula. This dereliction of duty is unacceptable. The FDA's lapse in oversight jeopardizes public health and safety on a massive scale. Foodborne illnesses already sicken millions and kill thousands in the United States each year. With its resources gutted, the FDA can no longer adequately safeguard the integrity of our food system or rapidly detect and respond to contamination events. Americans deserve better protection. Immediate action must be taken to fully reinstate the FDA's workforce and restore its inspection, testing, and quality assurance capabilities to protect the nation's food supply. Robust funding and staffing of this vital public health agency should be an utmost priority to fulfill the government's fundamental obligation to protect its citizens. The consequences of inaction are too severe. I urgently call on Congress to take the necessary steps to ensure the FDA can comprehensively carry out its lifesaving work without further compromise.