Category: In the News

Merkley’s GMO bill would create national labeling

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregon US Sen. Jeff Merkley is behind a bill to make sure consumers could find out whether a food has genetically modified ingredients. Merkley’s bill is designed as a compromise to one Congress is voting on that would ban any state from passing a law requiring

60 businesses form coalition to push for Equality Act

A newly formed business coalition that consists of 60 members — including Apple, Coca-Cola and Target Corp. — will urge passage of comprehensive LGBT non-discrimination legislation known as the Equality Act, the Human Rights Campaign announced on Thursday. The initiative, known as the Business Coalition for the Equality Act, consists

What’s At Stake In The Senate’s Looming GMO Labeling Battle

A key debate regarding products that contain genetically modified organisms — specifically, the question of whether they should have to carry labels stating as much — is set for a showdown. Last week, legislation cleared the Senate Agricultural Committee that would block state-level laws mandating GMO labeling. The legislation, which

Wyden, Merkley among senators seeking debt relief for Corinthian Colleges students

Thirty-five Democratic U.S. senators, including Oregon’s Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, have signed a letter to President Barack Obama seeking more relief for students of predatory for-profit colleges. The list includes Corinthian Colleges, which filed bankruptcy and closed suddenly in 2015. “These schools have put their pursuit of federal student loan dollars ahead of the

Action On A National GMO Labeling Measure Heats Up On Capitol Hill

Donnelly characterized his plan as setting “ambitious goals” for companies to be more transparent. “Instead of pitting conventional farmers versus organic [farmers], or concerned parents versus biotech companies, we need to quickly enact legislation that ensures consumers can get the information they want, without sticking misleading labels on every food

Oregon lawmakers seek national clean energy goals

WASHINGTON – Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Reps. Suzanne Bonamici and Earl Blumenauer, all D-Ore.,introduced resolutions Thursday setting a national goal of producing more than 50 percent of America’s electricity from clean and carbon-free electricity sources by 2030 and calling for the enactment of new legislation to achieve

Proposed law could require ‘genetic engineering’ food labeling

The national fight over the labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms took a new turn on Wednesday, when Sen. Dianne Feinstein joined Sens. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.; Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.; and Jon Tester, D-Mont., to introduce legislation that would require national labeling of GMO ingredients. Called the Biotechnology Food Labeling and Uniformity Act, it is

Merkley introduces biotech labeling solution

Just a day after the Senate Agriculture Committee voted 14-6 to advance a bill from Sen. Pat Roberts (R., Kan.) on how to address labeling foods that may contain genetically modified (GM) ingredients, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D., Ore.) introduced another bill to add to the discussion. Merkley’s bill would provide

Senate Dems offer rival bill on GMO food labels

Senate Democrats are pushing a rival bill on labeling for genetically modified foods. The Biotechnology Food Labeling and Uniformity Act unveiled Wednesday would require manufacturers to disclose the presence of genetically modified organisms on a product’s Nutrition Fact Panel. Manufacturers, though, would have a choice in how they comply. They could choose to

Lawmakers Question New FDA Leader on Opioids, Biosimilars

March 2 (BNA) — Opioid abuse and lack of biosimilar guidance continue to be pressing issues for the FDA, senators told the new head of the agency March 2. Robert Califf appeared on Capitol Hill for the first time as the head of the FDA, testifying at a brief hearing

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