After a weekend of negotiations, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., reached a deal with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., that the GOP would not filibuster.
Without notice and in a matter of minutes Sunday evening, the Senate approved the bill by unanimous consent, sending it to the House, where passage is expected. President Obama has said he would sign the legislation, which would give the government far-reaching authority to set and enforce safety standards for farmers and food processors.
The measure was pushed by a coalition of food-safety groups. It passed the House more than year ago, and it cleared the Senate three weeks ago. But the day after the Senate vote, House leaders flagged a problem - the Senate version appeared to violate a constitutional provision that requires new taxes to originate in the House rather than the Senate. The mistake essentially nullified the Senate vote.
Besides toughening rules for keeping food safe, the bill would give the Food and Drug Administration the authority to recall food; now, the agency must rely on food companies to voluntarily pull products off the shelves.
This article appeared on page A - 11 of the San Francisco Chronicle
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