Editorial: What will it take to get attention?

Clinton's plan would expand surveillance, inspection and early warning systems for food safety. So far, the House has approved only $16.8 million, which at least beats the $2.6 million pittance a Senate panel has agreed to. As the New York Times reported last week, even though health officials say food-borne diseases account for up to 30 million cases of illness and 9,000 deaths a year, the government has no reliable tracking system.

In May, the General Accounting Office said federal agencies can't ensure that the growing volume of imported food is safe, and recommended more authority to control imports. And an expert with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that a recent E. coli outbreak in potato salad from an Illinois deli last month, which sickened as many as 6,500 people, was the type someone would expect to see in a developing nation in Latin America, not in the United States.

A reasonable person would think Congress would be doing everything in its power to put a dent in food-borne diseases, but it has taken a cavalier attitude toward this growing problem. This Congress, dominated by Republicans, throws around billions of dollars without batting an eye. It should show some responsibility and pass the president's plan to make our food supply safer.

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