Yesterday, the Senate cleared a procedural vote for a bill from Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Pat Roberts (R-KS) to block state GMO labeling efforts.
The GMO labeling bill passed recently in Vermont will go into effect tomorrow, and Big Ag desperately wants to stop it. The legislation crafted by Stabenow and Roberts, regular supporters of large, deep-pocketed agricultural interests, preempts state efforts by creating a toothless and confusing national standard in which food companies can dispense with labeling their products and just use QR codes, 1-800 numbers, or a statement referring people to websites instead.
The American Soybean Association and the Grocery Manufacturers Association (funded by major food processors and agrichemical titans like Monsanto, DuPont, and Dow) praised the bill.
Andrew Krimbell, executive director of the Center for Food Safety, condemned the bill: "This is not a labeling bill; it is a non-labeling bill. Clear, on-package GE food labeling should be mandatory to ensure all Americans have equal access to product information."
Senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders sharply criticized the bill as well:
“I am very proud that Vermont has led the country in GMO labeling. This bill would preempt what Vermont and other states have done. GMO labeling exists in dozens of countries around the world. It is not controversial. Already major food companies in our country have begun labeling their products. People have a right to know what is in the food they eat. I am going to do everything I can to defeat this legislation.”
Mitch McConnell brought the bill up for its first procedural vote using the “shell” of a bill that had been used to defund Planned Parenthood in the House.
The procedural motion passed 68 to 29.
51 Republicans and 17 Democrats voted for it. 26 Democrats and 3 Republicans voted against it.
The 3 Republicans were Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Dan Sullivan (R-AK).
Here are the 17 Democrats:
Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
Michael Bennet (D-CO)
Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
Tom Carper (D-DE)
Bob Casey (D-PA)
Chris Coons (D-DE)
Joe Donnelly (D-IN)
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Al Franken (D-MN)
Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND)
Angus King (I-ME)
Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Claire McCaskill (D-MO)
Bill Nelson (D-FL)
Gary Peters (D-MI)
Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)