Us Congress 2025-2026 Regular Session

Us Congress House Bill HB852

Introduced
1/31/25  

Caption

Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act of 2025This bill provides that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may, under specified circumstances, request access to a concentrated animal-feeding operation (i.e., a stabled or confined animal-feeding operation of a specified size) to conduct microbial sampling.Specifically, the bill allows the FDA to request access if the FDA determines that sampling is necessary to facilitate an investigation of a foodborne-illness outbreak, determine the cause of an outbreak, or address other public health needs. Concentrated animal-feeding operations must provide reasonable access for sampling, including sampling of plants, animals, water, and the environment. The bill imposes penalties on operations that refuse to provide reasonable access. Data collected in sampling efforts under this bill must be shared with the Department of Agriculture and state and federal public health agencies to facilitate the detection, investigation, and prevention of foodborne illness.

Impact

The introduction of HB 852 marks a significant step toward improving food safety protocols by allowing for increased oversight of concentrated animal feeding operations. The bill mandates that these operations provide reasonable access to FDA officials for microbial sampling, which includes testing of plants, animals, water, and the environment. This new authority not only aims to prevent future outbreaks of foodborne illnesses but also ensures that data collected from such testing is shared with the Secretary of Agriculture and relevant public health agencies, thereby promoting a coordinated approach to tackling food safety challenges.

Summary

House Bill 852, known as the Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act of 2025, aims to enhance food safety regulations by granting the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to conduct microbial sampling on concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). This measure is designed to facilitate investigations into foodborne illness outbreaks, enabling the FDA to determine their root causes and address various public health needs associated with food safety. The bill reflects an increasing emphasis on proactive measures to manage food safety risks in the agricultural sector.

Contention

There may be concerns regarding the implementation of this bill from various stakeholders, particularly from agricultural producers who may worry about additional oversight and potential disruptions to their operations. Although the bill specifically states that it will not impose additional requirements beyond microbial sampling, the expectation that CAFOs will allow FDA access for testing could create tension between producers and regulators. Potential opponents may argue that this could lead to operational burdens or privacy issues, while proponents of the bill might emphasize its necessity for safeguarding public health.

Congress_id

119-HR-852

Policy_area

Agriculture and Food

Introduced_date

2025-01-31

Companion Bills

US SB376

Identical bill Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act of 2025This bill provides that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may, under specified circumstances, request access to a concentrated animal-feeding operation (i.e., a stabled or confined animal-feeding operation of a specified size) to conduct microbial sampling.Specifically, the bill allows the FDA to request access if the FDA determines that sampling is necessary to facilitate an investigation of a foodborne-illness outbreak, determine the cause of an outbreak, or address other public health needs. Concentrated animal-feeding operations must provide reasonable access for sampling, including sampling of plants, animals, water, and the environment. The bill imposes penalties on operations that refuse to provide reasonable access. Data collected in sampling efforts under this bill must be shared with the Department of Agriculture and state and federal public health agencies to facilitate the detection, investigation, and prevention of foodborne illness.

Previously Filed As

US HB4110

Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act of 2023

US SB2782

Expanded Food Safety Investigation Act of 2023

US HB1543

To direct the Secretary of Labor to ensure that the database relating to investigations under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 is language accessible, and for other purposes.

US HB10406

To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to authorize requiring the manufacturers of a covered device to disclose to a patient all patient-specific data that is recorded or transmitted by the device and accessible to the manufacturer, and for other purposes.

US HB520

To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to provide that artificially propagated animals shall be treated the same under that Act as naturally propagated animals, and for other purposes.

US HB133

Mandating Exclusive Review of Individual Treatments (MERIT) Act This bill specifies that coverage determinations for drugs and biologics under Medicare must be made with respect to each drug or biologic, rather than with respect to a class of drugs or biologics.

US HB427

Support And Value Expectant Moms and Babies Act of 2023 or the SAVE Moms and Babies Act of 2023 This bill prohibits the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from approving any new drug (either as a brand-name drug or a generic) intended to terminate a pregnancy and imposes additional restrictions on such drugs that are already approved. Under the bill, an already-approved drug intended to terminate a pregnancy may be dispensed to a patient only with a prescription. Furthermore, the FDA may not approve any labeling change that would authorize (1) using the drug after 70 days of gestation, or (2) dispensing the drug by any means other than in-person administration by the prescribing health care practitioner. The FDA must also impose additional restrictions on such already-approved drugs, including by (1) requiring the prescribing health care practitioner to receive a special certification, (2) prohibiting the practitioner from also acting as the dispensing pharmacist, and (3) requiring the practitioner to have the ability to provide surgical intervention to the patient. The bill also rescinds any investigational use exemption already granted to such a drug if the bill would have prohibited the FDA from granting the exemption. (Currently, the FDA may grant an exemption to certain market approval requirements if a drug is intended solely for use in safety and effectiveness investigations.)

US HB4698

To provide for a study on food animal microbiomes, and for other purposes.

US SB5517

A bill to provide for the establishment, within the Food and Drug Administration, of an Abraham Accords Office to promote and facilitate cooperation between the Food and Drug Administration and entities in Abraham Accords countries wishing to work with the agency in order to develop and sell products in the United States, and for other purposes.

US HB480

Wildfire Recovery Act This bill makes changes with respect to the federal cost share for Fire Management Assistance Grants and provides that the federal share shall be not less than 75% of the eligible cost. Specifically, the bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to conduct and complete a rulemaking to provide criteria for the circumstances under which FEMA may recommend that the President increase the federal cost share. Such criteria shall include a threshold metric that assesses the financial impact to a state or local government from responding to a fire for which fire management assistance is being provided.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.