“A bill to establish the Federal Food Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section establishes within the Department of Health and Human Services, not later than one year after enactment, the Federal Food Administration (FFA) to (1) promote public health by reviewing food and nutrition research and regulating the marketing of foods; (2) ensure foods are safe, wholesome, sanitary, and properly labeled; (3) collaborate internationally on food safety and trade; and (4) consult, as appropriate, with scientific experts and food industry stakeholders. The FFA is headed by a Commissioner of Foods, appointed by the President with Senate confirmation, who is responsible for the agency's direction and policies, administrative coordination, food-related research under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, public education, and other assigned functions. The Secretary must foster interagency collaboration between the FFA and the Department of Agriculture, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and other agencies on food development, evaluation, and monitoring. The Secretary, acting through the Commissioner, may establish technical and scientific review groups exempt from specified civil service appointment, classification, and pay requirements.
This section establishes a food facility inspection program to be administered by the Commissioner of Foods, requiring issuance of guidance within one year of enactment to categorize facilities as high-risk, intermediate-risk, or low-risk. It mandates inspections of (1) high-risk facilities at least annually, (2) intermediate-risk facilities at least every two years, and (3) low-risk facilities (e.g., warehouses posing minimal public health risk) at least every three years; additionally, infant formula manufacturing facilities must be inspected at least every six months. The Commissioner must contract with state officials to conduct at least half of the inspections and must perform a follow-up compliance check within 30 days after issuing a form equivalent to FDA Form 483.
This section transfers to the Federal Food Administration all regulatory, administrative, and enforcement authorities over food under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) previously held by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), including functions related to food regulation from the FDA's Human Foods Program, Office of Inspections and Investigations, and Center for Veterinary Medicine (or other offices designated by the President). It amends the FFDCA to vest food-related authorities in the Federal Food Administration's Commissioner of Foods (thus reassigning references to the FDA Commissioner or Secretary acting through the FDA Commissioner), effective as soon as practicable but no later than one year after enactment.
This section transfers to the Federal Food Administration all appropriations, allocations, and other funds related to the authorities, functions, and agencies transferred under section 4. The section also authorizes appropriations of such sums as necessary for FY2026 and each fiscal year thereafter to carry out these funding provisions.
This section defines key terms for purposes of the Act, including (1) "Commissioner of Foods" as the Commissioner described in section 2(d); (2) "facility" as any factory, warehouse, or establishment subject to food facility registration requirements under section 415 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 350d) or produce safety standards under section 419 (21 U.S.C. 350h); and (3) "Secretary" as the Secretary of Health and Human Services.