Congressman John D. Dingell

IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Mike Greene
Wednesday, April 8, 1998 202-225-4071

DINGELL STATEMENT ON PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE REGARDING
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FOOD QUALITY PROTECTION ACT ("FQPA").

The President today directed the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Agriculture to work together to implement the Food Quality Protection Act. This law was designed to improve the safety of the food supply by applying sound science in a timely fashion to the process of establishing food tolerances for pesticides.

This directive is a welcome development. The FQPA was enacted more than two years ago, yet EPA has lacked a coherent and sensible policy for the tolerance setting process.

Today's action does not resolve the many scientific and policy issues, but it does provide a framework and timetable for their resolution. That is progress. I commend the President for taking this important step and I look forward to working with him and his Administration to improve the safety of the food supply.

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