Mr./Madame Speaker, I rise today to offer my strong support for the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009.

This issue is very personal to me.  My dear friend, Nancy Donley, lost her son Alex in 1993 after he ate ground beef contaminated with E. coli.

It is in honor and memory of all Americans sickened or killed by foodborne illness that we will pass this bill to overhaul our food safety system.

H.R. 2749 provides critical new authorities to the Food and Drug Administration.  It requires food manufacturers to have safety plans in place in order to stop outbreaks before they start.

I am also pleased that it includes language directing the FDA to examine antibiotic resistance as it relates to the food supply.

Antibiotic resistance is an important issue that I hope the Energy and Commerce Committee and this Congress will continue to address.