September 23, 2010

 Washington, DC – Nevada Senator Harry Reid released the following statement today calling on Senator Coburn and Senate Republicans to stop blocking passage of critical food safety legislation:

“Americans should not have to worry about the safety of the food they feed their families, and the legislation we are trying to pass would ensure that remains the case without adding a dime to the deficit according to the nonpartisan CBO. But Senate Republicans led by Senator Coburn have decided to take their political obstruction to the extreme level of blocking this common-sense legislation in order to score political points.

“Senator Coburn should talk to Rylee Gustafson, a 9 year old from Henderson, Nevada, who nearly died after contracting E. coli from contaminated spinach.  Her story shows the real risk that families in Nevada, Oklahoma, and everywhere else in America could face if Senator Coburn and Republicans continue to obstruct this bill.

“Democrats have offered Senator Coburn a fair opportunity for an up or down vote on his amendment, and we will continue to offer that as a solution to move forward.  But families in Nevada and across America cannot afford for the safety of the food that we consume to be hijacked by Republicans’ political obstruction any longer.”