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Sen. Lisa Murkowski is holding up President Barack Obama's nominee to run the Food and Drug Administration to force the labelling of GM salmon

1. Senator blocking FDA nominee over biotech salmon
2. Murkowski continues fight against Frankenfish, moves to block FDA Commissioner nominee

1. Senator blocking FDA nominee over biotech salmon

By Philip Brasher
Agri Pulse, 12 Jan 2016
http://www.agri-pulse.com/Senator-threatens-block-on-FDA-nominee-over-biotech-salmon-01122016.asp

Sen. Lisa Murkowski is holding up President Barack Obama's nominee to run the Food and Drug Administration to force the labeling of genetically engineered salmon.

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Tuesday approved Robert Califf's nomination as FDA commissioner, but Murkowski, an Alaska Republican on the panel, said she would insist on getting the labeling issue addressed before the Senate votes on him.

Murkowski, who has unsuccessfully demanded that FDA require labeling of the fish, said she met with Califf in November and that he didn't give her any warning that the agency would announce approval of the biotech fish two days later.

“I was really taken back that he was not direct with me,” Murkowski told colleagues. “He clearly knows that was a priority for Alaskans. I got a little hot under the collar about that.”

Califf, a cardiologist, is currently FDA's deputy commissioner for medical products and tobacco.

Murkowski also said she wanted assurances that the fish wouldn't go on the market before the FDA issues guidelines for labeling the product, a requirement she inserted in the fiscal 2016 omnibus appropriations bill enacted in December. She also continued to insist that labeling be mandatory.

“I want to make very, very certain that when we're talking about these genetically engineered fish for purposes of human consumption that voluntary labeling is not adequate; that it is clear, absolutely clear on its face, what consumers would be getting before such time as this can be introduced into the market,” she said.

Murkowski's battle with the FDA comes as the food industry is lobbying Congress to pass legislation to preempt state GMO labeling laws and to set national standards for disclosure of biotech ingredients.

Murkowski makes a distinction between labeling for animal products and food crops, such as corn and soybeans.

The same day the FDA approved the AquaBounty salmon, the agency also formally denied petitions asking it to require the labeling of genetically engineered foods, affirming its longstanding policy that there's no legal basis for mandating such disclosure on products that are essentially the same as their conventional versions.                                                                                                                          

Senate HELP Chairman Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., called Califf the “right person to lead the FDA.” The committee's ranking Democrat, Patty Murray of Washington, said “Califf's record had made clear that he will be a strong, independent FDA commissioner.”
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2. Murkowski continues fight against Frankenfish, moves to block FDA Commissioner nominee

Seward City News, 13 Jan 2016
http://sewardcitynews.com/2016/01/murkowski-continues-fight-against-frankenfish-moves-to-block-fda-commissioner-nominee/

* Senator: “Voluntary Labelling of GE Salmon is Not Adequate”

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) continued her fight against genetically engineered (GE) salmon by announcing in the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee that she would block confirmation proceedings of the nominee to be FDA Commissioner, Dr. Robert Califf, on the Senate floor if her concerns are not resolved. Murkowski made clear that she intends to block Dr. Califf’s confirmation until she receives assurance from the FDA that it will require mandatory labelling of GE salmon as it becomes available for human consumption.

In today’s HELP committee executive session, Senator Murkowski voted to move Dr. Califf’s nomination forward to be considered by the full Senate, saying:

“Dr. Califf’s nomination hearing was just 2 days before the FDA made its announcement that they were going to move forward with allowing genetically engineered fish for the first time for human consumption. I have to admit I was really taken aback that he was not direct with me. He clearly knows that’s a priority of Alaskans and certainly this Senator. I said at that time I need to have an understanding of where the FDA is going on this issue and I would put a hold on his nomination as it moves forward. We cannot put a hold on anybody until they have moved out of committee. That’s what we’re doing here today.

“What I would like to make clear to my colleagues is that we have attempted to address some of the issues that I have raised through the appropriations bill that we moved forward in December. We included language that would require the FDA to not allow the introduction into interstate commerce of any product containing genetically engineered salmon until the FDA publishes final labeling guidelines. I want the assurances that in fact is what is going to happen. I want to make sure that the FDA knows that voluntary labeling guidelines really are not sufficient. It does not comply with what is now law. I want to make sure, be very, very certain, that when we are talking about these genetically engineered fish for human consumption, voluntary labeling is not adequate. So I’m going to be pushing for further conversations with Dr. Califf on this. I will vote to move him out of committee today, but I just want my friends and colleagues to be on notice that I have these concerns and I would like to get them resolved before his name moves forward to the Senate floor.”

Background: Last November the FDA announced its approval of genetically engineered salmon for human consumption. Murkowski has long been adamantly opposed to the approval of GE salmon, and in response to this announcement inserted a provision in the appropriations process to require mandatory labeling of Frankenfish. At that time she also announced that she would block the confirmation of Dr. Califf to be FDA Commissioner.

Murkowski is chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee.