Washington, D.C. - For the 200 or so lobbyists and lawmakers who crowed into a small auditorium here Aug. 3 to watch President Clinton sign the new food safety law, there was a feeling of relief and amazement.
There was relief that the ordeal of rewriting the complex pesticide laws was over and amazement that som may diverse interests had finally agreed to modernize the laws -- in an election year.
Vice President, Al Gore, who introduced Clinton, said the law "brings the latest science to the supermarket." He added that the law means "increased protection against pesticide exposure."
Gore said he had presided over hearings on this subject some 15 years ago when he was in Congress. Clinton pointed out that the reform process took 10 years.
Clinton, who was surrounded by 11 children from farm families and urban schools who were invited to watch the signing said that law means the coutnry will l"put the safety of our children first."
He was referring to the fact that the Food Quality Protection Act requires pesticide regulators to take into account that children are particularly susceptible to harm from pesticides, and their diets are heavy i fruits and vegetables.
Clinton said the new law will give parents "peace of mind" that "comes from knowing that fruits, vegetables and grains they eset down in front of their children are safe."
Clinton emphasized the new law eliminates old safeguards "that simply are no longer up to the job, " a reference to the Delaney Clause, which the law overturns. He said new and safer pesticides will be approved more quickly.
"This legislation will see to it that consumers get the facts they need," Clinton said.
Under the law, supermarkets will be required to provide health information to shoppers about the pesticides used on the foods they are buying.
"A family should be able to gather for a summer dinner knowing that the fruits and vegetables before them will provide nothing more than nourishment and joy," he said.
Clinton, while praising Republicans for bipartisan support for the legislation, took a swipe at the opposition by sayiing that a year ago "we were fighting off a concerted effort to roll back our most basic safeguards for clean air, clean water and clean food."
In the end, all parties -- including political parties -- came together to pass the bill, which won unanimous approval from Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate.
As Clinton signed the bill, he was surrounded by key Republicans and Democrats who had struggled to fashion an acceptable bill. These included Sens. Richard Lugar, R-Ind.; Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.; Reps. Henry Waxman, D-Calif.; Thomas Bliley, R-Va.; and Pat Roberts, D-Kan.
In the audience were lobbyists representing such diverse groups as the Unitied Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association, the National Potato Council, Sunkist Growers, the International Apple Institute, the American Crop Protection Association, Dow Chemical, Monsanto, the National Food Processors Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Environmental Working Group, the Audubon Society, the Natural Resources Defense COuncil, the Public Voice for Food and Health Policy, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, and the National Parent-Teachers Association.
"This law breaks nearly a decade of gridlock," said Leahy, a staunch critic of pesticides in the food supply.
"Instead of addressing a single health risk in only one type of food, we will now address the whole spectrum of health risks in all our foods."
One lobbyist said: "Everybody knows what the positions are on this issue. I think people decided it was time to do something. It's amazing."
