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HR 2916 108th Congress House

Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act

Official title: To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the Federal Meat Inspection Act, and the Poultry Products Inspection Act to require that food that contains … Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the Federal Meat Inspection Act, and the Poultry Products Inspection Act to require that food that contains a genetically engineered material, or that is produced with a genetically engineered material, be labeled accordingly.

Introduced: October 29, 2003 See on congress.gov
Agriculture and Food Administrative procedureAdministrative remediesAnimalsCitizen lawsuits
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
CommerceConsumer educationDepartment of AgricultureFines (Penalties)Food safetyGenetic engineeringGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment paperworkInjunctionsJudicial reviewLabelingLawLegal feesLivestockMeat inspectionParties to actionsPoultryPublic Lands and Natural ResourcesScience, Technology, CommunicationsTransgenic animalsTransgenic plants
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This bill died when the 108th Congress ended
It never became law before the 108th Congress (2003–2004) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Aug 8, 2003
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Jul 31, 2003
Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock and Horticulture.
Jul 25, 2003
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Jul 25, 2003
Introduced in House
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 Latest action August 8, 2003

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA), Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA), and the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) to deem a food misbranded if it contains or was produced with a genetically engineered material unless its labeling contains statements meeting specified requirements. Requires the periodic testing of such foods transferred along a chain of distribution to assure accuracy of labels, subject to specified exceptions. Excludes, in all three Acts, food: (1) served in restaurants; or (2) prepared primarily in a retail establishment, ready for human consumption, but not offered for sale for immediate consumption in the establishment. Excludes, for the FDCA, a medical food as defined in the Orphan Drug Act.

Subjects violators to civil monetary penalties, exempting recipients who accept a guarantee of the absence of genetically engineered material in good faith or producers whose food inadvertently becomes contaminated by genetically engineered material. Authorizes citizen suits as specified.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4
 Cosponsors 8
All 8 Democratic 6 Independent 1
D
Lofgren, Zoe
California · Nov 21, 2003
 D
Schakowsky, Janice D.
Illinois · Oct 29, 2003
 D
McCollum, Betty
Minnesota · Jul 29, 2003
KLECZKA, GERALD
· Jul 25, 2003
 D
Nadler, Jerrold
New York · Jul 25, 2003
 I
Sanders, Bernard
Vermont · Jul 25, 2003
 D
Velázquez, Nydia M.
New York · Jul 25, 2003
 D
Waters, Maxine
California · Jul 25, 2003
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2916: Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act. 108th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-2916/
MLA
"H.R. 2916: Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act." 108th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-2916/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 2916, 108th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-2916/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 2916: Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/108-HR-2916/)
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