Food Safety Bill Fails In House

The House defeated a far-reaching food safety bill after farm-state lawmakers complained it would be too invasive and others said it was pushed to the floor too quickly. The legislation, which would require more government inspections and oversight of food manufacturers in the wake of a massive salmonella outbreak in peanuts, was considered under a suspension of House rules and needed a two-thirds vote for passage. The 280-150 vote was just a few shy of that threshold. Democrats quickly scheduled another vote on the bill — under normal House rules, in which only a simple majority is needed — for Thursday.