> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Amendment to Increase FSMA Funding Fails in Committee
- URL: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2015/07/durbin-amendment-to-increase-fsma-funding-fails-in-committee/
- Published: 2015-07-17T05:01:02.000Z
- Updated: 2018-07-31T06:58:09.000Z
- Author: Lydia Zuraw
- Tags: Food Policy & Law, Food Politics, Government Agencies, agriculture appropriations, Blue Bell Creameries, Congress, Dick Durbin, FDA, food safety, FY 2016 federal budget, Senate, Senate Appropriations Committee, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2025-11-25 10:59

[![FDAmoney_406](http://foodsafetynewsfullservice.marlersites.com/files/2015/07/FDAmoney_406.jpg)](http://foodsafetynewsfullservice.marlersites.com/files/2015/07/FDAmoney%5F406-1.jpg?ref=foodsafetynews.com)

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved the agriculture appropriations bill for fiscal year 2016 on Thursday after discussing a handful of amendments. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) proposed an amendment to increase the funding allocated for implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), but it was ultimately voted down. This came after referencing [the case of Blue Bell Creameries](http://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/ice-cream-03-15/?ref=foodsafetynews.com), in which an outbreak of listeriosis linked to the company’s ice cream products sickened 10 people, three of whom died. Blue Bell recalled a year’s worth of products in April. This was just one of the 33 multistate outbreaks connected to FDA-regulated foods that have occurred since FSMA was enacted, Durbin said. “We are not funding the Food and Drug Administration for the necessary implementation and inspections \[of FSMA\],” said Durbin during the [committee markup](http://www.appropriations.senate.gov/hearings-and-testimony/full-committee-markup-fy16-agriculture-rural-development-fda-appropriations?ref=foodsafetynews.com). “They say that they need $276 million. The president asked for $109 million. Despite the good work of this committee, they fell short and put only [$45 million](https://www.foodsafetynews.com/senate-ag-appropriations-bill-heads-to-full-committee/) into food safety.” His amendment would have provided nearly $69 million in additional funding for food safety activities within FDA. Ultimately, in a 16-14 party-line vote, Durbin’s amendment went down to defeat. Durbin later said in a statement that he’s “hopeful that as this funding bill moves through the appropriations process, we can work across the aisle to increase the funding.” (To sign up for a free subscription to **Food Safety News**, click [here](http://www.foodsafetynews.com/subscribe/#.VYxry-1Vikp).)