Nitrite Moratorium and Food Safety Act
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.
Nitrite Moratorium and Food Safety Act - Prohibits the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare and the Secretary of Agriculture from prohibiting commerce, prior to May 1, 1980, in any food by reason of the carcinogenic or other toxic effect of the nitrite added to that food, if: (1) addition of such nitrite was permitted under applicable Federal Act on May 1, 1979; and (2) the quantity of such nitrite is within the tolerances in effect on May 1, 1979, or within such tolerances as may thereafter be established, for the purpose of preventing botulism. Prohibits either Secretary from prohibiting commerce on or after May 1, 1980, in any food to which nitrite has been added if the addition of such nitrite: (1) is shown to be safe; or (2) if not shown to be safe, is shown to be necessary to protect against botulism. Extends the period of such moratorium until such time as an alternative anti-toxin becomes available. Requires each Secretary to make an annual review of all regulations issued under this Act in order to determine progress toward making available effective and feasible alternative means for preventing botulism.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on April 2, 1979. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on April 2, 1979: Referred to House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 96th Congress (1979-80), 613 of the 12,581 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
THOMAS FOLEY (D-WA) introduced it on April 2, 1979. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on April 2, 1979, 17328 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17328 days ago, on April 2, 1979.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 96th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1981 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers