Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act Amendments of 1980
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act Amendments of 1980 - Title I: Amendments to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act - Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to redefine the term "interstate commerce" that affects commerce between any State or territory and any place outside thereof. Eliminates the requirement that the Secretary of Health and Human Services, (formerly, the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare) designate the optional ingredients which shall be named on the label of a food or class of food for which a definition and standard of identity has been prescribed which permits the use of optional ingredients. States that a food which purports to be or is represented as a food for which a definition and standard of identity has been prescribed shall be deemed misbranded if such food does not conform to such definition and standard and its label does not bear the name of the food specified in such definition and standard. Requires that labels of food contain a list of each ingredient in order of predominance by weight, and, where required, stating the percentage which each ingredient comprises of the total food product, other than spices, flavorings, and colorings. Eliminates the exemption of butter, cheese, or ice cream from the declaration of artificial color on the label requirement. Requires each food processor who processes food for export to the United States to register with the Secretary the name and location of such processor's place of business and processing plant and the foods to be processed in such establishment. Requires such processors to notify the Secretary whenever a discontinuance or substantive change in such activity takes place. Permits the Secretary to exempt any food processor from such requirements. Declares food processed in an unregistered establishment misbranded. Makes failure to register a prohibited act under the Federal, Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Sets forth requirements for prescription animal drugs. Authorizes the Secretary to require the addition of specific inert chemical makers to aid in verifying the presence of specified new animal drugs in animal feed. Eliminates the requirement for annual re-registration of producers of drugs and devices. Prohibits entry into the United States of any food, drug, device, or cosmetic for which an import notice has not been filed with the Secretary. Requires such notice to identify the product, the manufacturer, and the registration number assigned to such manufacturer or processor under this Act and to designate an agent within the jurisdiction of the United States. Makes violations of such requirements a prohibited act. States that foods imported in violation of such requirements shall be deemed misbranded. Permits the detention of a food, drug, or cosmetic which an inspector has reason to believe is adulterated or misbranded. Applies the requirements respecting the detention of devices to foods, drugs, and cosmetics. Increases the criminal fines for violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the Public Health Service Act biological products provisions. Grants the Secretary the same authority as that possessed by the Federal Trade Commission when administering and enforcing this Act. Permits the inspection of a consulting laboratory in which food, drugs, devices, or cosmetics are being processed, packed, or held. Permits such inspectors access to the quality control records of any establishment involved in such proceedings. Permits the Secretary to prescribe a system of coding of food, drugs, devices, and cosmetics and to require manufacturers, processors, and packers to implement such system. Makes products which fail to comply with such requirements misbranded. Title II: Other Amendments - Repeals the Filled Milk Act, the definition of nonfat dry milk and butter, and the requirement for a fair packaging and labeling report. Amends the Tea Importation Act to set forth procedures for the acquisition of samples by examiners from importers and consignees.
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, 1980. 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, 1980: 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?
HENRY WAXMAN (D-CA) introduced it on April 2, 1980. 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, 1980, 17009 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17009 days ago, on April 2, 1980.
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