Submits Testimony at House Energy & Commerce Committee Hearing

July 17, 2007

Today, Congressman Ed Perlmutter submitted testimony at a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing regarding the consolidation of seven Food & Drug Administration (FDA) field laboratories. If the FDA goes ahead with their plan, the Denver District Laboratory which is located in the Denver Federal Center in Lakewood would be closed, with a facility in Arkansas becoming the closest lab to the Denver region.

"I hope that the FDA listens to Congress and the employees of these field laboratories. These closures are purely economic in nature and do not place the emphasis on where it needs to be, which is on the safety of our food and medications that are both domestic and imported. Closing the Denver District Laboratory would be detrimintal for the 7th Congressional District, the Roucky Mountain Region and the Country," said Perlmutter.

Below is the submitted testimony:

"I would like to go on record to voice my strong opposition to the proposed closure of seven of the13 FDA field laboratories, including the Denver District Laboratory, located in the 7th Congressional District, in Lakewood Colorado . The Denver District Laboratory, located at the Denver Federal Center , a GSA owned and operated facility, is an award winning lab. Many of the employees at this facility have vast experience and an invaluable research knowledge base. Furthermore it is doubtful these same employees would move to any of the consolidated laboratories, which under the proposed consolidation would be in Arkansas .

The FDA has yet to provide any evidence supporting that the proposed closures and consolidation would lead to better safety standards for our nation’s food supply, pharmaceutical products, medical equipment, cosmetics and other health-related products for safety and effectiveness and ensuring that the products are labeled properly.

The fact of the matter is these FDA lab closures are purely economic in nature and do not take into account the safety of our citizens. I understand the need to be good stewards of our tax dollars, but we must not risk or compromise the health and safety of our nation. As a proud member of the House Homeland Security Committee, I understand the importance and responsibility entrusted to members of Congress to ensure the safety of our nation and the FDA’s closure of these laboratories is contrary to that duty.

Time and again the Denver District Laboratory has performed critical research for our nation. Recently, the FDA asked the Denver laboratory to assist in evaluating the levels of the contaminant melamine in animal feed used to raise food for human consumption. The FDA asked the Denver laboratory to quickly develop a methodology to quantify melamine residues in fish tissues. Because melamine has not been approved as a food additive, no published types of analysis were available for its determination in fish. In less than two weeks, the lab developed, validated and submitted the method for publication, and made it available for national distribution to all state and federal laboratories. As of June, the Denver District Laboratory continues to be the only FDA laboratory capable of testing seafood samples for the presence of melamine.

The FDA failed to address several key components for their rationale for justifying the closure of seven field laboratories including how they are going to fund the laboratory closures. The agency has yet to reveal a plan to recover the loss of experience, knowledge and scientific expertise resulting due to potential FDA laboratory consolidation. Additionally, the FDA has yet to explain why they are displacing their more senior employees while hiring new employees."