The U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations issued a press release today stating that it will hold a hearing titled, "A Diminished Capacity:  can the FDA Assure the Safety and Security of the Nation’s Food Supply?" on Tuesday, April 24, 2007, at 9:30 a.m. in room 2123 Rayburn House Office Building. 

Attorney Bill Marler will attend the hearing, and several Marler Clark clients will testify, including victims of last year’s Dole spinach E. coli outbreak, the Taco Bell E. coli outbreak, and the ConAgra peanut butter Salmonella outbreak.

According to the subcommittee Web site:

This hearing is part of the Committee’s broader investigation into the safety of our nation’s food supply and the declining ability of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct inspections and perform laboratory analysis. The hearing will focus on the recent contamination of pet food, peanut butter and spinach. Witnesses will include victims of food borne illnesses resulting from the outbreaks as well as representatives from the companies responsible for producing the contaminated products.

Other witnesses will include a veterinarian and food- and pet food-industry representatives.