Senator Pat Roberts introduced H.R. 1599, a bill to stop efforts to label genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The bill has a hearing in the U.S. Senate Ag Committee on March 1.
DARK Act
H.R. 1599, often referred to as the Denying Americans the Right to Know or DARK Act, would prevent:
- States from adopting their own GMO labeling laws.
- State or county laws regulating GMO crops.
- The Food and Drug Administration from requiring companies to label GMO ingredients and instead continue a failed 14-year voluntary labeling policy.
Consumers have a right to know if foods contain GMOs.
Contact Senate Ag Committee members
If you live in one of these states, urge your Senators serving on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry committee to vote No on the DARK Act, H.R. 1599.
| John Boozman (AR) | Thom Tillis (NC) |
| Michael F. Bennet (CO) | Heidi Heitkamp (ND) |
| David Perdue (GA) | John Hoeven (ND) |
| Joni Ernst (IA) | Ben Sasse (NE) |
| Chuck Grassley (IA) | Kirsten E. Gillibrand (NY) |
| Pat Roberts (KS) | Sherrod Brown (OH) |
| Mitch McConnell (KY) | Robert P. Casey (PA) |
| Debbie Stabenow (MI) | John Thune (SD) |
| Amy Klobuchar (MN) | Patrick J. Leahy (VT) |
| Thad Cochran (MS) |
For those in North Dakota, South Dakota or Colorado, use WORC’s Action Page to contact your Senators.
For those in other states, use Farm Aid’s Action Center to contact your Senators on the committee.
Millions oppose the DARK Act
WORC and the member groups were part of a joint letter in November urging Congress to oppose efforts to deny consumers the right to know what it is in their food and how it is grown. 290 organizations, farming and fishing groups, and food companies, representing tens of millions of members and customers across the country, signed the letter.
In December 2015, a new poll found that nine out of ten Americans want labels on GMO food regardless of age, income or even party affiliation.
If your Senator serves on the Ag Committee (above), contact your Senator today. To keep informed and for opportunities to take action on GMO labeling, join WORC’s email action list.
Update
On March 1, the Senate Ag Committee passed the DARK Act to block mandatory GMO labeling by a 14-to-6 vote. The bill now heads to the full Senate for consideration. Join WORC’s email action list for opportunities to contact your Senators when the bill is introduced.