“Today, I requested that my pay be withheld until the partial government shutdown is over, and I cosponsored legislation to block Members of Congress from receiving a paycheck when a budget and funding bills aren’t completed by the start of the fiscal year,” Sen. McSally said.
“I also just introduced legislation to pay federal law enforcement officers as they continue to serve during the partial shutdown. I don’t believe Members of Congress should get paid while those who keep us safe, like our border patrol agents and CBP officers at our ports of entry, continue to work tirelessly without pay not knowing how they’ll afford their rent and support their families. Let’s break the gridlock and find a path forward to secure our border and fund the government.”
If I were a legislator, I would be ashamed to accept pay until my job was done. I am sick of the entire "continuing resolution" non budget thing.
I heard yesterday that the FDA stopped inspecting due to the shutdown. Really? No contingency for food safety? I don't think the government understands what it is for.
I heard yesterday that the FDA stopped inspecting due to the shutdown. Really? No contingency for food safety? I don't think the government understands what it is for.
You think that's bad? The real tragedy is this one. This could cause violent insurrection.
I can't imagine that the FDA could stop inspections. That would leave hundreds, if not thousands of trucks sitting at farms and docks instantly. That would bring commerce to its knees in a matter of a day or two. I managed a fleet of produce trucks for seven years (I must have broken a mirror) and I can guarantee you that trucks do not get unloaded without pay and buyers do not pay without inspections, not every single load is inspected, but many are.
There are games that buyers will play with produce brokers, it is a dirty business. One tool in that game is holding a truck (perishable load, remember), waiting for the FDA.
[This message has been edited by williegoat (edited 01-11-2019).]
I heard yesterday that the FDA stopped inspecting due to the shutdown. Really? No contingency for food safety? I don't think the government understands what it is for.
I deal with the FDA on a regular basis as part of my profession.
The FDA IS still inspecting "high risk" products, (both food and medical / pharmaceutical), but have scaled back other routine periodic inspections.
Despite some folks imagination, FDA inspectors do not stand by 24/7/365 in food production factories ticking off things on a clipboard. They conduct periodic audits and inspections, generally once a year or less, notwithstanding other problems such as a disease outbreak or verified reports of hazardous contamination.
The Department of Agriculture has said its inspections of meat, poultry and processed eggs will continue, and that 89 percent of its food safety employees are still working.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which helps with tainted food outbreaks, is not affected by the partial shutdown.
[This message has been edited by randye (edited 01-11-2019).]
I deal with the FDA on a regular basis as part of my profession.
The FDA IS still inspecting "high risk" products, (both food and medical / pharmaceutical), but have scaled back other routine periodic inspections.
Despite some folks imagination, FDA inspectors do not stand by 24/7/365 in food production factories ticking off things on a clipboard. They conduct periodic audits and inspections, generally once a year or less, notwithstanding other problems such as a disease outbreak or verified reports of hazardous contamination.
The Department of Agriculture has said its inspections of meat, poultry and processed eggs will continue, and that 89 percent of its food safety employees are still working.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which helps with tainted food outbreaks, is not affected by the partial shutdown.
It's sometimes hard for some folks to realize that the FDA is not responsible for inspecting each and every item of food that we purchase.
They set up minimum operational guidelines and procedures that food processors and medical companies must create and follow, and they periodically audit and inspect companies to see that they are following those procedures, but the FDA, the Department of Agriculture and the CDC combined could never reasonably have the budgets or manpower to put an inspector in every company for every day and every shift.....and it was never intended to be that way.
During this partial government shutdown, the FDA has (I think wisely), temporarily suspended routine inspections of "low risk" manufacturers and producers. It really doesn't make sense to put urgency on inspecting the "Crispy Cracker Factory" or the jelly bean company right now unless an obvious problem arises.
Most of the alarmist stuff like "FDA has suspended inspections" is political propaganda from the liberal, leftist media intended to scare the populace.
[This message has been edited by randye (edited 01-11-2019).]
The more we allow the government to provide for us, the more we are held hostage. At some point, the government becomes the master and the people become the servants. That is exactly the opposite of what our founders intended.
