FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 10, 2013
October 10, 2013
AFGE Leader Cites Salmonella Outbreak in Call to End Government Shutdown
WASHINGTON – A Salmonella outbreak that has sickened hundreds of consumers is yet another sign that the government shutdown is putting American lives in danger, American Federation of Government Employees National President J. David Cox Sr. said today.
Federal agencies responsible for monitoring the nation’s food supply have been slow to respond to the outbreak because many employees are furloughed due to the shutdown.
“The Salmonella outbreak is just another sign that Congress needs to end this government shutdown immediately,” Cox said. “People’s lives are literally being put in danger because some members in Congress would rather wage a war over universal healthcare than keep our government operating.”
The Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert on Oct. 7, linking the outbreak to raw chicken products produced by Foster Farms at three California facilities. But FSIS has yet to issue a recall.
At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where most employees are furloughed, consumer safety information about the outbreak has not been posted online.
###
For the latest AFGE news and information, visit the AFGE Media Center.
Follow us on:
