Reply #22: Sen. Cantwell pushed Bush to close mad cow loopholes

[Bluebear]

SEATTLE -- U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell on Monday accused the Bush administration of dragging its heels in implementing strict rules that could help prevent the spread of mad cow disease.

The Washington Democrat also pushed her Animal Feed Protection Act, which would impose a comprehensive ban on all animal feed containing potentially risky materials that could cause the fatal brain-wasting bovine illness.

In January, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson announced new U.S. Food and Drug Administration rules that would close loopholes in current regulations that allow cattle to be fed cow blood, restaurant scraps and chicken litter. The rules would also ban feed production facilities from using the same equipment to process both ruminant and nonruminant feed, which can leave the door open to cross-contamination, Cantwell said at a news conference.

Cantwell said administration officials in January promised the rules would take effect within a few days, but 12 weeks have passed and they still have not been imposed.

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http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/madcow/story/4985914p...