Senator Kirsten Gillibrand wants to expand the investigative authority of the Food and Drug Administration, following recent cases of salmonella and e-coli contamination.
Recalling last year's romaine lettuce contamination, Senator Gillibrand noted the FDA traced the e-coli outbreak to Arizona, but couldn't look at a nearby cattle feed operation.
Current law prohibits the FDA from investigating animal farms. Ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, Senator Gillibrand wants to change the regulations, so that investigations can properly determine the original source of outbreaks.