FEDERALhearing transcript

Congressional Hearing on FDA Food Recall Processes

Original title: SAFETY OF THE U.S. FOOD SUPPLY: CONTINUING CONCERNS OVER THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION'S FOOD-RECALL PROCESS

January 1, 2019

food safety FDA product recalls regulatory oversight public health

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The Frame

What this does

The hearing examines the oversight mechanisms used to protect the public from contaminated food, directly impacting the speed and transparency with which the FDA identifies and removes hazardous products from grocery shelves.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Food and Drug Administration

The agency is subject to congressional oversight regarding its regulatory and enforcement procedures for food recalls.

U.S. Consumers

The effectiveness of the FDA recall process determines the speed at which potentially hazardous food is removed from the market.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2019.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

This document is a transcript of a 2018 House subcommittee hearing investigating the effectiveness of the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) . Lawmakers and officials reviewed concerns regarding how the agency manages and monitors the removal of unsafe food products from the U.S. supply chain.

Key Facts

The hearing was held on January 19, 2018, by the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
The primary focus was the FDA's food-recall process and identified concerns regarding its efficiency.
Witnesses included representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the FDA.
The hearing record includes prepared statements from committee leadership and witnesses regarding food safety oversight.
Douglas W. Stearn, representing the FDA, did not provide answers to submitted questions for the record by the time of the document's printing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the purpose of this hearing?

The hearing was conducted to investigate and address ongoing concerns regarding how the FDA manages the process of recalling unsafe food products.

Who testified at this hearing?

Testimony was provided by Gloria L. Jarman from the HHS Office of Inspector General and Douglas W. Stearn from the FDA.

Why It Matters

News Coverage

Left1

1 source

Blind spot - no right-leaning coverage

FDA blocked studies finding Covid and shingles vaccines safe, HHS official says

The GuardianMay 5, 2026

A Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) spokesperson confirmed that the FDA blocked the publication of several taxpayer-funded studies that concluded Covid-19 and shingles vaccines were safe. The agency stated the studies were withdrawn due to methodological concerns, while critics argue the move reflects a pattern of suppressing data that supports vaccine safety.

Bias ratings based on AllSides / Media Bias/Fact Check

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Oversight of FDA Enforcement

The hearing highlights a persistent legislative focus on the FDA's enforcement capabilities, specifically regarding the timeline and efficacy of food recalls.

Food and Drug Administration Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

Connected Entities

personGregg Harper“Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations”Map →

personDouglas W. Stearn“Acting Deputy Director for Regulatory Affairs, FDA”Map →

organizationFood and Drug Administration“Federal agency responsible for food safety and recalls”Map →

personDiana DeGette“Ranking Member of the Subcommittee”Map →

organizationDepartment of Health and Human Services“Parent department for the FDA and OIG”Map →

personGloria L. Jarman“Deputy Inspector General for Audit Services, HHS”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance65
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy40
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz15
Current news / social attention level

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