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REMARKS BY:		DONNA E. SHALALA, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
PLACE:			USDA Food Safety Public Meeting, Washington, D.C.
DATE:			March 5, 1997

In 1899, the U.S. Commissioner of Patents made this prediction: "Everything that can be invented has been invented."

In 1927, when silent movies were still the toast of the town, Henry Warner of Warner Brothers said, "Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?"

Then, there was the person who defined progress as "A continuing effort to make the things we eat and drink as good as they used to be."

That's where I draw the line. The fact is, the food we eat and the water we drink are much better today -- thanks, in large part, to many of you.

And, we don't have to travel back to the dark days of Upton Sinclair's landmark book, The Jungle, to see the distance we've traveled -- and the distance we still have to go.

I'll never forget, back in the earliest days of the Administration, one Cabinet retreat that we had with the President.

That was where we heard that people in the Northwest -- particularly children -- were becoming deathly ill from some unknown cause.

Public health officials from across the Administration, from state and local governments, from everywhere in America scrambled to find the source.

We, of course, know now that it was E Coli contaminated hamburgers. But, by the time the outbreak was contained it had left behind a trail of illness and death that we as a society are unwilling to accept. And we haven't.

Under the leadership of the President and the Vice President, the leadership of Secretary Glickman and Carol Browner, the leadership of our department and all of our stakeholders, we made it clear:

No parent should have to worry that the fish or chicken or fruit or juice that they give their children will make them sick -- or worse.

Whether they're eating in a 4-star restaurant, a supermarket deli counter, a school lunchroom, a hospital, or at home, all Americans need to have confidence that their food is safe.

And in the last four years, this Administration has taken real steps to ensure that they do.

Dan has already told you about his Department's accomplishments in this area.

At HHS, I'm proud that we're protecting our seafood with the best science around -- the same science used to protect our astronauts in space.

I'm proud of the seafood HACCP program, as we usher in a new era in safety for food producers.

I'm proud of the research we're conducting, research that is uncovering the mysteries behind the causes and spread of these deadly illnesses.

And, I'm proud that we've done all of this and more -- not by standing alone.

Not by separating ourselves by agency walls or departmental walls, or the walls that, in the past, too often separated industry and consumers from us and each other.

We have stood together with our colleagues at USDA and EPA and will all of you.

But we cannot hang out the victory flag yet.

Not when foodborne illnesses still claim the lives of up to 9,000 people a year.

Not when there are estimates that these incidents will rise by 10-15 percent over the next decade.

And not when these sicknesses rob us of resources and rob us of the security we should feel every time we pick up something to eat or drink.

Just this winter, we were faced once again with another E Coli outbreak in the West -- this time in apple juice.

This time, local officials picked up on the warning signs and called us.

We identified the lethal form of E Coli rapidly.

We found its source within hours.

And the manufacturer recalled the juice immediately.

That was a success story, yes.

But, it was only one community and one outbreak

And still more than a dozen children were hospitalized, and one even died. That is one too many.

At a time when new pathogens are emerging and old ones are becoming resistant to treatment.

At a time when Americans are eating out more and airline travel is bringing people -- and diseases -- in and out of this nation.

We need a coordinated system, a nationwide system, a system that uses the best science around to stop and prevent food-borne illnesses before they become tragedies.

That's exactly what the President has proposed: A new early warning system -- with new sites and state-of-the-art DNA fingerprinting technology.

So now we can identify illnesses like we identify criminals -- by tracing, monitoring and passing on the information to our communities. .

But, that's not all. The President has challenged us to embark upon an historic examination of our entire food safety system.

He wants us to come up with new ways to protect what we eat and drink.

And he has directed Secretary Glickman, EPA Administrator Browner, and me to work with all of you to make it happen.

Our recommendations are due by the end of next month.

You've seen our draft report. And you'll hear more details about it throughout this meeting.

But, let me be clear: It's a work in progress. The real work must begin now -- with you right here.

Because, just like we did with the HACCP program, and just as we have done so many proud times in this nation, we must stand together -- public and private, industry and consumers.

So that together we can write a new definition of progress: The day when our children have to turn to the history books to learn about the tragedy of foodborne diseases.

Thank you.