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Sun Dec 27, 2009 at 22:09:31 PM PST
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| S. 619, The Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA), just gained 3 new co-sponsors in the Senate: Sen. Whitehouse (D-RI), Sen. Lautenberg (D-NJ), and Sen. Specter (D-PA). This brings it up to a total of 15 co-sponsors in the Senate (and 100 co-sponsors in the House version, H.R. 1549). That's still not enough to pass it in either body, but it's nice to see some movement on such an important bill. Furthermore, it doesn't seem to be a left-right issue since both Senators from Maine plus Lieberman have signed on. You'll notice a lack of co-sponsors from the center of the country though.
The bill does not ban all antibiotics in livestock. If an animal is sick, of course the farmer should be able to treat it. The ban will be on nontherapeutic uses (i.e. when an animal is NOT sick) classes of antibiotics that are used in human medicine. The goal is exactly like the name of the bill says - to prevent the evolution of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics used to treat humans. This bill was introduced into the House by Louise Slaughter, and she's got a microbiology background. The Senate version was introduced by Ted Kennedy and it's unfortunate that he won't be around to vote for it. I've included a full list of Senate co-sponsors below. If either of your Senators aren't on the list, shoot 'em an email and ask them to co-sponsor it. |
| Jill Richardson :: Bill to Limit Antibiotics in Livestock Gains Support |
Senate Co-sponsors:
Daniel Akaka [D-HI]
Maria Cantwell [D-WA]
Susan Collins [R-ME]
Dianne Feinstein [D-CA]
John Kerry [D-MA]
Frank Lautenberg [D-NJ]
Joseph Lieberman [I-CT]
Robert Menéndez [D-NJ]
Jeff Merkley [D-OR]
John Reed [D-RI]
Bernard Sanders [I-VT]
Olympia Snowe [R-ME]
Arlen Specter [D-PA]
Sheldon Whitehouse [D-RI]
Ron Wyden [D-OR] |
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