Reps. DeGette, Waxman Call For Hearing On Listeria

DENVER (AP) - U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette of Colorado and Henry Waxman of California are calling for a congressional hearing on the recent listeria outbreak.

Health officials have linked 15 deaths and 84 illnesses in 19 states to a strain of listeria found on cantaloupes from Jensen Farms in Holly, Colo.

On Monday, DeGette and Waxman asked House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Cliff Stearns for a hearing. They also requested several documents from Jensen Farms, including a customer list and inspection records of the farm.

DeGette and Waxman say an investigation and hearing would help them learn causes of the outbreak and what industry and the Food and Drug Administration can do to prevent similar outbreaks.

LINK:  DeGette and Waxman Letter

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