Congress approves continuing resolution, extends Monsanto Protection Act for three months

(http://www.salon.com) The checks and balances that are meant to protect our system of government are under attack. The Farmer Assurance Provision, better known as the Monsanto Protection Act, which was passed last March, was extended for three months when the US House of Representatives' approved a spending bill on Tuesday.

The Monsanto Protection Act was snuck into the House Agriculture Appropriations Bill for 2013, a short-term funding bill to avoid a government shutdown, at the last minute and had barely been read by members of congress when they first approved it.

The current three-month extension is part of the short-term FY14 Continuing Resolution spending bill.

The Monsanto Protection Act has drawn much criticism across a broad spectrum. The provision would allow farmers and companies to continue to plant and use GMOs even if health problems or risks emerge and protects them from lawsuits related to such damages. Opponents of the bill say that it is an unprecedented attack on US judicial review, prohibiting Americans from protection by the judicial system and curtailing its responsibility to keep the government in check. Hundreds of thousands of Americans participated in the March Against Monsanto in May and made their voices heard to their "representatives" after Obama signed the provision into law. Congress apparently doesn't care about the American people, as evidenced by the fact that they refused to remove this completely unnecessary provision from the spending bill.

According to the Center for Food Safety, the provision "could override any court-mandated caution and could instead allow continued planting. Further, it forces USDA to approve permits for such continued planting immediately, putting industry completely in charge by allowing for a 'back door approval' mechanism." This is a serious affront to public safety and the democratic process.

The passed House appropriations bill will fund the government through December. All Americans should be concerned about this attack on democracy, health and food freedom. If you want to get involved, you can contact government officials here or send a letter urging representatives to strike the Monsanto Protection Act from the FY 2013 Agriculture Appropriations bill here.