NEWS RELEASE

Committee on Energy and Commerce
Rep. John D. Dingell, Chairman

Energy and Commerce Committee Subpoenas Hallmark/Westland Chief

Washington, DC – In a bipartisan vote today, the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations unanimously voted to issue a subpoena for the testimony of Steve E. Mendell, President of Hallmark/Westland Meat Company. The Subcommittee is seeking testimony regarding the nation’s largest beef recall last month by Hallmark/Westland. In total, 143 million pounds of beef, some of which was sold to the national school lunch program, was recalled.

“Millions of pounds of recalled meat arrived in schools across the country and the American people deserve to know what lead to this,” said Rep. John D. Dingell (D-MI), the Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee. “Mr. Mendell’s testimony will add an important piece to the puzzle.”

“The subcommittee’s subpoena power is not a tool we like to utilize, but we will use it when necessary to provide proper oversight,” said Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI), the Chairman of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee. “The unanimous support of Democrats and Republicans on the Committee should send a clear message to Mr. Mendell that he cannot ignore congressional authority on this important issue, which has already caused enormous problems for so many school districts, businesses and senior’s facilities.”

The subpoena compels Mendell to testify before the Subcommittee on March 12 at a hearing entitled, “Regulatory Failure: Must America Live with Unsafe Food?” This will be the Subcommittee’s sixth hearing on food safety during the 110th Congress.

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