Senator Collins, I commend you for your diligence in pursuing the issue of food safety of imported foods. For the past 14 months , the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has undertaken an important task that I hope will lead to the reduction in health risks to American consumers from imported foods.

I am pleased to join you today in welcoming our distinguished colleagues: Senator Coverdell, Senator Mikulski, and Senator Kennedy, all of whom have introduced legislation relating to the importation of food and the safety of these imports, as well as Senator Harkin, the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. I look forward to receiving their testimony and that of our other witnesses today and tomorrow. I am confident the witnesses's testimony will assist us in further identifying the appropriate federal role in ensuring imported food safety.

I must add that as a Senator representing Hawaii, which is envied for its pineapples, papayas, mangoes, bananas, and other tropical fruits, I obviously prefer American produce over foreign agricultural products. Our previous hearings have explored the problems associated with foodborne illnesses. We heard from expert witnesses testifying on inadequate entry-control systems for imported food. We have seen that federal efforts to ensure the safe importation of foods are unreliable and inconsistent according to a study by the General Accounting Office, and we learned that fraud and deceit were commonplace problems.

One problem area that has yet to be explored fully are pesticides banned in the United States that are still being used overseas. As we develop a comprehensive approach to the importation of food, we cannot forget about unsafe levels of pesticides and/or chemical residues found in imported foods.

Nor can we forget that America's consumers are not the only ones at risk. America's farmers suffer as well. Every time a pesticide is banned in the United States because of health reasons, our farmers must turn to alternative farming practices, which are often more expensive. Yet the farmers overseas do not operate under the same restrictions and the FDA, which is responsible for the safety of most imported foods, can only provide visual inspection of these items.

The American public deserves produce that is fresh and healthy--free from harmful pesticides, parasites, microorganisms, and unsanitary conditions. Again, I thank Senator Collins for undertaking this massive investigation and for holding this series of hearings.