Generous Bonuses
Food and Drug Administration officials have testified that they don’t have enough money and inspectors to do their jobs, of protecting American consumers. They are unable to screen more than 1 percent of all the food that’s imported into the United States.
Congressional lawmakers report that the Food and Drug Administration has been failing to keep dangerous food imports out of our country. Nevertheless, top FDA officials have awarded themselves generous bonuses.
Chris Waldrop of the Consumer Federation of America has reported that a lot of bonuses are going to the top officials and not to the people doing the work every single day of protecting the American public.
According to congressional records, FDA annual retention bonuses ballooned from $2.7 million in 2002 to more than $8 million in 2006. Margaret Glavin, the associate commissioner for regulatory affairs, received a cash bonus of more than $48,000 in 2005 and an another cash bonus topping $44,000 in 2006. These bonuses were in addition to her annual salary of more than $150,000 a year.
Wenonah Hauter of the “Food and Water Watch” says: “I think that people would be pretty shocked to know that this is how their taxpayer dollars are being spent. We need more inspection. We need more testing. And the agency says that they don’t have the money to do this, but, yet, they have the money to do bonuses.”
The agency has requested more funding in next year’s budget. During a hearing, Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak, who chairs the subcommittee that oversees the FDA asked Dr. David Acheson the Commissioner for food protection for the “Food and Drug Administration” how much of an increase was being requested in the 2008 budget. Acheson said about $10 million to which Rep. Stupak inquired: “And what was the $10 million going to be targeted for? Hopefully not bonuses.”
Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee have asked the inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate the bonuses handed out and Democratic Senator Byron Dorgan has asked for the Government Accountability Office to conduct a similar review.
Congressional lawmakers report that the Food and Drug Administration has been failing to keep dangerous food imports out of our country. Nevertheless, top FDA officials have awarded themselves generous bonuses.
Chris Waldrop of the Consumer Federation of America has reported that a lot of bonuses are going to the top officials and not to the people doing the work every single day of protecting the American public.
According to congressional records, FDA annual retention bonuses ballooned from $2.7 million in 2002 to more than $8 million in 2006. Margaret Glavin, the associate commissioner for regulatory affairs, received a cash bonus of more than $48,000 in 2005 and an another cash bonus topping $44,000 in 2006. These bonuses were in addition to her annual salary of more than $150,000 a year.
Wenonah Hauter of the “Food and Water Watch” says: “I think that people would be pretty shocked to know that this is how their taxpayer dollars are being spent. We need more inspection. We need more testing. And the agency says that they don’t have the money to do this, but, yet, they have the money to do bonuses.”
The agency has requested more funding in next year’s budget. During a hearing, Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak, who chairs the subcommittee that oversees the FDA asked Dr. David Acheson the Commissioner for food protection for the “Food and Drug Administration” how much of an increase was being requested in the 2008 budget. Acheson said about $10 million to which Rep. Stupak inquired: “And what was the $10 million going to be targeted for? Hopefully not bonuses.”
Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee have asked the inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate the bonuses handed out and Democratic Senator Byron Dorgan has asked for the Government Accountability Office to conduct a similar review.
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