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By Rady Ananda
Food Freedom News

In a clear move against 90% of the American public, the US Senate has voted 73-26 against labeling genetically modified foods. This is not democracy; this is corporatocracy.

Meanwhile, on January 1, 2013, the second most populous nation in the world, with over 1.2 billion people, will begin labeling foods that contain genetically modified ingredients. According to a June 5 release by India’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs, under GSR 427(E)(2)(b)(ii), “Every package containing the genetically modified food shall bear at the top of its principal display panel the words ‘GM’.”

Over 50 nations, including all of Europe, label GMO foods.

The US Constitution gives states all rights not specifically enumerated to the federal government.  The feds can’t interfere with how states run their own intrastate commerce, although they often try.  So, the amendment was silly and unnecessary.  States already have the right to require GMO food labels, and at least Alaska does, but it’s limited to genetically engineered fish.

However, that 3/4 of the Senate voted against a national GMO food label law is a shame.

The only Republican to vote for it is Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski, who joined her Democrat colleague, Mark Begich. In 2005, Alaska passed its own GMO fish label law and is fighting hard to ban GE salmon.

Here’s the US vote:

U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 112th Congress – 2ndSession – as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate

Vote Summary

Question: On the Amendment (Sanders Amdt. No. 2310 )
Vote Number: 161 Vote Date: June 21, 2012, 12:36 PM
Required For Majority: 3/5 Vote Result: Amendment Rejected
Amendment Number: S.Amdt. 2310 to S. 3240 (Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012)
Statement of Purpose: To permit States to require that any food, beverage, or other edible product offered for sale have a label on indicating that the food, beverage, or other edible product contains a genetically engineered ingredient.
Vote Counts: YEAs 26
NAYs 73
Not Voting 1
Vote Summary By Senator Name By Vote Position By Home State

Grouped By Vote Position

YEAs —26
Akaka (D-HI)
Begich (D-AK)
Bennet (D-CO)
Blumenthal (D-CT)
Boxer (D-CA)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Inouye (D-HI)		 Johnson (D-SD)
Kerry (D-MA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Manchin (D-WV)
Merkley (D-OR)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murkowski (R-AK)		 Murray (D-WA)
Reed (D-RI)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Tester (D-MT)
Udall (D-NM)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)
NAYs —73
Alexander (R-TN)
Ayotte (R-NH)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Blunt (R-MO)
Boozman (R-AR)
Brown (D-OH)
Brown (R-MA)
Burr (R-NC)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coats (R-IN)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Coons (D-DE)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Durbin (D-IL)
Enzi (R-WY)		 Franken (D-MN)
Gillibrand (D-NY)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Hagan (D-NC)
Harkin (D-IA)
Hatch (R-UT)
Heller (R-NV)
Hoeven (R-ND)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Johnson (R-WI)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lee (R-UT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lugar (R-IN)
McCain (R-AZ)
McCaskill (D-MO)
McConnell (R-KY)
Menendez (D-NJ)		 Moran (R-KS)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Paul (R-KY)
Portman (R-OH)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reid (D-NV)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Rubio (R-FL)
Schumer (D-NY)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shaheen (D-NH)
Shelby (R-AL)
Snowe (R-ME)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Thune (R-SD)
Toomey (R-PA)
Udall (D-CO)
Vitter (R-LA)
Warner (D-VA)
Webb (D-VA)
Wicker (R-MS)
Not Voting – 1
Kirk (R-IL)