--- title: Food Safety Attorney Bill Marler calls on Congress to investigate both the cause of the Deadly Boar’s Head Listeria outbreak and why USDA/FSIS inspectors allowed the conditions to exist for years date: 2024-08-30T16:30:00-07:00 author: Julie Dueck canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/news_events/food-safety-attorney-bill-marler-calls-on-congress-to-investigate-both-the-cause-of-the-deadly-boars-head-listeria-outbreak-and-why-usda-fsis-inspectors-allowed-the-conditions-to-exist-for-years" section: News --- [All News](/news_events) / [Press Releases](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/press-releases) / # Food Safety Attorney Bill Marler calls on Congress to investigate both the cause of the Deadly Boar’s Head Listeria outbreak and why USDA/FSIS inspectors allowed the conditions to exist for years “The years of inspection reports ([**here**](https://www.marlerblog.com/files/2024/08/2024-08-27.pdf)) leave little doubt that the Boar’s Head plant’s food safety plan must have been nonexistent,“ said food safety attorney Bill Marler. “It is hard to wrap my head around how food could be produced in these conditions by this company and under the gaze of FSIS inspectors." It is time for the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate committees to use their authority to get to the bottom of the Boar’s Head Listeria outbreak that has sickened at least 57, killing nine to date. The Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906 is an American law that makes it illegal to adulterate or misbrand meat and meat products being sold as food and ensures that meat and meat products are slaughtered and processed under strictly regulated sanitary conditions. These House and Senate committees play crucial roles in shaping food safety regulations, appropriating funds for related programs, and overseeing the implementation of food safety measures within the USDA. In the U.S. Congress, several committees oversee food safety and inspection services under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The primary committees involved are listed below. **The U.S. House of Representatives:** 1\. Committee on Agriculture: This committee has primary responsibility for legislation related to farming, nutrition, and agriculture in general. It oversees issues related to food safety, including the inspection of meat, poultry, and processed egg products. 2\. Committee on Appropriations: Specifically, the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies oversees funding for the USDA’s food safety programs. 3\. Committee on Energy and Commerce: This committee, particularly its subcommittee on health, has jurisdiction over food safety as it relates to public health and FDA-related matters. **U.S. Senate:** 1\. Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Like its House counterpart, this Senate committee oversees agricultural policies, including food safety and the USDA’s inspection services. 2\. Committee on Appropriations: Specifically, the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies also has oversight of the USDA’s budget and funding related to food safety. 3\. Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP): This committee addresses health issues, including food safety regulations and policies. [](http://www.billmarler.com/) [Bill Marler ](http://www.billmarler.com/)has been a food safety lawyer and advocate since the 1993 Jack-in-the-Box *E. coli* O157:H7 outbreak which was chronicled in the book [“Poisoned: The True Story of the Deadly E. Coli Outbreak That Changed the Way Americans Eat”](https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4225647-1&h=1020790832&u=https%3A%2F%2Fc212.net%2Fc%2Flink%2F%3Ft%3D0%26l%3Den%26o%3D4034776-2%26h%3D1725078326%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.amazon.com%252FPoisoned-Deadly-Outbreak-Changed-Americans%252Fdp%252F098495435X%26a%3D%2522Poisoned%2522&a=%22Poisoned%22) and in the recent Emmy Award-winning [Netflix documentary, "Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food."](https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4225647-1&h=2811251747&u=https%3A%2F%2Fc212.net%2Fc%2Flink%2F%3Ft%3D0%26l%3Den%26o%3D4034776-2%26h%3D3559152489%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.netflix.com%252Ftitle%252F81460481%2523%253A%257E%253Atext%253D2023%252520%25257C%252520Maturity%252520Rating%25253ATV%25252D%252Cfoodborne%252520illness%252520in%252520the%252520US.%26a%3DNetflix%2Bdocumentary&a=Netflix+documentary) Bill’s work has been profiled in The New Yorker, [“A Bug in the System;”](https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4225647-1&h=3494984181&u=https%3A%2F%2Fc212.net%2Fc%2Flink%2F%3Ft%3D0%26l%3Den%26o%3D4034776-2%26h%3D225575945%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.newyorker.com%252Fmagazine%252F2015%252F02%252F02%252Fbug-system%26a%3D%2522A%2BBug%2Bin%2Bthe%2BSystem%253B%2522&a=%22A+Bug+in+the+System%3B%22) The Seattle Times, [“30 years after the deadly *E. coli* outbreak, a Seattle attorney still fights for food safety;”](https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/30-years-after-the-deadly-e-coli-outbreak-a-seattle-attorney-still-fights-for-food-safety/) The Washington Post, [“He helped make burgers safer. Now he is fighting food poisoning again;”](https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4225647-1&h=4007553127&u=https%3A%2F%2Fc212.net%2Fc%2Flink%2F%3Ft%3D0%26l%3Den%26o%3D4034776-2%26h%3D3259035492%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.washingtonpost.com%252Fnational%252Fhe-helped-make-burgers-safer-now-hes-fighting-food-poisoning-again%252F2020%252F01%252F18%252F5b979cf8-38ad-11ea-9541-9107303481a4_story.html%26a%3D%2522He%2Bhelped%2Bmake%2Bburgers%2Bsafer%252C%2BNow%2Bhe%2Bis%2Bfighting%2Bfood%2Bpoisoning%2Bagain%253B%2522&a=%22He+helped+make+burgers+safer%2C+Now+he+is+fighting+food+poisoning+again%3B%22) and [several others](https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4225647-1&h=3545986551&u=https%3A%2F%2Fc212.net%2Fc%2Flink%2F%3Ft%3D0%26l%3Den%26o%3D4034776-2%26h%3D2749355817%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fbillmarler.com%252Fbiography%26a%3Dseveral%2Bothers&a=several+others). Bill regularly speaks about the importance of preventing foodborne illness to industry and government throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, China, and Australia. He is a frequent commentator on food litigation and food safety to [Marler Blog](https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4225647-1&h=1230212809&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.marlerblog.com%2F&a=Marler+Blog). Bill is also the publisher of [Food Safety News](https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4225647-1&h=4125170773&u=https%3A%2F%2Fc212.net%2Fc%2Flink%2F%3Ft%3D0%26l%3Den%26o%3D2447639-1%26h%3D3589830031%26u%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.foodsafetynews.com%252F%26a%3DFood%2BSafety%2BNews&a=Food+Safety+News). For all media inquiries, please contact Julie Dueck at (206) 930-4220 or jdueck@marlerclark.com. ### Lawsuit updates about foodborne illnesses [Reactive Arthritis Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=reactive-arthritis&year=all) [E. coli Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=e-coli&year=all) [Guillain-Barre Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=guillain-barre-syndrome&year=all) [Salmonella Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=salmonella&year=all) [Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=hemolytic-uremic-syndrome&year=all) [Listeria Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=listeria&year=all) [Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=irritable-bowel-syndrome&year=all) [Hepatitis A Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=hepatitis-a&year=all) [Norovirus Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=norovirus&year=all) [Botulism Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=botulism&year=all) [Campylobacter Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=campylobacter&year=all) [Shigella Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=shigella&year=all) [Cyclospora Lawsuit Updates](/news_events/case-news?illness=cyclospora&year=all) ### Lawsuits updates by year [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 1998](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=1998) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 1999](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=1999) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2000](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2000) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2001](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2001) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2002](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2002) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2003](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2003) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2004](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2004) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2005](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2005) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2006](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2006) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2007](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2007) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2008](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2008) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2009](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2009) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2010](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2010) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2011](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2011) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2012](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2012) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2013](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2013) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2014](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2014) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2015](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2015) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2016](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2016) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2017](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2017) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2018](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2018) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2019](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2019) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2020](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2020) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2021](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2021) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2022](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2022) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2023](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2023) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2024](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2024) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2025](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2025) [Foodborne Illness Lawsuits in 2026](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/case-news?illness=all&year=2026) ##### Get Help #### Affected by an outbreak or recall? 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