Monsanto Protection Act Slips By Lawmakers & Into Law

The Agricultural Appropriations Bill, which passed through Congress last week, had a small provision that slipped the eyes of lawmakers. The provision protects genetically modified seeds from litigation in the face of health risks and has thus been dubbed the “Monsanto Protection Act” by activists who oppose the biotech giant.

President Obama signed the spending bill, including the provision, into law on Tuesday March 26, 2013.

Since the act’s passing, more than 250,000 people have signed a petition opposing the provision. A group consisting largely of farmers organized by the Food Democracy Now network, protested outside the White House Wednesday.

Taxpayers are very upset after discovering the means of which the provision was passed through Congress without appropriate review by the Agricultural or Judiciary Committees. The bill was also suspiciously anonymously inserted by a house member as a larger bill progressed through Congressional sub-committees.

The Food Democracy Now and the Center for Food are directing blame at the Senate Appropriations Committee and its chairman, Senator Barbara Mikulski, a Democrat from Maryland.

According to reports, many members of Congress were apparently unaware that the “Monsanto Protection Act” even existed within the spending bill, HR 933; they voted in order to avert a government shutdown.

The provision can be reversed and will only remain in effect for six months until the government finds another way to fund its operations, but sets a precedent that court challenges are a privilege, not a right.