Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., pointed out today that the Senate continuing resolution to fund the government until November 15 does not contain a provision that would allow the continued planting of genetically engineered crops even if they are under judicial review.

The fiscal year 2013 appropriations bill contained the provision, which became known as the Monsanto Protection Act, and Mikulski, a proponent of the labeling of foods containing genetically modified ingredients, came under fire for allowing it pass.

But Mikulski noted at that time that she had inherited the fiscal year 2013 Agriculture appropriations agreement , and that it had to proceed as part of a larger measure. She also promised to fight it in the future.

“My promises made are promises kept,” Mikulski said in a statement today. “I have never supported the Monsanto provision, and I continue to oppose it. When I became Appropriations chairwoman and inherited this problem, I promised I would work to solve it. The Monsanto provision is not included in either of the Senate or House FY14 Agriculture Appropriations bills, and that is a good thing. There’s no reason for it to be included in a short-term CR, either.”

Just Label It, a group fighting for biotech labeling, praised Mikulski and noted that she has supported a bill supporting labeling of genetically engineered fish, a farm bill amendment to require labeling for genetically engineered ingredients, and also co-sponsored a federal labeling bill introduced this spring by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. and Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore.