The House Energy and Commerce Committee has scheduled a hearing that includes Rep. Kat Cammack’s (R-FL) discussion draft that would modernize federal food safety oversight and establish a national standard for food ingredients. Supporters of the FDA Review and Evaluation for Safe, Healthy, and Affordable Foods Act of 2026, known as the FRESH and Affordable Foods Act, say this would prevent a 12% grocery price tax that would be caused by a state-by-state patchwork.
The text of the discussion draft was released last week. It would create a federal standard for ingredient safety and transparency and would effectively stop Americans from being subjected to a costly, state-by-state regulatory patchwork. The draft is set to receive a hearing on Wednesday in the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Leaders on Capitol Hill are aware of the attention affordability will receive ahead of the midterms. Many also acknowledge a recent economic analysis from Policy Navigation Group that found if the wave of conflicting state ingredient laws continues, American households could face at least a 12% increase in annual grocery costs.
“It is reasonable to assume that similar impacts would be replicated in states that adopt comparable food regulatory requirements to Louisiana, Texas, or West Virginia. If these laws are enacted, consumers across the country could face at least a 12 percent increase in annual grocery costs in the coming years,” the study reads.
As kitchen table affordability is already a top issue for voters is top of mind ahead of the midterms, Rep. Cammack’s bill seeks to address those concerns.
Specifically, the FRESH and Affordable Foods Act would strengthen the “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) process by giving the FDA clear authority to assess the safety of food ingredients and additives, replacing the current fragmented framework with a single national standard. It also modernizes GRAS by creating a “mandatory GRAS notification.”
The legislation includes heavy metal limits like “lead, cadmium, and arsenic… in infant or toddler food.” It would also stop state-level ingredient bans and labeling mandates that vary from state to state, ensuring small businesses and food manufacturers operate under one set of uniform rules rather than a patchwork of 50 conflicting ones that drive up prices.
Those in favor of the draft say it’s a win for both MAHA and Republicans looking to champion affordability ahead of the midterms. The discussion draft is scheduled to be discussed at Wednesday’s Energy and Commerce hearing. Rep. Cammack has yet to comment on the draft.
