Congressman John Dingell, D-Mich., made a brief visit to Eastern Michigan University’s campus and met with a small number of editors from The Eastern Echo and The Washtenaw Voice to discuss pertinent concerns such as education and food reform.
Dingell is currently serving his 29th full term in the U.S. House of Representatives — making him the longest serving member of the United States House of Representatives. Over the years, Dingell has been instrument in helping to write legislation to help key issues facing the United States.
When it comes to education, the congressman echoed President Barack Obama and said the future of the country is dependent upon how educated the young people are.
“We must out-educate, out-compete and out-innovate,” Dingell said.
Dingell said he believes as far as Michigan schools are concerned, the majority of districts have a “great system” in place. However, he did note the many problems some districts are facing.
“I’m aware we have some large problems in K-12… particularly in places like Detroit where the schools are in shambles,” Dingell said. “As a citizen, I’m very concerned about Detroit.”
One of Dingell’s main goals is expanding the access to higher education.
“Education is fundamental,” he said. “We have to make sure we’re able to compete. The federal government’s responsibility is to ensure education. [Young adults] should go to college and prosper and survive… We need to make sure colleges are able to prosper and survive.”
In addition to education, Dingell has always been passionate about food safety and food reform. On January 4 of this year, President Obama signed into law the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. The act was authored by Dingell and calls for an overhaul of the nation’s food safety system.
The congressman said it was a long time coming.
“E. coli and these things are very serious,” he said. “[We’re] making sure good manufacturing practices are used here and in the other 25 percent of places where we good food.”
Dingell said over the years, there have been far too many recalls affecting products such as jalapeños, peanuts, milk, eggs and spinach. May 19, 2010, Dingell held a telephone briefing with reporters to discuss an E. coli outbreak involving romaine lettuce that affected Americans around the country. On that call was Indiana resident Elizabeth Armstrong, whose toddler daughter was seriously ill as a result. Armstrong’s daughter endured a 24-hour kidney dialysis and brain swelling.
Examples like this are what make food reform so necessary and urgent, according to Dingell.
“Our purpose is to see that the Food and Drug Administration has funding,” he said.
Dingell said he was surprised at all of the support he had from a variety of various groups and companies.
“I had the support of consumers and the industry,” he said. “They saw the importance.”
