In an action which casts serious doubt upon the prompt approval of the first Genetically Engineered (GE) Animal by USFDA, eleven US Senators have written to FDA Commissioner Hamburg urging that the Food and Drug Administration stop moving forward with the approval process for GE Atlantic salmon. Led by Senator Mark Begich (D-Alaska), the senators complained that the FDA is incorrectly treating the request for approval of AquAdvantage salmon as if it were a new veterinary drug and not as a new animal

Senator Begich was joined by ten other US Senators: Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Bernard Sanders(I-Vt.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.).

The text of the letter is attached below.