RELEASE: Gottheimer Announces New Federal Actions to Combat Cyclospora, Other Foodborne Parasites to Promote Food Safety
Resources / Press Share on RELEASE: Gottheimer Announces New Federal Actions to Combat Cyclospora, Other Foodborne Parasites to Promote Food Safety Gottheimer Announces Bipartisan Foodborne Illness Rapid Response Act; Demands CDC Restore Mandatory Parasite Surveillance; Backs Bipartisan Food Safety; Information Sharing Bill Jul 20, 2026 Press Above: Gottheimer announces Foodborne Illness Rapid Response Act at Holy Name Medical Center. TEANECK, N.J. — Today, Monday, July 20, 2026, at Holy Name Medical Center, Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) announced new bipartisan federal actions and legislation to combat the ongoing, record-breaking Cyclospora outbreak. Watch Gottheimer’s full remarks here . The bipartisan “Foodborne Illness Rapid Response Act” with Rep. Don Bacon (NE-2) will: Prevent staffing cuts within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) divisions responsible for foodborne illness surveillance for a year after any outbreak; Demand the restoration of mandatory federal foodborne illness surveillance — including for Cyclospora — that the Trump administration made optional; Ensure that state and local inspectors have access to the same critical food-safety information as federal regulators during outbreaks. Currently, there are nearly 7,000 reported Cyclospora cases and more than 140 hospitalizations across at least 34 states. This is an alarming 2,700 percent increase from the roughly 249 cases reported nationally at this time last year. New Jersey’s Department of Health has logged more than 45 cases so far, with numbers expected to continue climbing. Continued uncertainty about the source of the outbreak underscores the need for stronger federal food-safety surveillance and outbreak response. No cases have been traced to Jersey-grown produce, though Gottheimer said New Jersey farmers are seeing sales drop as consumers grow wary of produce in general. “I have two children, and like every parent in New Jersey, I want to know that when my family stops for lunch, has a barbecue, or grabs tacos on a Tuesday night, or picks up a bag of salad, that the food is safe. That no one will get sick, ” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “Right now, with what’s going on with Cyclospora, I can’t tell you with a straight face that it’s a guarantee. That’s a real concern for Jersey families, and I get it. We must do everything we can to take it on so that you don’t have to worry if your food is safe to eat.” “Families should be able to trust that the food they buy at the grocery store or order at a restaurant is safe,” said Rep. Bacon. “When foodborne illness outbreaks occur, federal, state and local officials need the staff, data and coordination necessary to identify the source quickly and protect the public. I’m glad to work with Rep. Gottheimer on the bipartisan Foodborne Illness Rapid Response Act to strengthen food-safety surveillance and improve our response to outbreaks like Cyclospora.” At the event, Gottheimer outlined three actions: First, Gottheimer, joined by Congressman Don Bacon (NE-2), is introducing the bipartisan Foodborne Illness Rapid Response Act , which will bar staff cuts and hiring freezes at the CDC divisions responsible for foodborne illness surveillance for one year after an outbreak begins. Second, Gottheimer is sending a letter to the CDC demanding it restore FoodNet — the nearly 30-year-old program that tracks Cyclospora and other pathogens — to full, mandatory, active surveillance after the administration made surveillance optional for Cyclospora and five other pathogens. Third, Gottheimer is championing the bipartisan Federal and State Food Safety Information Sharing Act which will allow the FDA to share full, unredacted inspection data with the state and local inspectors who already conduct about 60 percent of all FDA food-processing inspections. Current bureaucratic red tape is causing delays and putting our public health at risk. The outbreak has been made worse by cuts to federal public health agencies. The CDC is the nation’s first line of defense against foodborne disease outbreaks. When people get sick, the CDC works to detect these outbreaks, identify the culprit, and alert the public. That information is what then enables the FDA to trace contaminated food through the supply chain, identify the source, and quickly remove unsafe products from the market before more families get sick. Since 2025, the CDC has fired more than 2,800 staff members – roughly a quarter of the agency – including a more than 70 percent reduction in the CDC’s parasite surveillance team responsible for tracking Cyclospora and other pathogens. The FDA has also fired more than 4,300 people. In July 2025, the CDC also quietly downgraded Cyclospora and five other pathogens from mandatory to “optional” tracking, meaning health officials are no longer required to actively monitor and report Cyclospora cases in the same way they were for almost 30 years. Additionally, HHS has canceled 444
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Resources / Press Share on RELEASE: Gottheimer Announces New Federal Actions to Combat Cyclospora, Other Foodborne Parasites to Promote Food Safety Gottheimer Announces Bipartisan Foodborne Illness Rapid Response Act; Demands CDC Restore Mandatory Parasite Surveillance; Backs Bipartisan Food Safety; Information Sharing Bill Jul 20, 2026 Press Above: Gottheimer announces Foodborne Illness Rapid Response Act at Holy Name Medical Center. TEANECK, N.J. — Today, Monday, July 20, 2026, at Holy Name Medical Center, Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) announced new bipartisan federal actions and legislation to combat the ongoing, record-breaking Cyclospora outbreak. Watch Gottheimer’s full remarks here . The bipartisan “Foodborne Illness Rapid Response Act” with Rep. Don Bacon (NE-2) will: Prevent staffing cuts within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) divisions responsible for foodborne illness surveillance for a year after any outbreak; Demand the restoration of mandatory federal foodborne illness surveillance — including for Cyclospora — that the Trump administration made optional; Ensure that state and local inspectors have access to the same critical food-safety information as federal regulators during outbreaks. Currently, there are nearly 7,000 reported Cyclospora cases and more than 140 hospitalizations across at least 34 states. This is an alarming 2,700 percent increase from the roughly 249 cases reported nationally at this time last year. New Jersey’s Department of Health has logged more than 45 cases so far, with numbers expected to continue climbing. Continued uncertainty about the source of the outbreak underscores the need for stronger federal food-safety surveillance and outbreak response. No cases have been traced to Jersey-grown produce, though Gottheimer said New Jersey farmers are seeing sales drop as consumers grow wary of produce in general. “I have two children, and like every parent in New Jersey, I want to know that when my family stops for lunch, has a barbecue, or grabs tacos on a Tuesday night, or picks up a bag of salad, that the food is safe. That no one will get sick, ” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “Right now, with what’s going on with Cyclospora, I can’t tell you with a straight face that it’s a guarantee. That’s a real concern for Jersey families, and I get it. We must do everything we can to take it on so that you don’t have to worry if your food is safe to eat.” At the event, Gottheimer outlined three actions: First, Gottheimer, joined by Congressman Don Bacon (NE-2), is introducing the bipartisan Foodborne Illness Rapid Response Act , which will bar staff cuts and hiring freezes at the CDC divisions responsible for foodborne illness surveillance for one year after an outbreak begins. Second, Gottheimer is sending a letter to the CDC demanding it restore FoodNet — the nearly 30-year-old program that tracks Cyclospora and other pathogens — to full, mandatory, active surveillance after the administration made surveillance optional for Cyclospora and five other pathogens. Third, Gottheimer is championing the bipartisan Federal and State Food Safety Information Sharing Act which will allow the FDA to share full, unredacted inspection data with the state and local inspectors who already conduct about 60 percent of all FDA food-processing inspections. Current bureaucratic red tape is causing delays and putting our public health at risk. The outbreak has been made worse by cuts to federal public health agencies. The CDC is the nation’s first line of defense against foodborne disease outbreaks. When people get sick, the CDC works to detect these outbreaks, identify the culprit, and alert the public. That information is what then enables the FDA to trace contaminated food through the supply chain, identify the source, and quickly remove unsafe products from the market before more families get sick. Since 2025, the CDC has fired more than 2,800 staff members – roughly a quarter of the agency – including a more than 70 percent reduction in the CDC’s parasite surveillance team responsible for tracking Cyclospora and other pathogens. The FDA has also fired more than 4,300 people. In July 2025, the CDC also quietly downgraded Cyclospora and five other pathogens from mandatory to “optional” tracking, meaning health officials are no longer required to actively monitor and report Cyclospora cases in the same way they were for almost 30 years. Additionally, HHS has canceled 444 CDC grants worth $5.78 billion. These cuts flow right down to underfunded state and local health departments, which rely on the CDC for roughly 80 percent of their domestic public health funding. Gottheimer was joined by Mike Maron, President & CEO of Holy Name; Dr. Suraj Saggar, Holy Name’s Chief of Infectious Diseases; Dr. Vasantha Kondamudi, Holy Name’s Chief Medical Officer; and Teaneck Deputy Mayor Karen Orgen. Below: Gottheimer announces Foodborne Illness Rapid Response Act at Holy Nam
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