House panel issues subpoena on beef recall

WASHINGTON, March 5 (UPI) -- A House oversight panel voted to subpoena the president of Hallmark/Westland Meat Co. to testify about the United States' largest recall of beef last month.

The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations unanimously voted to subpoena Steve E. Mendell to answer questions about the recall of 143 million pounds of beef, some of which was used in school lunch programs, the committee said in a release Wednesday.

"Millions of pounds of recalled meat arrived in schools across the country and the American people deserve to know what led to this," said Rep. John D. Dingell, D-Mich., chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee. "Mr. Mendell's testimony will add an important piece to the puzzle."

The subcommittee's subpoena directs Mendell to testify March 12, said Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich.

"The unanimous support of Democrats and Republicans," Stupak said, "should send a clear message to Mr. Mendell that he cannot ignore congressional authority on this important issue which has already caused enormous problems for so many school districts, businesses and senior facilities."