The debate over GMO labeling can be as confusing as the ingredients themselves. Organic food suppliers cite the safety and quality of the food, while scientists believe the other side is fearmongering and exaggerating the food’s effects.

The label is left in legal limbo.

Recently, Congress passed HR 1599, The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act. The bill would give the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) license over labeling and prevent states from issuing their own food labeling requirements for bioengineered foods. Mike Pompeo, a representative from Kansas, sponsored the bill and in a press release, said “GMOs are safe and have a number of important benefits for people and our planet.”

According to Pompeo, the point of the bill is to eliminate confusion among consumers when reading the labels. Converters would see the biggest change should labeling requirements go in the opposite direction. If food labels suddenly needed modification to indicate the presence of GMOs, more products would need new labels.

Pompeo operates under the assumption that GMOs do not question the integrity of the food. “Contrary to claims by activists, there is no scientific evidence that suggests foods that contain GMOs are anything but safe.”

There is not a lot of evidence to support either side, so the answer depends on who is asked. General Mills announced that it would stop using these ingredients in Cheerio’s, while Whole Foods claimed it would replace some foods with GMOs and label others.

According to the New York Times, Hawaii passed a 2013 bill banning genetically engineered crops on the island, but a City Council member quickly had second thoughts after learning that GMOs can protect against viruses and diseases. “If we as a body pass this, it shows we think all GMOs are wrong,” said Hawaii council member Greggor Ilagan in a public hearing.

The debate will rage on, and consumers will surely continue to inspect their food labels a bit more closely.