A House committee approved a sweeping food safety overhaul bill Wednesday after tweaking it to address most remaining GOP concerns, including the bill’s effect on small food producers.

The House Energy and Commerce panel approved the bill by voice vote. Chairman Henry A. Waxman , D-Calif., said he hopes the legislation can move swiftly to the floor.

“We still have work to do but I’m more confident than ever that we will be able to take this bill to the floor . . . and to President Obama’s desk,” he said.

Several Republicans pointedly commended Democrats for moving the bill to the House floor through “regular order,” via the committee. GOP members also said the bill should serve as a model for crafting an overhaul of the health care system, sure to be a contentious and difficult process.

The bill, which advanced on the heels of several high-profile outbreaks of food-borne illness, would strengthen food traceability requirements and allow the Food and Drug Administration to impose civil penalties for the first time.

The bill would allow the FDA for the first time to implement mandatory food quarantines. Currently food quarantines are done on a voluntary basis.

Additionally, the bill would increase the frequency of inspections at certain food facilities depending on the level of risk.

Republicans had expressed concerns about the effect of this provision on small producers, but were assuaged by language adopted as part of a manager’s amendment that would allow the FDA to modify that inspection schedule for some producers at its discretion.

The amendment, adopted by voice vote, also would stipulate that areas subject to a mandatory quarantine should only be as large as necessary to contain an outbreak.

The bill would require food facilities serving U.S. consumers to register with the FDA and pay annual fees. The money would be used to defray the cost of the heightened inspection regime mandated by the bill.