Washington ? The Food and Drug Administration is suspending plans to close at least a half dozen regional labs around the country, including one in Lenexa, Kan.

FDA officials on Wednesday informed the office of Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., that its plan to consolidate labs is on hold, though it is not clear for how long.

Roberts and other state lawmakers had urged the FDA to halt the process until Congress could review whether the plan makes sense.

The lawmakers say they have concerns about how the plan would affect national security and the safety of the national food supply.

The Lenexa lab, which opened in 1992 and has more than 50 workers, tests food and pharmaceutical products for hazards or tampering.