| The U.S. House of Representatives | | | | person's consumption of legal, |
| recently passed a bill that protects | | | | unadulterated food is associated with |
| fast-food chains from being sued by | | | | the person's weight gain or obesity." |
| people who claim the food made them | | | | No, The Cheeseburger Bill is Unnecessary |
| fat. If the bill, the "Personal | | | | Those who are against the bill say |
| Responsibility in Food Consumption Act" | | | | fast-food companies should be held |
| - better known in Congress as the | | | | accountable for selling harmful |
| "cheeseburger bill" -- is made into | | | | products, and passing the bill would |
| law, obesity-related lawsuits against | | | | unfairly give restaurants and food |
| both restaurants and food manufacturers | | | | manufacturers special rights. |
| would be banned. (Legal action could | | | | "Congress has allowed the need of big |
| still be taken if contaminated food | | | | corporations before the need of our |
| makes a person sick.) | | | | children," said Rep. Bob Filner, |
| To date, a handful of lawsuits have been | | | | D-California. |
| filed that blame restaurant food and | | | | Further, they say courts are functioning |
| advertising for obesity. Only one such | | | | fine without the bill and dismissing |
| case -- filed in 2002 and alleging that | | | | cases that sound frivolous. Passing the |
| McDonald's misleading advertising | | | | bill could give food manufacturers free |
| caused teens in New York to eat too much | | | | reign to produce any type of product. |
| of the food and become obese -- remains | | | | Bill opponents point out that obesity is |
| open. | | | | a major problem facing the nation, with |
| Yes, We Need The Cheeseburger Bill ... | | | | close to two-thirds of U.S. adults and |
| The bill passed 306 to 120 in the House | | | | 15 percent of children now overweight. |
| - -the second time they've passed the | | | | Some 30 percent of adults are |
| bill. The same bill was passed back in | | | | considered obese. |
| March 2004 but not acted upon in the | | | | "Congress is headed in the wrong |
| Senate. About 20 states have already | | | | direction with this bill, which removes |
| passed similar legislation. | | | | any and all incentives for the food |
| Bill proponents say it's a person's own | | | | industry to improve the healthiness of |
| responsibility to choose what they do | | | | their products," says Rep. Bob Filner, |
| and do not eat, and such matters don't | | | | D-Calif. |
| belong in court. | | | | Meanwhile, McDonald's isn't waiting for |
| "As one judge put it, if a person knows | | | | the bill to become law before they take |
| or should know that eating copious | | | | some responsibility of their own. The |
| orders of super-sized McDonald's | | | | fast-food giant announced that beginning |
| products is unhealthy and could result | | | | in 2006 they will be including |
| in weight gain, it is not the place of | | | | nutrition facts information on most of |
| the law to protect them from their own | | | | their fast-food packages. l"> |
| excesses," said Rep. James | | | | Please Let Us Know What YOU Think! |
| Sensenbrenner, R-Wisconsin, chairman of | | | | Select answers will be published in the |
| the House Judiciary Committee. | | | | forthcoming issue of the |
| "We should not encourage lawsuits that | | | | e-newsletter!* *NOTE: Your answer, or |
| blame others for our own choices and | | | | an excerpt thereof, may be published in |
| could bankrupt an entire industry," | | | | a forthcoming issue of the e-newsletter |
| Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas noted. | | | | and on the website. By submitting your |
| The Whitehouse also backs the bill and | | | | answer you authorize this. Please |
| said in a statement, "Food | | | | include your name and your city state |
| manufacturers, marketers, distributors, | | | | (or country) location to be included in |
| advertisers and sellers should not be | | | | the publication of select answers! |
| held liable for injury because a | | | | |