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