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