Posted on 03/26/2013 6:09:00 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
(CNSNews.com) – In a bipartisan bill opposing an expansion of food labeling requirements in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 10 Republicans and four Democrats have signed onto legislation to restrict the Food and Drug Administration’s efforts to include regulation of convenient stores and take-out food outlets.
The bill’s sponsors cited Section 4205 of the healthcare law, or Obamacare, that is entitled “Nutritional Labeling of Standard Menu Items at Chain Restaurants.” The regulation requires restaurants with more than 20 establishments to provide nutritional information about its offerings.
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), called the requirements “unworkable” for places like pizza outlets that take custom orders. She also said it would add a substantial financial burden to small businesses that are already experiencing increased cost, such as tax increases, because of Obamacare.
“The administration’s own Office of Management and Budget has said that this regulation is going to be the third largest regulatory burden of any law,” McMorris Rodgers said at a Thursday press conference at the Capitol to announce the bill’s introduction.
Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.), one of the co-sponsors of the bill, said that some government regulations to ensure food safety and other protections for the public are good, but some are “too much of a burden.”
“In those particular cases, I think it’s important to be in a very bipartisan manner to reach across the aisle to work together to ensure that those types of regulations, those types of statutes, are eliminated,” Sanchez said.
Several small business owners joined the press conference to express their support for the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2013.
The bill, which was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on March 19, would “amend section 403 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to improve and clarify certain disclosure requirements for restaurants, similar retail food establishments, and vending machines.”
Dozens of food retailers and advocacy organizations from around the country signed letters dated March 21 to McMorris Rodgers and Sanchez expressing their support for the bill, including the National Grocers Association, Harris Teeter Supermarkets, Inc., Domino’s Pizza and the National Association of Convenience Stores.
The letter said the bill would “return restaurant labeling education and nutrition standards to what was originally intended.”
The bill is opposed by a small number of food retailers and groups, including the National Restaurant Association, Burger King and Cracker Barrel.
Those groups also sent a March 21 letter to Congress members saying the bill would “create an unlevel playing field for how nutrition information on restaurant food is treated and circumvent decisions that are carefully being considered by the Food Drug Administration (FDA) through rulemaking.”
Obamacare Nanny State PING!
Other than knowing about the main poisons adulterating my food I really don't care about the nutritional values ~ and neither does the President's own wife.
All or nothing, don’t piecemeal it.
Thanks for the ping!
Can they just Get rid of the entire Bill it is crap!
Yes, use this to help repeal it all.
I am no fan of kenyancare but there is a problem with food labeling now.
So much of what we buy is not what is it labeled as. Meat products are loaded with cheaper fillers like soy. It currently is impossible to know how much chicken and how much soy is in your chicken nuggets or whatever.
I know I sound like a liberal but something needs to be done.
One would be that it is good for Congress to debate this sort of silliness because it keeps them away from other stuff that could be more damaging.
The other is that they have no business engagaging in this silliness because it is not within its purview or Constitutional authority.
Bringing up the authority question is a sure ticket to a crucifixion.
Letting them talk about it is better than giving them the time to do other stuff.
It is Hobson's Choice.
These people have too much power - most of which has been assumed rather than granted.
Unless and until these people have it explained to them that they don't have the authority to engage in this kind of B.S., it will continue.
Buy real chicken and make your own nuggets. It’s actually quite easy and accounting for no filler, cheaper than the dinosaur nuggets.
I keep some rice flour mixed with sea salt and mrs dash in a ziploc bag in the freezer. Cut the chicken up, quick trip through an egg wash, into the ziploc. Shake them around and distribute in a baking dish coated with your favorite non stick baking oil. I use coconut oil. Cover with foil, bake at 350 till done. Put your ziploc of flour breading back into the freezer.
Stick a bunch of french fry sliced potatoes in another baking dish, drizzle olive oil and sea salt over them. Bake next to your chicken nuggets.
Remove the chicken, turn the oven up to 390 for a few minutes in case the french fries aren’t done yet.
Quick, easy, and you know what they’re eating.
Thanks to glutan intolerance I don’t have to eat chicken nuggets!
Use coconut flour. Or another gluten free flour. I have to cook for TWO celiacs kids. We’re all about GF at my house sadly.
Obamanation Counterculture File.
I simply take a piece of salmon, cut it into 1 inch squares, drop it in corn meal, deep fat fry it and voila BETTER THAN CHICKEN NUGGETS!
Yeah. Good luck getting my kids to eat salmon.
Although if I liked salmon that might sound delicious!
Try codfish, sunfish of any kind, catfish, etc. Fish works much better than chicken.
Catfish could easily become a staple. I usually bake it though. Most other fish is way too fishy for me.
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