On May 1, 2017, Eastern Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Chair of the House Republican Conference, released the below statement after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a delay of its menu labeling regulation until May 7, 2018, including a sixty day comment period for further stakeholder collaboration. The regulation was estimated to cost nearly $1 billion just for grocers. Coupled with the predicted 14.5 million hours of paperwork, the regulation was expected to be one of the most expensive and onerous regulations of the Obama administration.

“This is good news for consumer choice,” said Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers. “This onerous rule would have hoisted burdensome, unrealistic regulations on consumers and businesses alike. Our federal agencies need to bring common sense back to rulemaking, and I am glad the FDA made the decision to delay this regulation.”

The May 1 announcement is a culmination of the Congresswoman’s efforts to push back against the FDA’s rule for five years. In February, Representatives Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) and Tony Cárdenas (CA-29) introduced the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2017 (H.R. 772) in the House, and Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Angus King (I-ME) introduced a companion bill (S. 261) in the Senate.

As she said on said on Fox News about her menu labeling legislation: “What I am asking for is common sense.” Watch her interview here:

The Congresswoman plans to continue to push for the passage of the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act to ensure businesses and consumers are protected from future onerous menu labeling regulations.

For a full list of the Congresswoman’s work on this legislation, scroll down below.

On February 12, 2016, the People’s House passed McMorris Rodgers’ bipartisan initiative that gives restaurants, grocers, and convenience stores the freedom to provide nutrition information in a way consistent with how they operate and how their customers actually place orders — including by phone, online, or through mobile apps.

 

 

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On May 1, 2017, The FDA announced a one-year delay of its menu labeling regulation: MCMORRIS RODGERS’ STATEMENT ON FDA DELAY OF ONEROUS MENU LABELING REGULATION

On May 1, 2017, McMorris Rodgers said on Fox News about her menu labeling legislation: “What I am asking for is common sense.” WATCH HER INTERVIEW HERE

On April 30, 2017, McMorris Rodgers joined Maria Bartiromo on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures and said: “Obamacare had nearly a trillion dollars in increased taxes. We also saw many, many regulations–hundreds of regulations that came out of Obamacare. One of the most burdensome was the menu labeling regulation that went way beyond what was ever intended.”  WATCH HER INTERVIEW HERE

On April 7, 2017, McMorris Rodgers sent a letter to HHS Secretary Tom Price asking him to delay, withdraw, or rewrite the rule. That same day, she sent a letter to House appropriators asking them to include the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act in the final 2017 government funding bill.

On February 2, 2017, Representatives Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) and Tony Cárdenas (CA-29) introduced the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2017 (H.R. 772) in the House, and Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Angus King (I-ME) introduced a companion bill (S. 261) in the Senate: HOUSE AND SENATE MEMBERS PARTNER TO INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO BRING COMMON SENSE FIXES TO MENU LABELING REGULATIONS

McMorris Rodgers’ bipartisan regulation reform makes local and national news: IN THE NEWS: MCMORRIS RODGERS COMMON SENSE NUTRITION INFORMATION BILL

On February 12, 2016, H.R. 2017 passes the U.S. House of Representatives 266 – 144: ON HOUSE PASSAGE OF BIPARTISAN COMMON SENSE NUTRITION DISCLOSURE ACT

On February 12, 2016, McMorris Rodgers urges Common Sense Menu Labeling on House Floor: ON HOUSE FLOOR, MCMORRIS RODGERS URGES COMMON SENSE MENU LABELING

On February 12, 2016, McMorris Rodgers’s Menu Labeling op-ed appears on The Hill’s Congress Blog: MENU LABELING REG SERVES UP A MESS

On February 10, 2016, McMorris Rodgers speaks on Common Sense Menu Labeling at Capitol Hill press conference: THINK OF THE LOCAL SALAD BAR …

On November 18, 2015, H.R. 2017 passes out of the Energy and Commerce Committee with a bipartisan vote of 36 – 12 – 1: SMARTER MENU LEGISLATION PASSED COMMITTEE

On November 4, 2015, H.R. 2017 passes the Energy and Commerce Committee Health Subcommittee on bipartisan voice vote: COMMON SENSE MENU LABELING PASSES SUBCOMMITTEE

On June 4, 2015, McMorris Rodgers speaks for bill in the Energy and Commerce Committee Health Subcommittee: REINING IN REGULATIONS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES IN EASTERN WASHINGTON

On April 28, 2015, Reps. McMorris Rodgers & Loretta Sanches (D-CA) hold bipartisan press conference on H.R. 2017: EMPOWERING SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS BY REINING IN FDA REGULATIONS

On December 9, 2014, McMorris Rodgers reacts to new FDA rules that are hurting people in Eastern Washington: FDA REGULATIONS ARE SUFFOCATING EASTERN WASHINGTON’S ECONOMY AND INNOVATION