Our representatives in the People’s House are building a bold agenda for a more confident America. As part of that effort, “…we’re focused on restoring [the] ‘we the people’ mandate in our constitution,” says Eastern Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Chair of the House Republican Conference.  “We certainly hear the frustrations of Americans across this country … because the citizens don’t feel their priorities are being reflected by a ‘top-down, ‘government knows best’ approach.”

That’s why McMorris Rodgers introduced the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2015. As she puts it, “This is really about trusting Americans through their elected representatives to make the best decisions and fulfill the dreams that they have. It’s all part of the choice that we’re offering Americans as we head into 2016.”

The Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2015 passed the U.S. House last week with strong bipartisan support. Here’s a look at some of the headlines:

• The Spokesman Review: “McMorris Rodgers bill on calorie labeling passes House of Representatives” | “McMorris Rodgers said the regulations, written by the Food and Drug Administration as part of the Affordable Care Act, would create an unnecessary burden on franchise owners of chain restaurants, grocery and convenience stores. …‘It’s a 400-page menu labeling regulation,’ McMorris Rodgers said.‘It’s one of the most expensive regulations to come out of this administration.’… 
• “McMorris Rodgers said her bill was introduced to meet the goal of providing calorie information without bankrupting businesses trying to comply with the federal regulations. ‘This isn’t about arguing the merits of providing calorie information. It’s really about providing flexibility,’ McMorris Rodgers said.
• Independent Journal Review: “Here’s the Fix for the FDA’s ‘Unworkable’ Approach to Providing Nutritional Information on Menus” | “The current way the Food and Drug Administration requires small business owners to label the nutritional values of their menu items is ‘unworkable’ and in dire need of reform, according to Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.).…“…Under current regulations, the FDA demands that every restaurant owner provide nutritional values front and center on menus in their establishments. In an interview with Independent Journal Review, McMorris Rodgers said the FDA ‘has gone way beyond what was ever intended,’ adding: ‘An individual franchisee is a small business owner and this would be a tremendous burden on them and really it would be impossible for them to abide by it.’…“…While the intent of the new rule aimed to provide customers with the ability to make health-conscious decisions, it quickly divulged into chaos. …With McMorris Rodgers’ bill, The Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act, businesses would be able to provide that information through other means, such as online, through a mobile application, or elsewhere.”
• The Washington Examiner: “House passes changes to calorie labeling on menus” | …[The Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act] allows food sellers to list caloric information online or on a single menu board or flier, instead of displaying the information next to each individual item.”In an earlier article, McMorris Rodgers tells the Washington Examiner, “ ‘The FDA is taking it way beyond what was ever intended in the Affordable Care Act …This legislation really isn’t about arguing the merits of menu labeling…It’s really focused on making this information available in a consumer-friendly way.’”
• The Hill: “House Passes Bill to Roll Back Menu Labeling Rule” | “The menu labeling requirements stem from a controversial provision of the 2010 healthcare law that has upset both Republicans and Democrats. ….‘[P]rudent, effective labeling standards don’t come in the form of one-size-fits-all rule set forth by unelected bureaucrats,’ said House GOP Conference Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), the bill’s author.”