Today, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers’ (WA-05) legislation, the Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2015 (H.R. 2017), passed the full House with a vote of 266 – 144 – 1. It now moves on to the Senate for consideration. 

“The best ideas come from the people in towns big and small, where families, business owners and community leaders come together to find common sense solutions.  Across the country, the American people are frustrated because they’ve been limited by the top-down, government-knows-best approach that we see over and over again.  That frustration extends all the way to our local deli counters, grocery stores, and convenience markets, whose owners are being told what to do by the FDA in the form of an unworkable, 400-page menu labeling bill.  It’s just another example of a federal agency disconnected from its mission.

“We must ensure America’s job creators have the flexibility they need to grow their businesses, hire more employees, and serve their customers.  That’s why I introduced this bill – because prudent, effective labeling standards don’t come in the form of one-size-fits-all rule set forth by unelected bureaucrats.  I’m grateful for my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their support in getting this bill through the House, and now I encourage the Senate to follow our lead before the FDA’s rule has an irreversible impact on America’s businesses.”

NOTE: The Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act was introduced last year by Rep. McMorris Rodgers. The bill has bipartisan support, having passed out of the Energy and Commerce Committee in November with a vote of 36 – 12 – 1. Click here for further background information on H.R. 2017.