House Members Ask FDA to Relax Approach to Menu Labeling

A number of U.S. House of Representatives members have written to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Margaret Hamburg to express concern over proposed regulations that would implement the Affordable Care Act’s requirements pertaining to the nutrition labeling of standard menu items at chain restaurants. In their February 14, 2014, letter, they claim that FDA’s April 2011 proposal “goes well beyond [the law’s] intent and unnecessarily captures small business owners who are already complying with the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act. Specifically, the proposed rule limits the ability of businesses to determine for themselves how best to provide nutritional information to its (sic) customers, particularly those establishments that offer made to order items or primarily service customers outside the restaurant, such as delivery operations.” They urge Hamburg to incorporate instead the alternatives outlined in H.R. 1249, which has not been referred out of committee since its introduction in March 2013.

Issue 514