Americans Lost Out Today On The Food Labeling Americans Lost Out Yesterday on The Patriot Act Why Exactly Do We HAVE Representatives?

[Guest guest]

House passes food-labeling bill

BY BILL LAMBRECHT

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

 

 

WASHINGTON - The food industry on Wednesday overcame objections by state

officials to win House passage of legislation that strips away powers of states

to regulate food.

 

The bill, long sought by manufacturers, would vest final authority for food

labeling with the Food and Drug Administration. The measure would nullify some

200 state laws governing the safety of meat, fish, milk and a variety of

edibles.

 

A provision would allow states to appeal to the FDA to preserve their

authorities. But the bill likely would have the effect of limiting a growing

trend by states of warning consumers about chemical threats to what they eat and

drink

 

" This hodgepodge not only inhibits interstate commerce but it also drives up the

cost for consumers. ... Business simply can not absorb these costs, " argued Rep.

Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., a co-sponsor.

 

Thirty-nine attorneys general opposed the legislation. They contended in a

letter last week that it would " undercut states' rights and consumer

protection. "

 

Consumer and environmental advocates also oppose the bill, as do officials from

state agencies regulating agriculture, food and drugs.

Nonetheless, the National Uniformity for Food Act advanced without benefit of

public hearings after the food industry assembled more than half of the members

of the House as co- sponsors. The legislation passed 283-139; it was unclear if

and when the Senate would take up the bill.

 

" It sounded so good that many members co-sponsored the bill without

understanding that it is going to overturn 200 laws that protect our food

supply, " argued Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif.

 

" You have to ask yourself, why is this going on. What are they hiding from us?

Why don't they want this bill to be held up to public scrutiny in hearings? "

 

Gingrey countered that states have been so aggressive that there soon could be

800 state laws governing food rather than 200, underscoring the need for

uniformity.

 

Before the bill passed, it was softened with amendments preserving states'

rights to issue warnings about dietary supplements and mercury in fish.

 

 

--

© 2006 KRT Wire and wire service sources. .

http://www.mercurynews.com

 

* * * * W A R N I N G * * * *

Please be advised that as the result of the abuse of power as manifested by

George W. Bush and with the collusion of and others - this email may be

subject to collection and/or other wire tapping/internet illegalities currently

being conducted by the National Security Agency and others.

* * * * *

“If you have knowledge, let others light their candles from it.” Margaret

Fuller

* * * * *

“Their lives turn from amazing to amusing when our leaders declare themselves

gods and above the law. “ tpb

* * * * *

" When rulers take grain so that they may feast,

Their people become hungry;

When rulers take action to serve their own interests,

Their people become rebellious;

When rulers take lives so that their own lives are maintained,

Their people no longer fear death.

When people act without regard for their own lives

They overcome those who value only their own lives. "

Tao Te Ching

* * * * *

Have you written your Senators, today? Share your outrage with them

at: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

There are endless reasons to do so, but if you need some, recently they voted

against American Citizens' interests by passing The Bankruptcy Act

http://ceb.com/info/BAPCPA2005.asp

and The National ID Act http://www.epic.org/privacy/id_cards/

Have you written your Representative, today? Share your outrage with

her/him at: http://www.house.gov/writerep/

There are endless reasons to do so, but if you need one, how about that they're

pretty much all bought and paid for by corporate campaign contributions and PAC

monies?

AND REMEMBER, YOUR REPRESENTATIVE IS UP FOR RE-ELECTION THIS YEAR - DOES S/HE

DESERVE YOUR VOTE? DID S/HE REPRESENT YOUR INTERESTS? SEE HOW S/HE VOTED AT:

http://tinyurl.com/d2r75

IF THEY'RE NOT DOING WHAT YOU WANT DONE, VOTE FOR SOMEONE ELSE IN 2006 AND 2008

 

Check often to see how these self-serving knaves and mountebanks voted at:

http://www3.capwiz.com/c-span/issues/ then enter your zip code. To sign up for

free, weekly emails for:

• Key votes by your two Senators and U.S. Representative.

• Links to send e-mail to your members of Congress using pre-addressed forms.

• Upcoming votes for your review and links to offer e-mail input before they

vote.

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/megavote/

 

* * * * *

<<<>>> <<>> http://www.flybynews.com <<>> <<<>>>

 

 

" When the power of love becomes stronger than the love of power, we will have

peace. "

Jimi Hendrix

 

http://www.lightmovie.com/thelight/TheLight.html