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FOXX VOTES TO STOP FRIVOLOUS OBESITY LAWSUITS
Washington, DC,
October 19, 2005
United States Rep. Virginia Foxx (N.C.-5) today supported ending frivolous obesity lawsuits against food manufacturers and distributors by voting for H.R. 554, the Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act or “Cheeseburger Bill.” The me
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE United States Rep. Virginia Foxx (N.C.-5) today supported ending frivolous obesity lawsuits against food manufacturers and distributors by voting for H.R. 554, the Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act or “Cheeseburger Bill.” The measure passed the House of Representatives in a vote of 307-119. “In a country where we have the personal responsibility for making our own informed food choices, we can either make good nutrition decisions or live with the consequences of bad decisions,” said Rep. Foxx. “Passing this bill is a step in the right direction toward preventing frivolous lawsuits that claim a restaurant responsible for a person’s weight problems.” Congresswoman Foxx co-sponsored the “Cheeseburger Bill,” a similar version of a measure that passed the House in the 108th Congress with wide bipartisan support. The bill prohibits lawsuits against those in the food industry for weight gain, obesity, and related health conditions. H.R. 554 does not prohibit lawsuits involving tainted food or misleading nutritional information. “No consumer is ever forced to eat a cheeseburger instead of a salad,” said Rep. Foxx. “For years, nutrition information has been publicly available at major chain restaurants. People make meal choices every day and in turn need to accept the consequences of those choices.” ### |