House votes to remove food label warnings

House votes to remove food label warnings, bowing to pressure from companies

Wed Mar 8, 8:45 PM ET

WASHINGTON (AP) - The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to strip many warnings from food labels, potentially affecting alerts about arsenic in bottled water, lead in candy and allergy-causing sulphites, among others.

Pushed by food companies seeking uniform labels across state lines, the bill would prevent states from adding food warnings that go beyond federal law. States could petition the
Food and Drug Administration to add extra warnings, under the bill.

Legislators approved the bill on a 283-139 vote. Supporters expect a Senate version of the bill to be introduced soon.

"This bill is going to overturn 200 state laws that protect our food supply," said Representative Henry Waxman (news, bio, voting record) (D-Calif.). "Why are we doing that? What's wrong with our system of federalism?"

The bill's supporters argue that consumers deserve the same warnings on supermarket shelves across the country. The bill would allow a state to seek a countrywide warning from FDA.

"We ought to do it in all 50 states," said Representative Mike Rogers, (R-Mich.). "Chicken grown in Louisiana is going to end up on a plate in Michigan."

Rogers mentioned a warning his own state about allergy-causing sulphites: "If they're bad for Michigan citizens, I think they're bad in all of the other 49 states," he said.

Countrywide, as many as 200 state laws or regulations could be affected, according to the
Congressional Budget Office. They include warnings about lead and alcohol in candy, arsenic in bottled water and many others.

The government would spend at least $100 million US to answer petitions for tougher state rules, according to CBO.

Opponents of the bill scored one victory Wednesday: State warnings about mercury in fish would remain. Legislators amended the bill to let states keep those warnings.