Congress Targets Food Police Program for Defunding

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Human Events:

Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R. –Missouri) who chairs the House Appropriations subcommittee on financial services and general government, says her measure already moving through Congress would defund the panel’s work.

“I’m very concerned that the voluntary guidelines being promulgated by the Interagency Working Group would lead to extraordinary pressure from the federal government to restrict efforts to market healthy foods to the American public,” Emerson said.

The government says these are not regulations, but suggestions written by the Federal Trade Commission, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The intent is to combat childhood obesity, and if the guidelines are not followed to radically reduce sugar, sodium and fats then food companies should stop marketing their products to everyone under age 17, the government says.

“Obesity is a serious health issue for Americans, but the link between obesity and advertising is unclear at best.” Emerson said.

“A report telling Americans that whole grain breakfast cereals and bottled water shouldn’t be advertised to audiences under
the age of 17 isn’t going to help improve the health of our nation,” Emerson said.