Protect our families and children from toxic chemicals
in our food supply!

Dear Friends, Environmental Health Coalition (EHC) is urging you to take a few minutes TODAY to contact your Representatives to urge them to VOTE NO on H.R. 4167! Authored by Representative Mike Rogers (R-MI) and co-sponsored by 226 Representatives, the National Uniformity for Food Act of 2005, which is the food industry’s bill to make “uniform” the ABSENCE OF FOOD SAFETY regulations and warnings would invalidate our state’s and local food protection programs. Make your voice be heard TODAY! The House of Representatives will be voting on this issue soon and now is the time to send our letters and/or make your calls to defend our food safety laws such as our recently signed lead in candy bill AB 121 that will protect children from lead in candy as well as the main target California’s Prop. 65. As you know, California’s Prop. 65 requires warning consumers when any product, including foods, exposes them to significant risks from chemicals that cause cancer and/or birth defects. Here’s what you can do right this minute: Send a Letter to your Representative. Click HERE to automatically send a letter to your Representative. Send a Letter to the Governor. Click HERE to automatically send a letter to Governor Schwarzenegger. Call and/or write to the 12 California members that are poised to provide the critical votes needed to pass this proposed legislation that would void numerous California food safety laws, such as AB 121 (the Protect Children from Lead in Candy Law ) and the main target of the bill, California’s Prop. 65 Law. Representative Wally Herger (R-CA-2) (north-central California) (916) 225-3076 Representative John Doolittle (R-CA-4) (north-eastern California) (916) 225-5353 Representative Richard Pombo (R-CA-11) (central valley) (916) 225-1947 Representative Dennis Cardoza (D-CA-18) (central valley) (916) 225-6131 Representative George Radanavich (R-CA-19) (central valley) (916) 225-4540 Representative Jim Costa (D-CA-20) (central valley) (916) 225-3341 Representative Devin Nunes (R-CA-21) (central valley) (916) 225-2523 Representative Elton Gallegly (R-CA-24) (Santa Barbara; Ventura) (916) 225-5811 Representative Juanita Millender-McDonald (D-CA-37) (Los Angeles) (916) 225-7924 Representative Edward Royce (R-CA-40) (Los Angeles) (916) 225-4111 Representative Ken Calvert (R-CA-44) (Orange) (916) 225-1986 Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA-46) (Los Angeles) (916) 225-2415 Governor Schwarzenegger can be reached at (916) 445-2841 Stop the rollback of state and local food safety programs!! Take action TODAY! H.R. 4167 undermines public health protection and our country’s food safety. We do not want to go back to lead in our drinking water nor lead in our food/candy products!! BACKGROUND INFORMATION Key Provisions of H.R. 4167: When FDA has not taken action on an issue, all state laws on that issue are simply voided Amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to nullify existing state and local regulations relating to safety of food and food packaging Bar States from issuing any new safety regulations, unless they are identical to those required by the FDA Standards and warnings would be nullified and barred even if the FDA has not regulated the particular hazard and even if the FDA has not studied or does not intend to study the hazard The only way that the state could regulate food safety where FDA has not taken action is to petition the FDA for permission to do so. H.R. 4167, sponsored by Representative Mike Rogers (R-MI), passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee on December 15, 2005 without hearings or development of any record showing any need for the law. It is expected to be scheduled for a floor vote soon. To date, 226 House Representatives are co-sponsors of the bill, including 12 California members. 218 votes are needed to pass the bill. Therefore, the 12 California members are poised to provide the margin of victory for the food industry. Of the 12 California members, 9 are from Central Valley and Los Angeles/Orange County Districts. In the Energy and Commerce Committee, one California member, Representative George Radanavich, supported the bill while five opposed it (Representatives Hilda Solis, Anna Eshoo, Lois Capps, Mary Bono and Henry Waxman). Opponents of this proposed legislation: Association of Food & Drug Officials California League for Environmental Enforcement Now (CLEEN) California ’s State Attorney General Bill Lockyer Center for Environmental Health Center for Food Safety Center for Science in the Public Interest Communities for a Better Environment Environmental Health Coalition GotMercury.org of San Francisco National Association of State Departments of Agriculture National Conference of State Legislators Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Leticia Ayala, Director of EHC’s Campaign to Eliminate Childhood Lead Poisoning at (619) 474-0220 ext. 121. Now is your opportunity to defend our right to know, our food and safety programs, and protect our families and children from toxic chemicals in our food supply.   Our families and children’s health is on the line!! THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT!

Environmental Health Coalition, 401 Mile of Cars Way, Suite 310, National City, CA 91950, (619)  474-0220. 

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