WASHINGTON – On November 18, priority legislation supported by NACS moved closer to reaching the House of Representatives for a vote.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee passed menu-labeling legislation by a bipartisan vote of 36 to 12 that would enable compliance for convenience store operators while increasing the availability of both nutrition information and choice for consumers.

“We thank committee members and their leadership for advancing legislation that truly meets the objectives of the menu-labeling law without burdening convenience store owners and adding costs to their operations,” said Lyle Beckwith, NACS senior vice president of government relations, following the vote. “We look forward to expedited approval of this vital and common-sense legislation by the full House and the Senate.”

During the committee markup, McMorris Rodgers said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) current menu-labeling regulations are “fundamentally impractical and unnecessarily expensive” and don’t recognize the various food service business models, such as convenience stores. The Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act of 2015 (H.R. 2017), she argued, “clarifies the intent of and simplifies nearly 400 pages of regulations so food establishments can more easily comply and provide consumers reliable access to calorie information.”

While Republicans were supportive of the legislation, a few committee Democrats, including Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ), expressed concerns with the bill. Citing America’s obesity rates, he stated that access to nutritional information helps consumers make more educated food choices. He argued that any concerns with the current regulations should be addressed through FDA guidance, not through a legislative fix. Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC) offered an amendment that would strike a section of the bill limiting a food establishment’s liability from private causes of action. Butterfield ultimately withdrew his amendment at the request of Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and voted in favor of the bill.

Following the full committee vote, the bill is now cleared for consideration by the U.S. House of Representatives. When a vote is imminent, NACS will elevate its grassroots efforts and encourage retailers to engage in the process and ask their members of Congress to support this important industry initiative.