Obesity in the Headlines

June 18, 2004 - NRA update

Mandated fat, sodium, trans fat and calorie counts on menus?
"Anybody can do it," says Sen. Harkin

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), who's already been campaigning for restaurant menu-labeling mandates via S. 2108, a bill he introduced in February to accompany a companion House bill by Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), is now adding his menu-labeling proposal to a larger "Wellness Package" he says he plans to introduce in the Senate next week.

In remarks delivered on the Senate floor this afternoon, Harkin said after he introduced S. 2108 -- which would require restaurants with 20 or more locations to add fat, trans fat, calorie and sodium counts for each menu item -- "the National Restaurant Association just sort of went into orbit: 'Oh, we can't do that. It's going to cost too much money. You don't understand. They change the menus a lot. And you'd have to reprint them every time. And this would just be too burdensome'... and on and on and on." Harkin said Ruby Tuesday recently began voluntarily adding nutrition data to its menu. "If Ruby Tuesday can do it, anybody can do it," Harkin said.

The National Restaurant Association remains very vocal in its opposition to any menu-labeling mandate.