DeLauro Slams FDA for Delaying Implementation of Nutrition Facts Label

WASHINGTON, DC (June 13, 2017) — Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today released the following statement regarding the decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to delay the compliance dates for the new Nutrition Facts label.

"The United States is in the midst of an obesity epidemic. More than one in three U.S. adults and one in five school-age children are obese and the epidemic is wreaking havoc on our health care costs. The revised Nutrition Facts label is critical to the health and well-being of the American people and provides families with accurate information to make informed food choices. From detailing the amount of added sugars, to bolding the calories and serving size, these updates are essential.

"The food industry has had more than enough time to comply with the new regulations. When the FDA announced the new Nutrition Facts label last year, they gave 95 percent of the companies until July 2019 to comply. Just weeks after the Trump Administration rolled back nutrition standards for school meals, I am outraged that the Administration is once again making it more difficult for American families to have the information they need to make informed and healthy choices. The Trump Administration should immediately reverse course and side with American consumers, not industry insiders."