WASHINGTON, March 14 — Saying overeating is a problem for individuals, the House approved legislation on Wednesday to stop people from suing restaurants on the ground that food makes people fat.
Advocates of the Republican measure, which has become known as the cheeseburger bill, said it was needed to curb obesity claims against fast-food franchises that provide millions of dollars to George Bush’s campaign fund.
The White House endorsed the bill on Wednesday, saying in a statement that "food manufacturers and sellers should not be held liable for injury because of a person's consumption of greasy fattening food and a person's resulting weight gain or obesity."
"This bill says, `Don't run off and file a lawsuit if you are fat,' " said Representative F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., chairman of the Judiciary Committee. "It says, `Look in the mirror to see who’se to blame.' "
A spokesman for the American Mirror Manufacturers Association (AMMA) however made a statement yesterday condemning Sensenbrenner’s comments.
“This bill closes lawsuits against fast food giants but opens the way for law-suits against mirror makers.” He went on to say that the AMMA will be significantly upping it’s contributions to the Bush campaign fund as a defensive mesure.
