Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act - Part VIII

Floor Speech

Proponents of this bill assert that the food industry will incur significant cost defending "frivolous" lawsuits by the trial lawyers, but neglect the staggering costs that may be borne by private citizens should they dare question the health effects of any "qualified food product" under this bill.
My amendment insures that what's good for the geese is good for the gander. Those advancing healthy diets by discouraging the consumption of certain foods because of their adverse effects on a person's health and weight gain should not be subject to litigation from the food industry while it stands immunized from any accountability under this bill.
I don't recall any hue and cry in this body during or in the aftermath of the lawsuit against Ms. Winfrey to ban food libel laws. The system worked. But if we are to end the public's right to a jury trial on issues of food safety, we cannot end the public's right to freedom of speech by leaving food critics who play an important role in educating the public, stimulating positive change, and promoting sound eating habits open to lawsuits from an immunized industry.
This amendment addresses this concern and insures that every American can engage in or has access to an open and honest debate on matters of public health.
Once again, Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support my amendment.
[End Insert]

Mr. KELLER. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
I ask my colleagues to vote "no" on the Jackson-Lee amendment. The Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act, the base bill, pertains to lawsuits people bring because they gained weight and are suing the company that served them the food, claiming it is their fault. This amendment would prevent manufacturers or sellers of food from suing individuals because, and I am not making this up, the company literally got fat. I would like to ask, how is it possible to determine what the body mass index of General Motors is? Did it gain weight over the holidays? This amendment should be defeated solely because it erroneously assumes companies can literally get fat.
The author of the amendment mentioned a little insight into where she was going when she talked about she does not want individuals like Oprah Winfrey getting sued. Well, if my colleagues recall, that did not have anything to do with this. Oprah Winfrey got sued by the Beef Cattlemen's Association because they claimed she allegedly defamed them. They did not, the Beef Cattlemen's Association, that because of her comments, this association got fat.
So this is an erroneously drafted bill, has no application here, however it is intended, and I would ask my colleagues to vote "no."

Mr. WATT. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. WATT. I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I thank the distinguished gentleman from North Carolina for yielding, and to my good friend from the great State of Florida, let me try to clarify that this is simply an equity amendment. It is a fairness amendment.
The example of Ms. Winfrey was only because she, as an individual, was sued by a large conglomerate, the association dealing with the beef industry. I respect both of their points of view, in fact. I welcome the opportunity for both of them to press their causes in the courts of law.
What I am simply saying is that if we are going to spend time protecting the fast food industry, using the time of this House, then I would challenge my colleagues to give me a reason, a legitimate explanation for not protecting individual rights, and that means that if an industry is to be protected from suits that are considered frivolous, then individuals for their actions should be as well protected.
I do not understand why we are coming to the floor of the House with a simply one-sided, single-focused bill. No one has described the crisis. Usually this body is conceded to be a problem solver. No one has said that we are overrun with lawsuits. There is no documentation of the amount of money that has been expended, no suggestion that the GNP has been impacted, and so if it is fair to protect the industry, fast foods in particular, if it is fair to bash parents about whether or not their own children, if injured, have a right to go into court because of the food that they are eating, not knowing the particular conditions that the parents operate in, and I would imagine that the court will determine whether those lawsuits are frivolous, if it is all right to come to the floor to do that, then I cannot imagine a simple modifying of this legislation to equalize the rights of both individuals and associations to me seems to be, if you will, hypocritical.
Again, I would ask my colleagues to consider this amendment as an amendment of equity and equality and fairness. It is not necessarily the Oprah Winfrey amendment, but I think if Ms. Winfrey was here, she would acknowledge the pain, as well as the burden, that was put upon her to go as an individual and defend her case in another jurisdiction. At least she was allowed to go into court. In this legislation, the door is slammed shut on the basis of the fact that maybe hamburgers have now taken a greater standard in this country than someone's individual rights. I would like to find the constitution that says all hamburgers are created equal.
Let me ask my colleagues to support this amendment on the basis of fairness.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words.
Mr. Chairman, unfortunately, the gentlewoman from Texas' argument has nothing to do with her amendment and the examples that she has used has nothing to do with this bill.
First, what the amendment does is exactly what the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Keller) has indicated, and that is to say, that a company could sue for getting too fat. Well, a company is a piece of paper that is signed by the Secretary of State of the State of corporation, and has the State seal affixed to it. Companies do not get fat, at least in the physical way that this bill is designed to address.
Secondly, the gentlewoman from Texas brings up the case of the lawsuit that was filed against Oprah Winfrey. That was a defamation suit. This bill has nothing to do with allegations of defamation. Anybody who claims to have a cause of action for defamation is perfectly able to go to court and file their case.
So I do not understand what relevance the gentlewoman's amendment has to the issues that are presented to this bill, and that is why it should be defeated.

Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I will not take the full 5 minutes, but I am struck by the comments of my distinguished chairman and colleague from Wisconsin, because his interpretation, I believe, is not correct, because someone could claim that a fast food chain, and let me be fair in the calling of them, there are so many, whether it is Whataburger or McDonald's or Jack-In-The-Box or Burger King, that their hamburgers, as I said, it must be the constitutional protection of all hamburgers are created equal, but their hamburger makes one fat, just a simple statement.
Well, on page 5 of this bill, under the qualified civil liability action, it clearly suggests that that person would be apt to be sued, and so what I am saying is if we can put legislation on the floor of the House to protect the entities, the institutions, the businesses from frivolous lawsuits, then we should be able to protect those who are offering their opinion. By way of documentation, by way of research, they have equal rights.
This is an equity amendment, and it seems to me to be quite unusual that my colleagues would not welcome the opportunity to equalize lawsuits, equalize the ban on lawsuits because it is clear that it is in this bill, and I would ask my colleagues to consider the fairness of this because it is going directly to the point that is made in this bill, and I would ask my colleagues to support the Jackson-Lee amendment.

The CHAIRMAN pro tempore (Mr. Bass). The question is the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

The amendment was rejected.

AMENDMENT NO. 10 OFFERED BY MS. JACKSON-LEE OF TEXAS

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The Clerk will designate the amendment.

The text of the amendment is as follows:

Amendment No. 10 offered by Ms. Jackson-Lee of Texas:

At the end of the bill (preceding the amendment to the long title), insert the following new section:

SEC. 5. ACTIONS INVOLVING WEIGHT-LOSS PRODUCTS.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, this Act shall not apply to an action alleging that a product claiming to assist in weight loss caused heart disease, heart damage, primary pulmonary hypertension, neuropsychologocal damage, or any other complication which may also be generally associated with a person's weight gain or obesity.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, when we looked at that bill, we tried to find some redeeming value to it because it does say Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act, and clearly there are none of us that want to be on the wrong side of personal responsibility, but I want to focus on what the bill actually does.
I think if my colleagues would listen, as the American people will have to fall victim to this particular legislation, they would know that this is going just too far because what H.R. 339 does is it bans suits for harm caused by dietary supplements and mislabeling which have nothing to do with excess food consumption and would prevent State law enforcement officials from bringing legal actions to enforce their own consumer protection law.
Beyond the idea of obesity, and I am going to get fat on whatever food one might be eating, including the very tasty French fries, this goes to the very heart of some tragic incidences that we have had dealing with food and nutritional supplements.
I am aghast, Mr. Chairman, that this bill deals with banning any opportunity to protect ourselves against ephedra and fen-phen and any other thing that has to do with these kinds of supplements.
Already we have seen the pain of various individuals who have lost their loved ones. This is nothing to simplify and/or to make light of. Even in this current year or the last year we have seen terrible tragedies occur because of a utilization of these particular drugs, and now my friends want to have a broad, legislatively written bill, H.R. 339, that slaps the face of those who lost their loved ones, who have been injured by the utilization of these supplements.
So my amendment is very simple. It provides, if you will, the protection against that. Hidden in this convoluted definition of the civil action that relates to a person's consumption of a qualified product and any health condition that is associated with a person's weight gain is the fact that a person is banned from bringing a lawsuit on these kinds of products and that this bill will shield the producer of dietary supplements from all liability.
I offer this amendment to ensure that makers of these highly dangerous and highly unregulated drugs are held accountable for their action. Let me give my colleagues an example, Mr. Chairman.
Under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, all laws that apply to food apply to dietary supplements unless they explicitly exempt them. That means that this bill limits the liability of dietary supplementing manufacturers because it does not specifically exempt. Unlike hamburgers and French fries, dietary supplements often have hidden side effects that often have immediate and dire consequences, but yet we have a bill that is broad based with a broad sweep and no limitation, and unlike drugs, these supplements neither have to test for side effects nor report them to the Federal Government.
Let me tell my colleagues what is worse. This bill is retroactive. So ongoing lawsuits of people already punished, already injured, all suffering, already damaged, already dead are going to be voided by the passage of this lawsuit. How incredulous.
I cannot imagine that my colleagues would have such intent because I would never attribute sinister intent to the drafters of this legislation, and I would only ask my colleagues, let us fix it today on the floor of the House. Let us show America that there is no intent to go back into the courtroom of ongoing litigation where family members are gathered in great, if you will, disadvantage because of what has happened to them or a loved one and ask them to give up a legitimate claim, and then let us not go forward with a bill that takes a broad brush and denies one's right to get into the court on these dietary supplements and nutritional supplements.

The current system is not sufficient to deal with this threat. Consider ephedra, for example, which the FDA started investigating in 1997. It is now 7 years, 18,000 adverse reactions, and at least 155 deaths later; and it is just now being pulled off the shelves. So it is important to note, Mr. Chairman, that this amendment is simply to clarify this bill.
I would ask my colleagues to support this amendment and to recognize that this can help us together clarify the rights of those who are already in court and the rights of those going forward on the nutritional supplements that have brought great damage to many Americans.

Mr. KELLER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
Mr. Chairman, I will ask my colleagues to vote "no" on the Jackson-Lee amendment dealing with diet pills on a couple of grounds:
First, the Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act applies to weight gain, obesity, or any health condition that is associated with a person's weight gain, such as diabetes, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease. It has nothing to do with weight loss and nothing to do with diet pills, and this amendment confusingly implies weight loss can be weight gain, which does not make sense.
The second part of the amendment, which is somewhat odd, is the amendment would bizarrely require Members to vote for a provision that states that being fat is "generally associated" with brain dysfunction and neurological disorders. Specifically, it says, "neurological damage or any other complication which may be generally associated with a person's weight gain or obesity."
Not all people who might be overweight are suffering from neurological problems. I can tell you that it is possible to be both fat and happy. So I do not understand the reason for this amendment.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. KELLER. I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, I would ask the gentleman if Santa Claus is both fat and happy?

Mr. KELLER. Reclaiming my time, Mr. Chairman, I believe he is.

Mr. WATT. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. WATT. I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I thank the distinguished ranking member very much for yielding to me. I know we can come to a meeting of the minds on this.
Mr. Chairman, I want to take my good friend from Florida somewhat to task because it is inaccurate what he has just represented to this body. It is totally inaccurate. These supplements claim to help prevent weight gain or they claim to help or to prevent obesity. This legislation does apply. Clear and simply, it does apply.
What is going to happen is that we are hiding the ball. This legislation will pass and thousands will be thrown out of the courthouse. I have already cited for my colleagues that there have been 18,000 adverse reactions from ephedra, with 155 deaths.
Let me advise how this bill impacts the problem that I am citing by way of my amendment and why it needs to be fixed. First of all, section 3(a) of the bill bans qualified civil liability action. That already goes to those who have had an adverse reaction or those who are dead and their family members are trying to go into court. Section 4(5) of the bill defines qualified civil liability actions as actions involving a qualified product. Section 4(4) of the bill defines a qualified product as a food under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Section 32(f)(f) of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act says a dietary supplement shall be deemed to be a food within the meaning of this chapter.
This bill is a direct correlation to the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act; and ephedra, as a dietary supplement, is, therefore, a food, with 18,000 adverse reactions and 155 deaths. You can equate it to those who are allergic to dairy products, for example.
Again, these attempts are not to condemn the food industry globally. We all enjoy and need the nutrients produced by the agricultural industry as well as the food industry, the processing food industry, the fast-food industry that produces meals that sometimes may be the only meals that people have. But what we are saying, Mr. Chairman, and what we are saying to this body, you cannot hide the ball.
We hope that this is not a sinister intent, a back-door intent to have tort reform and to close the courthouse door. If it is not, you cannot argue with the fact that this is a food supplement covered by this bill. And I would say to my colleagues, when they do not want to accept any amendment, we may have a disagreement on this bill; but, frankly, we do not have a disagreement on the fact that people's rights may be denied. They think it is the food industry; I think it is individuals.
If my colleague thinks that the bill does not apply to dietary supplements, then why does he not accept the amendment? It does no harm anyhow. The language of the bill is ambiguous at best, dangerous at worst. But more importantly, I have just run through an explanation why food supplements are included. So I do not think we should take a chance. I think we should protect the American public and provide support for this amendment so in fact we have the opportunity to clarify it.
I do not see where this bill clarifies a distinction between food and the food supplement and the fact as to whether or not someone would make a claim that would subject them to a lawsuit. I am concerned, and I would think my colleagues should be concerned. This does not have to be time spent in frivolity. It can be a serious attempt at legislation. All we have to do is balance it.
If there is some substance to this idea that fast-food chains are being subjected unmercifully to lawsuits, then just imagine those without the kinds of resources that you might think a business would have and individually are sued by this industry. That is unfair. And those who are now in the process of suing because they have actually been harmed.
The very language of this bill that I think is overreaching anyhow, which is clearly retroactive, to me, suggests that we have a real problem. In fact, I would ask the question whether this bill will withstand any sort of court review; and if I can stretch it, whether it will withstand any kind of constitutional muster. Because I know hidden somewhere somebody's rights have been denied.
I would ask my colleagues to again support this equitable amendment that allows for the bill to be modified to protect individual rights and the ideas of food supplements being included.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words.
Mr. Chairman, first of all, this bill has nothing to do with weight loss products, whether they are food supplements or drugs that require a prescription or drugs that are sold over the counter. It only deals with food that makes people increase their weight so that they become obese and have all of the medical problems related to obesity.
Now, on page 5 of the bill, "Qualified Product" is defined in section 201(f) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act; and this section of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act reads as follows: "The term food means when an article is used for food or drink for man or other animals, chewing gum and articles used for components of any such article."
So all of what the gentlewoman from Texas complains about is not covered in this bill because it is not a qualified product as defined by the bill.
And I will not yield to the gentlewoman. She has been up twice to try to explain what she is trying to do. She is just plain wrong.
And, secondly, there is one other thing that I think is very relevant, and this comes from the black and white provisions of her own amendment as in the Congressional Record. It talks about neuropsychological damage or other complications which may generally be associated with a person's weight gain or obesity.
Now, to say that someone who is obese has got psychological damage, I think, gets to the point of the gentleman from Florida saying that there are a lot of people who can be both fat and happy.
If the gentlewoman from Texas wants to draft an amendment to aim at the target, this was not it because the gun is shooting in the wrong direction.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to make an inquiry.

The CHAIRMAN pro tempore (Mr. Bass). Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Texas?

Mr. KELLER. Objection.

The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Objection is heard.
The question is on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

The question was taken; and the Chairman pro tempore announced that the noes appeared to have it.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee) will be postponed.

AMENDMENT NO. 8 OFFERED BY MR. WATT

Mr. WATT. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.

The CHAIRMAN pro tempore. The Clerk will designate the amendment.

The text of the amendment is as follows:

Amendment No. 8 offered by Mr. Watt:

Strike section 3(b).

Mr. WATT. Mr. Chairman, I will try to be brief, because we have been here for a long time. I do want to compliment all of my colleagues who have really explored the issues related to this bill vigorously, and I think it has been a good discussion.
This final amendment, and I do think it is the final amendment, would strike section 3(b) of the bill. Section 3(b) provides that a qualified civil liability action that is pending on the date of the enactment of this act shall be dismissed immediately by the court in which the action was brought or is currently pending.
The effect of that language is to make this bill retroactive in its application applied to pending lawsuits as of the date the law becomes effective. Now, there are not currently any pending lawsuits, because all of them have been dismissed, as I have indicated previously. But between now and the time that this legislation may be enacted, other lawsuits may be pending or may be filed; and so this amendment is aimed at protecting against retroactive application of this bill because I think it is just unfair and almost un-American to change the rules of a legal process in the middle of the action.
Under this bill, any banned lawsuit would be dismissed by a court whether it has just been filed, a judgment is imminent, or a judgment has been entered and post-judgment proceedings and appeal may even be in process. This requirement is inherently unfair to litigants who may have devoted countless time and resources based upon their legitimate reliance on the laws of the States at the time they initiated their lawsuits.
Whether or not there are pending cases that would be dismissed under the bill, the retroactivity of the bill is bad policy and bad precedent. Our Nation prides itself on a fair, impartial, and open judiciary. This provision, however, undermines the judiciary and erodes public confidence in the system. The American people cannot have faith that any of their rights are secure if we change the rules of the game midway through a legal process. The judicial system, State and Federal, is a vital part of our constitutional framework, and we should not be changing the rules in midstream.
As a litigator, I know how deeply our citizens feel about rights they advance in court. I know the personal stress and financial strain that lawsuits may impose on an entire family, and I know how contrary this provision is to fundamental notions of fairness and fair play. I urge my colleagues to support the amendment to eliminate the retroactivity of this bill.

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
This amendment would prevent the application of H.R. 339 to pending lawsuits and must be defeated. The amendment would essentially gut the entire bill by preventing the dismissal of pending lawsuits. If such an amendment passed, all that would happen is that hundreds of additional cases would be filed right before the date of enactment. That is exactly what happened in Texas and Mississippi when those States recently enacted legal reforms that did not preclude pending cases.
Such an amendment, as offered by the gentleman from North Carolina, would therefore make the current situation much worse. The Supreme Court has held that Congress can impose rules that apply retroactively, if it does so, pursuant to an economic policy. Review of retroactive legislation under the due process clause is no more than a variety of judicial regulation of economic activity under the concept of substantive due process.
The general principles the Supreme Court has handed down regarding the constitutionality of retroactive legislation under due process principles were summarized by the court as follows: "The strong deference accorded legislation in the field of national economic policy is no less applicable when that legislation is applied retroactively. Provided that the retroactive application of a statute is supported by a legitimate legislative purpose, furthered by rational means, judgment about the wisdom of such legislation remain within the legislative and exclusive branches. The retroactive legislation does not have to meet a burden not faced by legislation that has only future effects, but that burden is met simply by showing that the retroactive application of the legislation is itself justified by a rational legislative purpose," and that is Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation v. R.A. Gray & Company decided by the Supreme Court in 1984.
This bill aims to save the national food industry from bankruptcy due to pending lawsuits and is an enactment pursuant to a national economic policy. The Supreme Court also upheld the retroactive application of the liability provisions of the Multiemployer Pension Plan Amendments Act of 1980 against the challenge that the withdrawal liability provisions violated the fifth amendment taking of property clause.
The provision of the Act that required an employer to fund its share of a pension plan was viewed by the court as a law regulating economic activity to promote the common good. Therefore, the law was not an invalid taking of property for which compensation was due. That is Connolly v. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, 1986.
This amendment is a bad one. It is designed to gut the legislation and should be defeated.

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.
I rise to support of the Watt amendment, and would offer to say to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner), this is a vital amendment. This happens to seek to eliminate the retroactivity of the very point that I previously made regarding the ongoing and pending lawsuits, particularly on the Ephedra issue.
Let me cite an example to show how deadening and devastating this legislation would be passed with the anti or retroactive language in it that would then stop at the courthouse steps; more seriously, stop at the bench of the judge those ongoing litigation matters that are now pending.
I gave some comfort by suggesting that I would not attribute anything misdirected or mean-spirited to this legislation; I assume there is some purpose for it, but I cannot imagine why we would want to close the door on those who have suffered.
Let me cite an example. Earline Cook has filed a wrongful death claim in the United States District Court for Western Missouri against several companies after her husband passed away in July 2001 after taking a product containing Ephedra. Mr. Cook was a decorated military veteran who died after ingesting an Ephedra-based product while playing basketball on a military base. The autopsy and military investigation concluded that death was caused by the Ephedra-based product. The military base recently named the gymnasium after Mr. Cook in recognition of his dedication and service to the Army and his efforts to stay in top physical shape during his military career.
Her case is currently pending, and I will submit the actual lawsuit into the RECORD because, for some reason, my colleagues seem to think we are giving up smoke, and I would tend to think this is to the contrary.
This is so important because dietary supplements are covered by this legislation. Section 321(ff) of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act says "a dietary supplement shall be deemed to be a food within the meaning of this chapter," and this language is referred to in this legislation.
So the Watt amendment is an excellent amendment because the gentleman is trying to protect the likes of Ms. Cook who is innocent, and while she has filed in a Federal court, unbeknownst to her, we are on the floor of the House undermining, cancelling her lawsuit. Might I just say, what a tragedy.
I imagine we could name a number of serious incidents that are ongoing that have resulted in lawsuits regarding Ephedra, and maybe we can list a number of other dietary supplements as food supplements as section 321(ff) suggests. It is the height of hypocrisy that the case that is pending is that of a decorated military veteran who was attempting to stay at full measure to serve his country and who was playing basketball on a military base. This lawsuit is ongoing, and I cannot understand why we would want to douse this widow's opportunity to petition in a court of law.
We have already said that the judicial system works, and I cannot imagine why we are here today playing with the lives and the ability to achieve justice of those who are here in this country, and particularly as this particular case suggests, those are willing to give the ultimate measure for this Nation.
This is a straightforward amendment which carries with it the weight of rightness, and that is that you cannot have retroactivity in this bill. That would deny people the right to access their rights in court.
My conclusion is that I beg to differ with anyone who would say that this is not covered, food supplements are not covered in this bill because they need to read section 321(ff). The Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act says "a dietary supplement shall be deemed to be a food within the meaning of this chapter." It is covered, and this amendment should pass. I ask my colleagues to support the Watt amendment.
[Begin Insert]
Mr. Chairman, I urge everyone to vote "yes" to the first of my two amendments, "MJ X004" to ensure that dietary supplement manufacturers don't get away with murder.
This bill bans not only so-called "obesity-related suits," but any civil action that "relate[s] to ..... a person's consumption of a qualified product ..... and any health condition that is associated with a person's weight gain." Note that the person with the health condition does not have to be obese, they only have to have a health condition that obese people also have. Heart disease and kidney problems would be some of those diseases, for example. Hidden in this convoluted definition is the fact that this bill will shield the producers of dietary supplements from all liability. I offer this amendment to ensure that makers of these highly dangerous-and highly unregulated-drugs are held accountable for their actions.
Under the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, all laws that apply to "food" apply to dietary supplements unless they explicitly exempt them. That means this bill also limits the liability of dietary supplement manufacturers. Unlike hamburgers and french fries, dietary supplements often have hidden side effects that have immediate and dire consequences. And unlike drugs, these supplements neither have to test for side effects nor report them to the Federal Government.
Our current system isn't sufficient to deal with this threat. Consider ephedra. The FDA started investigating ephedra in 1997. It's now 7 years, 18,000 adverse reactions, and at least 155 deaths later-and it's just now being pulled off the shelves. Despite the reports of strokes, seizures, heart attacks, and sudden death, ephedra was allowed to stay on the market.
Now that ephedra is gone, new diet drugs are already taking its place: bitter orange, aristolochic acid, and usnic acid. All three have been associated with kidney and liver problems. And while the FDA claims that it will look into the matter, we all saw what happened the last time the FDA began its cumbersome process. How many people will die this time? While the government works through its bureaucratic process, we have to let people have their day in court to stop these tragic events from happening again.
Vote "aye" for this amendment and make sure that this bill is limited to what it claims to stop-frivolous obesity cases, and not meritorious claims against dangerous drug manufacturers.
[End Insert]

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI, CENTRAL DIVISION
EARLINE COOK, surviving spouse of HENRY L. COOK, deceased, and administrator of the Estate of Henry L. Cook, deceased,
Plaintiff,
v.
CYTODYNE TECHNOLOGIES, INC., a New Jersey corporation, Serve: Robert Chinery, Jr., Cytodyne Technologies, Inc., 2231 Landmark Place, Manasquan, New Jersey 08736,
and
NUTRAQUEST, INC., a New Jersey corporation, Serve: Robert Chinery, Jr., Nutraquest, Inc., 2231 Landmark Place, Manasquan, New Jersey 08736,
and
ROBERT CHINERY, JR., individually,
and
PHOENIX LABORATORIES, INC., a New York corporation, Serve: Mel L. Rich, President and CEO, Phoenix Laboratories, Inc., 140 Lauman Lane, Hicksville, New York 11801,
and
GENERAL NUTRITION CENTER, INC., d/b/a GNC, a Pennsylvania corporation, Serve: General Nutrition Center, Inc., c/o United States Corporation Company, 221 Bolivar, Jefferson City, MO 65101,
and
GENERAL NUTRITION CORPORATION, d/b/a GNC, a Pennsylvania corporation, Serve: Michael K. Meyers, President & CEO, General Nutrition Corporation, Inc., 921 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222,
and
FICTITIOUS DEFENDANTS A,B,C, and D,
Defendants.

COMPLAINT
COMES NOW, Plaintiff, individually, on behalf of the class of claimants entitled to recover for the wrongful death of Henry L. Cook and as Administrator of the Estate of Henry L. Cook, and for her Complaint states and alleges as follows:
Type of Case
1. This is a wrongful death action brought against Defendants under Missouri law, §537.080 RSMo. for the wrongful death of Henry L. Cook on or about July 17, 2001. This action is brought by Plaintiff, Earline Cook, both individually as the surviving spouse of Henry L. Cook, as representative for the class claimants under §537.080 RSMo. and as the duly appointed administrator of the Estate of Henry L. Cook. Decedent Henry L. Cook used Defendants', Cytodyne Technologies, Inc. (hereinafter "Cytodyne")/Nutraquest, Inc. (hereinafter "Nutraquest") product-Xenadrine RFA-1--preceding his death on or about July 17, 2001. As a direct and proximate result of taking this product decedent Henry L. Cook was caused to suffer physical injury and death by sudden cardiopulmonary arrest. The Xenadrine RFA-1 product is manufactured by Cytodyne/Nutraquest and Defendant Phoenix Laboratories, Inc. (hereinafter "Phoenix"), and was sold and marketed through General Nutrition Center, Inc. and/or Defendant General Nutrition Corporation (hereinafter jointly referred to as "GNC") retail outlets. The events giving rise to Henry L. Cook's death occurred in St. Joseph, Missouri. This action seeks monetary damages for the personal injuries and wrongful death caused by the Xenadrine RFA-1 product, and for Earline Cook's loss of the consortium of her husband and for all the damages allowed by law.
Parties
2. Plaintiff, Earline Cook, is an adult resident of St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri.
3. Defendant, Cytodyne Technologies, Inc. ("Cytodyne") is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of New Jersey. Cytodyne's principal place of business is located at 2231 Landmark Place, Manasquan, New Jersey, 08736. At all times relevant hereto, Cytodyne was in the business of manufacturing, marketing, selling and distributing Xenadrine RFA-1.
4. Defendant Cytodyne is a foreign corporation that is not registered or qualified to do business in the State of Missouri. Cytodyne does not have a registered agent for service of process in Missouri. Cytodyne Technologies may be served through any of its officers at its principal place of business at 2231 Landmark Place, Manasquan, New Jersey, 08736.
5. Defendant, Nutraquest, Inc. ("Nutraquest") is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of New Jersey. Nutraquest's principal place of business is located at 2231 Landmark Place, Manasquan, New Jerseys, 08736. Nutraquest, Inc. was formerly known as Cytodyne Technologies, Inc. At all times relevant hereto, Nutraquest was in the business of manufacturing, marketing, selling and distributing Xenadrine RFA-1.
6. Defendant Nutraquest is a foreign corporation that is not registered or qualified to do business in the State of Missouri. Nutraquest does not have a registered agent for service of process in Missouri. Nutraquest may be served through any of its officers at its principal place of business at 2231 Landmark Place, Manasquan, New Jersey, 08736.
7. Defendant Robert Chinery, Jr. ("Chinery") is an individual residing in New Jersey. At all times relevant hereto, Chinery was the founder, sole shareholder and a corporate officer of Cytodyne/Nutraquest. On information and belief, prior to the formation of Cytodyne/Nutraquest, Chinery created, developed, tested, manufactured, distributed and/or sold Xenadrine RFA-1 (under that name or a different name) individually. Chinery personally had knowledge of and knowingly participated in the actions of Cytodyne/Nutraquest giving rise to liability as set forth within this Complaint. Additionally, upon information and belief, Chinery owns 100% of Cytodyne/Nutraquest's stock and Cytodyne/Nutraquest is so dominated by Chinery that to avoid injustice the corporate form of Cytodyne/Nutraquest should be disregarded and Chinery should be held personally and individually responsible for the actions of Cytodyne/Nutraquest.
8. Defendant, Phoenix Laboratories, Inc. ("Phoenix") is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York. Phoenix's principal place of business is located at 140 Lauman Lane, Hicksville, New York, 11801. At all times relevant hereto, Phoenix was in the business of manufacturing, formulating, producing, marketing, selling and distributing Xenadrine RFA-1.
9. Defendant Phoenix is a foreign corporation that is not registered or qualified to do business in the State of Missouri. Phoenix does not have a registered agent for service of process within the State of Missouri. Defendant Phoenix may be served through Mel L. Rich, its President and Chief Executive Officer, at its principal place of business, 140 Lauman Lane, Hicksville, New York 11801.
10. Defendant General Nutrition Center, Inc. d/b/a GNC is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Pennsylvania. Defendant General Nutrition Center, Inc. is not registered or qualified to do business in the State of Missouri with its principal place of business at 921 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Defendant General Nutrition Center, Inc. may be served through its registered agent in Missouri, the United States Corporation Company, 221 Bolivar, Jefferson City, Missouri 65101.
11. Defendant General Nutrition Corporation d/b/a/ GNC is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Pennsylvania. Defendant General Nutrition Corporation is not registered or qualified to do business in the State of Missouri. Defendant General Nutrition Corporation does not have a registered agent for service of process within the State of Missouri. Defendant General Nutrition Center, Inc. may be served through Mr. Michael K. Meyers, its President and Chief Executive Officer at its principal place of business, 921 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222.
12. Defendant General Nutrition Center, Inc. and Defendant General Nutrition Corporation are both names under which the same business and/or corporation has operated and may be jointly referred to within this Complaint as GNC.
13. Fictitious Defendants, A, B, C, and D, are those persons, franchisees, sales representatives, district managers, firms or corporations whose actions, inactions, fraud, scheme to defraud, and/or other wrongful conduct caused or contributed to the injuries sustained by Plaintiff and Decedent, whose true and correct names are unknown to Plaintiff at this time, but will be substituted by Amendment when ascertained. At all times relevant hereto, the fictitious defendants were in the business of marketing, formulating, producing, selling and distributing Xenadrine RFA-1.
14. At all times relevant hereto, Defendants were in the business of manufacturing, marketing, producing, formulating, selling and distributing Xenadrine RFA-1.
Jurisdiction and Venue
15. The matter in controversy significantly exceeds, exclusive of interest and costs, the sum of $75,000 and is properly before this Court.
16. This Court has personal jurisdiction over Cytodyne/Nutraquest pursuant to §506.500 RSMo. because this cause of action accrued in Missouri and arises our of (1) the transaction of business within the State of Missouri by Cytodyne/Nutraquest and its employees; and (2) the commission of tortious acts by Cytodyne/Nutraquest and its employees within the State of Missouri.
17. This Court has personal jurisdiction over Chinery pursuant to §506.500 RSMo. because this cause of action accrued in Missouri and arises out of (1) the transaction of business within the State of Missouri by Chinery through his alter ego-Cytodyne/Nutraquest; and (2) the commission of tortuous acts by Chinery through his alter ego-Cytodyne/Nutraquest within the State of Missouri. Additionally, Chinery, as a corporate officer of Cytodyne/Nutraquest, knowingly participated in the actions and conduct of Cytodyne/Nutraquest giving rise to the liability set forth herein and therefore (1) transacted business within the State of Missouri; and (2) committed tortuous acts within the State of Missouri.
18. This Court has personal jurisdiction over Phoenix pursuant to §506.500 RSMo. because this cause of action accrued in Missouri and arises out of (1) the transaction of business within the State of Missouri by Phoenix and its employees; and (2) the commission of tortious acts by Phoenix and its employees within the State of Missouri.
19. This Court has personal jurisdiction over GNC pursuant to §506.500 RSMo. because this cause of action accrued in Missouri and arises out of (1) the transaction of business within the State of Missouri by GNC and its employees; and (2) the commission of tortious acts by GNC and its employees within the State of Missouri.
20. This Court has personal jurisdiction over Fictitious Defendants A, B, C and D pursuant to §506.500 RSMo. because this cause of action accrued in Missouri and arises out of (1) the transaction of business within the State of Missouri by Fictitious Defendants A, B, C and D and their employees; and (2) the commission of tortious acts by Fictitious Defendants A, B, C and D and their employees within the State of Missouri.
21. Plaintiff's claim for wrongful death accrued in Missouri. On information and belief, the Xenadrine RFA-1 was purchased and ingested by decedent in Missouri-specifically in St. Joseph, Missouri within the Western District of Missouri. Decedent resided in St. Joseph, Missouri within the Western District of Missouri at the time of his death. Plaintiff currently resides in St. Joseph, Missouri within the Western District of Missouri. Defendants include an individual non-resident and foreign corporations, one or more of which has been and are currently engaged in business, directly or by authorized agent, in Missouri. Defendants GNC's registered agent is specifically located within this division of the Western District of Missouri in Jefferson City, Missouri.
22. Venue is appropriate before this Court pursuant to §508.010 RSMo as defendants include both individuals and corporations and all defendants are non-residents of Missouri. Furthermore, Defendant GNC's registered agent is located in Jefferson City, Missouri.
General Allegations
23. Decedent Henry Lee Cook was born on June 16, 1953 in Yazoo City, Mississippi. Decedent Henry L. Cook and Plaintiff Earline Cook were married on January 21, 1985.
24. At the time of his death, decedent Henry L. Cook was employed with the United States Army as a military police officer, having attained the rank of Sergeant Major.
25. Prior to his death, decedent Henry L. Cook was in good health and physical condition and regularly engaged in physical activities such as running, playing basketball and other exercise. Mr. Cook regularly worked out at the gym at work approximately four times a week and regularly engaged in physical activities.
26. Upon information and belief, at a point in time relatively shortly before his death, decedent Henry L. Cook purchased Xenadrine RFA-1 from Defendant GNC's store located in St. Joseph, Missouri. Thereafter, up to and including on the date of his death, decedent Henry L. Cook regularly took the Xenadrine RFA-1 product in accordance with the recommended dosages contained on the Xenadrine RFA-1 bottle.
27. On July 17, 2001, decedent Henry L. Cook ingested the recommended dosage of Xenadrine RFA-1 product in St. Joseph, Missouri.
28. At approximately 11:30-11:45 a.m. on July 17, 2001, decedent Henry L. Cook-while playing basketball at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas-collapsed and was non-responsive. Military personnel on the scene immediately attempted to administer cardio pulmonary resuscitation until emergency personnel arrived. Emergency personnel attempted electronic shock treatment but were unable to revive decedent Henry L. Cook. Henry L. Cook was immediately transported via ambulance to the local hospital where he was pronounced dead at 12:50 p.m.
29. Because of the sudden and unexpected nature of decedent Henry L. Cook's death, the United States Army conducted an investigation into decedent Henry L. Cook's cause of death.
30. During the investigation, military investigators seized a bottle of Xenadrine RFA-1. At the time of decedent Henry L. Cook's death, the bottle of Xenadrine RFA-1 had 52 of the original 120 pills remaining in the bottle.
31. An autopsy was performed on decedent Henry L. Cook on July 18, 2001.
32. Toxicology reports from the autopsy revealed ephedrine and pseudoephedrine in the heart blood (respectively 140 ng/ml and 47.1 ng/ml).
33. Toxicology reports from the autopsy also revealed ephedrine and pseudoephedrine in the femoral blood (respectively 46.6 ng/ml and 18.5 ng/ml).
34. The autopsy results support the conclusion that the ephedrine contained in the Xenadrine RFA-1 ingested by decedent Henry L. Cook prior to his death caused or contributed to cause decedent Henry L. Cook's death.
35. As a direct and proximate result of defendants' acts and omissions, plaintiff's decedent Henry L. Cook was caused to suffer injuries and death. Plaintiff has been caused to suffer damages in the past from the loss of her husband, and will continue to experience this loss in the future. Upon the trial of this case, Plaintiff will request the Jury to determine fair compensation for the amount of loss which Plaintiff and others have incurred in the past and will likely incur in the future as a result of the wrongful death of Henry L. Cook.
Xenadrine RFA-1 and Defendants' Knowledge Concerning its Dangerous Propensities
36. Xenadrine RFA-1 is an ephedra-containing dietary supplement/herbal product.
37. In addition to ephedra, Xenadrine RFA-1 contains other constituent "herbal" products that increase and potentiate the effects of ephedrine. Likewise, Xenadrine RFA-1 contains ephedrine alkaloids other than ephedine.
38. Defendants did manufacture, design, formulate, produce, package, market, sell and/or distribute Xenadrine RFA-1.

Mr. KELLER. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the requisite number of words.
Mr. Chairman, I am asking my colleagues to vote no on the Watt amendment dealing with the pending lawsuits.
This amendment was raised at the Committee on the Judiciary. The gentleman made similar, consistent arguments, and it was shot down at the time.
I would like to give three reasons why my colleagues should vote no. First of all, there is a good policy reason to vote no. Second, the Supreme Court will uphold this; and third, we have done similar language before in other bipartisan bills.
First, with respect to the reason of policy, if such an amendment were passed, all that would happen is we would have hundreds if not more cases filed before the date of enactment, and we know that after this bill passes today, it has to pass the other body where we have Senator McConnell as the chief sponsor, so there would be a time frame where there would be an incentive to find the right jury and the right judge.
We have an idea that is sort of their game plan because the one witness the Democrats called at the Committee on the Judiciary hearing was a man named John Banzhaf who said, "Somewhere there is going to be a judge and a jury that will buy this, and once we get the first verdict, as we did with tobacco, it will open the floodgates." So it does away with that incentive that clearly they want.
Second, the Supreme Court has held that Congress can impose rules retroactively if it does so pursuant to an economic policy. The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation v. R.A. Gray is one example. Clearly a bill that aims to save the food industry from potentially bankrupting litigation like that of the tobacco industry is pursuant to a national economic policy, especially since it is the largest private sector employer in the country.
Third, this exact same language appeared in H.R. 1036, the Protection of Lawful Commerce and Arms Act, which enjoyed wide bipartisan support in this House and received 285 votes. I know the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Watt) is going to say yes, but that bill was defeated in the Senate. Fair enough, it was defeated in the Senate, but it was because gun control measures were added to it. There were no changes to this particular provision. It has enjoyed broad bipartisan support in the past. I urge my colleagues to vote no on the Watt amendment.

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I move to strike the requisite number of words.
Mr. Chairman, just because we made something retroactive in the past does not make it a good idea. It is a bad idea to pass legislation that retroactively affects pending lawsuits.

Mr. WATT. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?

Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina.

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