[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 80 (Wednesday, June 22, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 22, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
          DIETARY SUPPLEMENT HEALTH AND EDUCATION ACT OF 1993

                                 ______


                            HON. ALAN WHEAT

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 22, 1994

  Mr. WHEAT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to add my name as a cosponsor of 
H.R. 1709, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1993. I 
commend Representative Bill Richardson and Senator Orrin Hatch on their 
diligent efforts to ensure that vitamins and nutritional supplements 
remain widely available to consumers throughout our Nation.
  I also wish to commend Chairman Dingell and Chairman Waxman, Senators 
Kassebaum and Kennedy, and Representatives Cardiss Collins and Elton 
Gallegly for their thoughtful efforts over the past year to forge a 
legislative consensus which would allow soundly manufactured dietary 
supplements to stay on store shelves while providing consumers with 
useful, accurate labeling information on those products. I applaud 
their commitment to ensuring that effective public health protections 
are contained in any bill passed by Congress.
  Unfortunately, it appears that we have reached an impasse in our 
collective attempt to pass balanced, sensible legislation. The FDA's 
final regulations are scheduled to go into affect on July 15, but 
Congress has yet to reach a consensus on how best to safeguard the 
freedom of our constituents to choose alternative forms of medicine.
  Guaranteeing uninterrupted access to a wide range of vitamins and 
supplement has long been by goal as I have worked with Representative 
Richardson and Senator Kassebaum and other leaders on this issue to 
achieve that goal. Today, I am adding my name to the list of cosponsors 
because I believe that it is time for us to end the speculation and 
confusion over the regulation of dietary supplements by passing 
legislation. At the same time, we must make sure that the labeling 
information accompanying these products is accurate, and that there are 
sufficient provisions in the legislation to crack down on the few 
manufacturers who may engage in fraudulent or unsafe practices.
  Make no mistake, H.R. 1709 is not a perfect bill. Many supporters and 
sponsors have publicly conceded that the bill's language does not 
currently go far enough to address public health concerns that have 
been raised. Even Senator Hatch, the sponsor of H.R. 1709's companion 
bill in the Senate, S. 784, and of the substitute bill passed by the 
Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee, recognized these safety 
issues and added provisions that give the FDA some authority to go 
after unsafe products. Additionally, the committee approved an 
amendment setting up a commission to create a process for expediting 
approvals for supplement claims.
  Over the past year, I have heard from many constituents who, like me, 
use vitamins and supplements and want them to remain widely available. 
The citizens of the 5th District have worked long and hard to make sure 
that this issue remains on Congress' front burner. I want to commend 
them for keeping me informed of developments on this issue over the 
past year. I have received a great deal of input from my constituents, 
and I appreciate their commitment to sharing with me their diverse 
views on H.R. 1709. In an attempt to move this issue forward, I have 
decided to cosponsor H.R. 1709 and make clear my belief that 
supplements continue to be widely accessible.
  It is my sincere hope that we can revive House debate on this 
important bill and enact dietary supplement legislation which ensures 
availability and accommodates legitimate public health concerns. I will 
continue to work to speed efforts to reach a consensus and pass 
legislation that accomplishes these goals.

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