[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17684]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP (IWG) GUIDELINES

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                           HON. BOB GOODLATTE

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 16, 2011

  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my deep concern 
over the draft guidelines by the Interagency Working Group (IWG) on 
Food Marketed to Children. These guidelines would state that food must 
meet certain nutritional standards to be marketed to children. Quite 
frankly, these guidelines are so draconian that the advertising of 
nearly all foods to children and adolescents would be banned. This ban 
would include thousands of healthy products that could no longer be 
marketed to children, including most soups, cereals, yogurt, bread, and 
cheese--all foods determined beneficial for participants in the 
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). 
It is shocking that the Federal Government would be working to limit 
the advertising of foods like low fat and fat free dairy products which 
play a vital role in the diets of children and adolescents.
  While I have strong concerns about nutritional products that would be 
affected by the IWG's marketing guidelines, it is important to note how 
far reaching these guidelines are. The IWG defined marketing to include 
packaging, point of sale displays, text messages, sponsorships, 
philanthropic activity, and even the shape of food. These guidelines 
would limit the ability of companies to sponsor a sporting event or to 
partner in a charitable activity because it could be seen as marketing 
to children. Does the Federal Government really want to be telling a 
company that they can't be involved in their communities in these ways? 
This will be harmful to the communities while doing little to benefit 
children's nutritional health.
  The IWG guidelines are just another example of excessive government 
red tape. I urge the IWG to withdraw this proposal.

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