Return-Path: jham@concentric.net Errors-To: Date: Thu, 2 Oct 1997 12:17:21 -0400 (EDT) X-Sender: jham@pop3.concentric.net To: cafmr@pnc.com.au From: John Hammell Subject: Update on Effort to Amend Harmonization Language Which Threatens Access To Supplements We are trying to find a congressman who will introduce an amendment to the harmonization section of the house companion bill to S.830, the FDA Reform Bill. As it currently stands, this legislation threatens to harmonize American food and drug law to that of the European Union, where dietary supplements are regulated as drugs. Please Refer to the information below to assist you in discussing this with your members of Congress and with the selected Congressmen listed below. Please report back to me if you have any positive responses that I should follow up. I must emphasize that I can't do this alone, we are fighting an uphill battle, and the only way we can succeed is if a lot of people assist me. Please help with this. I just called the Majority Whip's office (thursday 10/2) in the House to ask when they thought the companion bill (which doesn't have a number yet) would go to the house floor for a vote, and he told me it wouldn't be going to the floor until 2 weeks from this week, so we have some time, but not much. As I write this the bill is at the rules committee where it will be assigned a number. Anyone with any contacts in companies such as the ones Robin has contacted should alert them to this situation. Please network this information to more people and refer to the material below: VITAMINS TO BE MADE INTO "DRUGS" US FOOD AND DRUG LAW TO BE "HARMONIZED" WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION UNLESS YOU ACT NOW! We are in great danger. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act does not protect us from what is happening. The FDA Reform Bill contains harmonization language which threatens to make our food and drug laws the same as the European Union's where dietary supplements are regulated as drugs, and restrictions are getting much tighter. When you receive this, you MUST take immediate action: Here is the situation: S.830 was fast tracked through the Senate by a vote of 98-2. We were given almost no time to react. Those of you who receive my email alerts found out about it, the rest of you had no way to and I had no way to tell you. We are now at the llth hour, desperately trying to amend the house companion bill, which doesn't yet have a bill number. (A trick they sometimes use to thwart opposition is to not announce a bill number until just before they go to the floor for a vote.) They could go to the floor as soon as next week (week of Oct.6). WHAT YOU MUST DO: You must immediately call as many members of Congress as possible via 800-972-3524 (or see your congressman's number in your phonebook). In addition to your own Congressman (if you don't know their name the switchboard can tell you if you give your zipcode) Get their fax numbers from them. Especially call these Congressmen: 1. James Traficant, Ohio, 202-225-5261, fax 202-225-3719 email telljim@hr.house.gov 2. Helen Chenoweth, Idaho, 202-225-6611, fax 202-225-3029, email askhelen@hr.house.gov 3. Joe Scarborough, Florida, 202-225-4136, fax 202-225-3414, no email unless new 4. Jack Metcalf, Washington, 202-225-2605, 202-225-4420, no email unless new 5. Ron Paul, Texas, 202-225-2831, fax 202-225-5785, email rep.paul@mail.house.gov 6. Joe Skeen, New Mexico, 202-225-2365, fax 202-225-9599, no email unless new Ask them to sponsor an amendment to the House companion bill to S.830 (FDA Reform Bill). The harmonization language must be amended. Given that the Senate bill passed by a vote of 98-2, we don't have the clout needed to remove the harmonization language, which is what we REALLY need. The best we can hope for is to amend it. Tell members of congress we want it to read as follows: (my changes are in bold) On HR 1411 (one of the 3 bills being combined to form a companion): Section 18-Harmonization: (My amendment is in parentheses.) "Section 803 (21 USC 383) is amended by adding at the end the following: (C ) The secretary shall participate in meetings with representatives of other countries to discuss methods and approaches to reduce the burden of regulation and harmonize regulatory requirements if the secretary determines that such harmonization continues consumer protections consistent with the purposes of this Act. The Secretary shall report to the Committee on Commerce of the House of Representatives of the Senate at (least 120) (instead of 60 which is how its written now) days before executing any bilateral or multilateral agreement under this paragraph, (and all harmonization agreements entered into must be approved by Congress following public following a public comments period so that the public can be involved in this decisionmaking.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- Note: Members of Congress will try to tell you that this legislation does not effect dietary supplements. If they tell you that, inform them that they are incorrect, because the language of the Senate bill effects the entire food, drug, and cosmetic act, including foods, which includes dietary supplements. Its too late to change the Senate bill. They fast tracked it on us right after they returned from summer recess. We are forced to amend the house bill, and then try to get changes made in the conference committee to the combined bill which goes to the President. If we don't get the amendment we need, we must try to get Clinton to veto the bill by calling the White House comments line at 202-456-1111,202-395-1232, email President@whitehouse.gov John Hammell ****************************************** Donations Needed- Am One Person Working Alone International Advocates for Health Freedom John C. Hammell, Legislative Advocate 2411 Monroe St.#2 Hollywood, FL 33020 USA 800-333-2553, 954-929-2905, FAX 954-929-0507, FAX ON DEMAND 954-927-8795,jham@concentric.net http://www.pnc.com.au/~cafmr/hammell/index.html