PRINTER'S NO. 3591
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
517
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY DALEY, SCHLOSSBERG, HILL-EVANS, GUENST, CEPEDA-
FREYTIZ, GALLAGHER, HOWARD, SANCHEZ AND NEILSON,
SEPTEMBER 6, 2024
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, SEPTEMBER 6, 2024
A RESOLUTION
Urging the Congress of the United States to pass the Food
Labeling Modernization Act of 2023 and the Allergen
Disclosure In Non-food Articles Act.
WHEREAS, The Food Labeling Modernization Act of 2023,
introduced in the 118th Congress as H.R. 2901 and S. 1289, would
require updates to the list of ingredients on packaged foods and
add front-of-packaging food labeling requirements, including the
disclosure of gluten-containing grains; and
WHEREAS, The Allergen Disclosure in Non-food Articles Act of
2023, introduced in the 118th Congress as H.R. 4263 and S. 2079,
would require that the label of a drug intended for human use
identify each ingredient in the drug that is, or is derived
directly or indirectly from, a major food allergen or gluten-
containing grain; and
WHEREAS, Certain food and drug ingredients can pose serious
health risks, including death, to those with allergies or
intolerances to the ingredients; and
WHEREAS, Celiac disease, an illness caused by an autoimmune
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
reaction to gluten, affects approximately 1% of the population
of the United States, while another 6% of the population has an
intolerance to gluten; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 23 million people in the United
States, including more than 900,000 Pennsylvanians, have celiac
disease or an intolerance to gluten; and
WHEREAS, Those with celiac disease or an intolerance to
gluten suffer from symptoms such as hives, skin rash, nausea,
stomach cramps, indigestion, vomiting, diarrhea, joint pain,
infertility, early osteoporosis, bloating and low blood counts;
and
WHEREAS, Lack of compliance to a strict, gluten-free diet for
those with celiac disease puts them at a six times greater risk
of developing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and a four times greater
risk of developing cancer of the small intestine than the
general population; and
WHEREAS, Current food and medication labels do not always
provide the simple, straightforward information that consumers
need to stay healthy and safe; and
WHEREAS, Under Federal law, food products containing wheat
must be labeled to identify the presence of wheat; and
WHEREAS, Gluten can be found in grains other than wheat,
including barley, oats and rye; and
WHEREAS, Without properly labeling all products that contain
gluten, many individuals are at risk of developing severe
reactions to the food and medicine that they ingest; and
WHEREAS, It is of utmost importance that we do all we can to
help those with celiac disease and others with an intolerance to
gluten better identify food and medicine that could be harmful
to them; and
20240HR0517PN3591 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
WHEREAS, The Commerce Clause of the Constitution of the
United States restricts the ability of states to enact laws to
regulate the labeling of products containing food or medication;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House Representatives urge the Congress of
the United States to pass the Food Labeling Modernization Act of
2023 and the Allergen Disclosure In Non-food Articles Act; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each
member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
20240HR0517PN3591 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11