mr. chairman , i oppose this amendment but support the underlying bill , h.r. 554 , the personal responsibility in food consumption act . 
it is an important piece of legislation that continues a series of tort reform measures considered in congress this year . 
we passed this bill during the 108th congress , and we should pass it again today . 
i am an original cosponsor of h.r. 554 , which will prevent a few lawyers from seeking to destroy another industry that employs millions of people and provides a welcome service to individuals who choose to use it . 
in general , the bill prohibits weight gain related claims against the food industry . 
it allows such claims only where a person gained weight as a result of the food industry breaking a state or federal law . 
i remember in 2002 , when individuals filed a lawsuit against mcdonald 's alleging that the fast food chain had made them overweight and unhealthy . 
i remember thinking that people should take responsibility for their own eating habits . 
but it is no longer just one suit against one company . 
now there are suits against all types of the 900 , 000 restaurants in the food industry from small local eateries to giant fast food chains . 
we must set a limit as to what litigation is allowed . 
a nonfrivolous claim should proceed , but a suit dictating the food choices of americans should be stopped before it is even filed . 
the reality is that restaurant meals will change according to what people prefer to eat . 
in recent years we have seen fast food chains add more healthy choices , like salad and fruit , to their menus , but people should have the freedom to eat what they want . 
mr. chairman , we should encourage personal responsibility and healthy eating in our society , but we should not encourage lawsuits that blame others for our own choices and that could bankrupt entire industries . 
because americans should have the freedom to eat what they want and because we should take responsibility for our own actions , i support the passage of the personal responsibility in food consumption act . 
