mr. chairman , i thank the chairman for yielding me this time .  mr. chairman , opponents of this legislation have said we do not need this bill .  they said , we need a debate on health care , and i am pleased to engage in that debate .  i am reminded of the book that talks about everything i need to know in life i learned in kindergarten .  i have learned a few things here .  lawsuits do not lower obesity rates .  lawsuits do not improve the nutrition habits of children .  lawsuits do not reduce the $ 127 million annual medical costs that our nation incurs on obesity-related conditions in children and the increase in obesity rates .  mr. chairman , parents need to teach their children at early ages to eat healthy meals and to establish exercise routines for their families .  school districts need to make sure they have gym classes and serve the right kinds of food as an option .  proper diet and exercise will help reduce medical complications that are increasingly common in children , such as hypertension , diabetes , high cholesterol , and heart disease which were once found almost exclusively in adults .  in my years working as a psychologist and oftentimes consulting with courts , i have yet to find a court that can replace a parent .  when will we learn we can not litigate compassion , we can not mandate common sense , and we certainly can not legislate personal responsibility .  h.r. 554 will do more than restrict lawsuits against food and manufacturers for weight-related cases .  it forces us to take personal responsibility for ourselves and our families and put a priority on establishing healthy lifestyles .  here are the facts .  if you touch a flame , you are going to get burned .  if you eat a lot and do not exercise , you are going to gain weight .  we need to take personal responsibility for that .  the bill before us directly protects individual freedoms of all americans from a tiny minority who try to exploit the legal system for personal gain .  i strongly support h.r. 554 , and i commend the chairman for his work .  