<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Please note, this is a three part communication. This is the second part, the
first part is titled Your Help is needed to Influence Congress - Part 1, and
the third part is titled Hints for Writing to Congress - Part 3


I have been requested to send the letter information to several people as an
attached word file. If this email message does not work for you, let me know
and I will send a word file directly to you.

The following is a copy of the message I posted on 6-23-01 titled Sample
Letter to Write to Congress - 2nd Part


Sample Letter


Your Name, Address, and Phone Number

Date

Representative or Senator
Address

Honorable (Senator)
Or
Distinguished (Representative)

I urge you to cosponsor the legislation that Representative Nita Lowey and
Senator Edward Kennedy will introduce to tighten the regulation of
food-allergens.  Millions of Americans have food allergies, and each year
about 150 people in the United States die from anaphylactic shock caused by a
food allergy. Metabolic disorders, such as gluten intolerance, also require
careful and strict elimination of certain foods from a persons diet to
maintain normal health. Over 1.3 million people in the USA suffer from gluten
intolerance, which requires strict elimination of wheat, rye and barley from
the diet.

A 2000 survey conducted jointly by the Food and Drug Administration,
Minnesota, and Wisconsin found that one-quarter of the bakery products,
candy, and ice cream sampled were contaminated with peanut or egg ingredients
that were not declared on the product labels. Undeclared allergens may cause
immediate reactions, or slow destruction of the intestine and long-term
health complications associated with malnutrition.

Representative Lowey has said that the legislation would require companies to
list the major allergens (including those in spices, flavorings, and
colorings) by their common English names and to include a telephone number on
the label that consumers could call for more information. The legislation
would also require manufacturers to better prevent cross-contact between
products made in the same facility or on the same production line, allow the
Food and Drug Administration to assess penalties against firms that violate
the food allergen requirements, and require the Centers for Disease Control
to establish a system for tracking food allergy-related deaths.  In addition,
Congress should also require companies to indicate on labels that the food
may contain allergens when the possibility of contamination cannot be totally
excluded.

Rye and barley must be included in the list of allergens declared on labels.
This addition will better serve all persons with allergies and intolerances.

I urge you to cosponsor this important public health legislation, with the
above recommended addition.

Sincerely,

/s/


Thank you to everyone who is working so hard to get the food labeling
improved.

Submitted by:

Nancy
Seattle, WA
USA