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

Please note, this is a two part communication. The first is this message, and
the second is titled Sample Letter to Write to Congress - 2nd Part (Because
this was prepared in a .doc file as an attachment, parts of the paragraph on
an 'ordinary mail ' letter may not work from this message.)


Take Action! Join in this cause before ita (TM)s too late!

We can influence the wording of a bill before it is presented to Congress. In
order for the bill to meet the needs of persons with celiac disease, we must
ask for additional wording. The best way to influence and effect this change
is a mass mailing of letters to your congressional representatives and
senators - NOW!

In response to the food allergies article in the April 2001 issue of -
Nutrition Action Healthletter - and subsequent article and editorial in The
New York Times, Representative Nita M. Lowey (D-NY) and Senator Edward M.
Kennedy (D-MA) have announced they plan to introduce legislation calling for
tighter regulation of food-allergens. I urge you to contact both your
Representative and your two Senators this week and ask them to support this
legislation.

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, to include a telephone number on
the label that consumers could call for more information, and to better
prevent cross-contact between products made in the same facility or on the
same production line. Her bill would also allow the FDA to assess penalties
against firms that violate the food allergen requirements and require the
United States Centers for Disease Control to establish a system for tracking
food allergy-related deaths.  In addition, the legislation should be expanded
to also require companies to indicate on labels that the food may contain
allergens when the possibility of contamination cannot be totally excluded.

While legislators may not realize the difference between an allergy and
intolerance, this bill offers us an opportunity to influence labeling that
will make the job of shopping for anyone with gluten intolerance much easier.

While an e-mail to your Representative and Senators is good, an a
oeordinary maila   letter is better.  If you use our model e-mail, the
computer will automatically send it to the proper people.  If you use an
ordinary mail letter and do not know the name of your Representative,
you can go to <A HREF="file://C:\America%20Online%206.0a\download\
allerac2\www.house.gov"> www.house.gov</A>, click on a oeWrite Your
Representativea   in the bottom left corner, and enter your zip code.
The address for Representatives is: United States House of
Representatives, Washington, DC 20515.  For the names of your Senators,
you can go to <A HREF="file://C:\America%20Online%206.0a\download\
allerac2\www.senate.gov%20">www.senate.gov</A> and click on a oeList
Senators by State.a    The address for Senators is: United States
Senate, Washington, DC 20510.

Representative Lowey and Senator Kennedy need bipartisan support to pass this
important legislation, and so I urge you to write your own ordinary mail
letter, edit the attached e-mail, or simply send the attached e-mail.

Now is the time to get involved and help to take control of something that is
important to all persons with gluten intolerancea |CLEAR LABELS! Numbers count.
Every letter makes a difference. Leta (TM)s speak with one voice.

Sincerely,

/s/

Cynthia Kupper, CRD
Executive Director a " Gluten Intolerance Group
www.gluten.net

Submitted by:

Nancy
Seattle, WA
USA