Overnight Regulation: House bill rolling back calorie rule advances

Welcome to Overnight Regulation, your daily rundown of news from Capitol Hill and beyond. It’s Wednesday evening here in Washington, where Bernie Sanders just unveiled a new bill to legalize marijuana. But supporters may be smoking if they think it’s going to make it through a GOP-controlled Senate… Here’s the latest.

THE BIG STORY

Legislation aiming to loosen regulations requiring restaurants and grocery stores to list the number of calories in each prepared food item they sell cleared a key House panel Wednesday.

The bipartisan Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act, introduced by Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) in April, was approved by a voice vote in the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on health, sending the bill to the full committee for further consideration.

{mosads}A companion bill is also being pushed in the upper chamber by Sens. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Angus King (I-Maine).

The menu labeling rules, required under ObamaCare, have come under fire from industry groups and many lawmakers. Pizza joints are particularly concerned that the endless possibilities of toppings could make it nearly impossible to comply with.

“This regulation tries a cookie cutter approach, treating grocers, convenience stores, and pizzerias with endless combination possibilities the same way as restaurants with constant, simple menu items,” Rodgers said. “Requiring pizza franchises to post in their store every potential topping combination, more than 34 million possible outcomes, when more than 90 percent of their orders take place over the phone or the Internet, just doesn’t make sense.”

Some estimates put the compliance costs for industry at more than $1 billion.

ON TAP FOR THURSDAY 

The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management will hold a hearing to examine agency progress in retrospective review of existing regulations. http://1.usa.gov/1KY1gr0

The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee will hold a hearing to discuss what impact wildfires have on budgets and natural resources on federal, state and private lands. http://1.usa.gov/1WAxmjs

TOMORROW’S REGS TODAY

The Obama administration will publish 202 new regulations, proposed rules, notices and other administrative actions in Thursday’s edition of the Federal Register.

–The Department of the Interior will issue new rules for disposing of unclaimed Native American remains, funeral objects, sacred objects, and other cultural items found on federal lands.

The rules stem from the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.

The federal government would be allowed to dispose of the remains only after making attempts to find the Indian tribes to which they belong.

The rules go into effect in 30 days. http://bit.ly/1ktCl9t

–The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will delay new hazardous waste regulations.

In September, the EPA proposed new hazardous waste regulations for generators and the disposal of pharmaceuticals. The agency is now extending the comment period to give the public more time to consider the changes.

The public has until Dec. 24 to comment on either rule. http://bit.ly/1NQt0mf and http://bit.ly/1MiA4sv

–The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will consider granting an exclusive license to one pharmaceutical company to treat brain injury and neurodegenerative disease through therapeutics.

If granted, Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals would be allowed to develop therapeutic treatments for cerebral trauma, stroke, and neurodegenerative disorders.

The public has 15 days to comment. http://bit.ly/1H9oKi2

NEWS RIGHT NOW 

Sanders offers bill to legalize marijuana http://bit.ly/1LQq9ZE

House panel clears bills to roll back menu labeling regs http://bit.ly/1PnirIQ

Groups urge Cybersecurity Caucus to oppose asbestos trust bill http://bit.ly/1LQqQSW

Senate votes to kill EPA’s water rule – The Hill’s Devin Henry http://bit.ly/1iDDB8C

Supreme Court hears appeal on dismissal of gerrymandering case – The Washington Post http://wapo.st/1LQqZFU

There’s a new hired gun at OPM – The Washington Post http://wapo.st/1GM8nYQ

Illinois Supreme Court again rejects $10B cigarette verdict – The AP http://bit.ly/1PaWC0A

Opponents of Houston LGBT rights measure focused on bathrooms, and won – The New York Times http://nyti.ms/1kbzaDV

BY THE NUMBERS

$1 million: How much some industry groups are estimating it will cost to comply with ObamaCare’s menu labeling rules. 

65 percent: Voters in Ohio that voted against legalizing marijuana in 45 precincts.

35 percent: Ohio voters who backed legalizing weed. 

QUOTE OF THE DAY 

“Let’s ask President Obama to bring his lunch next Wednesday,” — Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) joking that President Obama should join his boycott of the Senate cafeterias until wages are raised.

We’ll work to stay on top of these and other stories throughout the week, so check The Hill’s Regulation page (http://digital-release.digital-release.thehill.com/regulation) early and often for the latest. And send any comments, complaints or regulatory news tips our way, tdevaney@digital-release.digital-release.thehill.com or lwheeler@digital-release.digital-release.thehill.com. And follow us at @timdevaney and @wheelerlydia.

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