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Can we get some clarification here?

Only an Article V convention can return the federal government back to first principles and basic clarity of the limited role of the federal government.

This past March, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration published its legislative and budget proposals for 2025, and revived its push to establish a Mandatory Product Listing (MPL) on dietary supplements.

According to the proposal, the FDA seeks to amend the legislation known as the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) in order to:

* Require all such supplements to be listed with the FDA – notifying the FDA before bringing a product to the marketplace and uploading that product's information to a centralized database
* Clarify the authority of the FDA concerning dietary supplements

These are not new requests, as the FDA has been attempting to increase its reach in this area. In 2022, Congress rejected proposed MPL in the agency's User Fee Reauthorization.

There is significant debate in the dietary supplement industry about this issue . Some advocacy groups argue that it places an undue burden and cost on the industry. Others applaud efforts to update DSHEA .

But isn't it frustrating that the FDA is requesting clarification about anything concerning its purview? Shouldn't it be in simple black and white?

Perhaps that's too harsh. Maybe they can't be blamed. After all, as the late Rep. John Conyers – who was in Congress for 47 years – said of the mammoth bills and edicts produced by our representatives:

“I love these members, they get up and say 'Read the bill' What good is reading the bill if it's a thousand pages and you don't have two lawyers to find out what it means after you read the bill?”

Multiply legislation “governing” the FDA alone by the over 400 other agencies that exist in the federal government (that includes Cabinet departments, “independent” organizations, and federal commissions). That's a lot of ink and, likely, a ton of confusion in Congress and among agencies about which agency or department employee can do exactly what in any given situation.

While Congress may reject the FDA's latest request to expand its authority, will the department's objectives be clarified? Is Congress capable of clearly stating and/or strictly limiting the power of federal agencies staffed by unelected bureaucrats?

You know the answer.

Only an Article V convention can return the federal government back to first principles and the basic clarity of the limited role of the federal government that the Founders envisioned.

To join the fight to point the federal government back in the direction of its explicit constitutional responsibilities, sign the petition below:

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PETITION_WIDGET{petition_tag:;coalition_id:;anedot_url:}

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Page Metadata
Login Required to view?	No
Created:	2025-06-20 14:52 GMT
Updated:	2025-06-30 07:00 GMT
Published:	2025-06-23 12:36 GMT
Converted:	2025-11-11 12:05 GMT
Change Author:	Matt May
Credit Author:	Convention of States Action