WASHINGTON – The National Restaurant Association (N.R.A.) praised Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) during an event celebrating the recent enactment of a national nutrition information standard for her longtime support and leadership in moving the provision forward to enactment.

"We are grateful to Representative DeLauro for her commitment to providing consumers with more nutrition information in chain restaurants across the country," said Scott DeFife, N.R.A.’s executive vice president of policy and government affairs. "Without Rep. DeLauro's leadership, we would not be here today."

N.R.A. supported the nutrition disclosure provision, which was recently signed into law by President Obama. The agreement creates a national, uniform standard for chain restaurants with 20 or more locations that would provide customers with a wide range of nutrition information – mirroring the information available on packaged foods – at the point of purchase. Caloric information would be highlighted on menus, menu boards and drive-thru boards.

“The passage of this provision is a win for consumers and restaurateurs,” said Dawn Sweeney, N.R.A. president and chief executive officer. “We know the importance of providing consumers with the information they want and need, no matter where in the country they are dining. This legislation will replace a growing patchwork of varying state and local regulations with one consistent national standard that helps consumers make choices that are best for themselves and their families.”

The N.R.A. co-led an industry-wide coalition that worked proactively with stakeholders to provide an approach that gives consumers one more way to live a healthy lifestyle. The nutrition information provision was publicly supported by industry groups, health and consumer advocacy groups, as well as a bipartisan group of House and Senate members. Enactment of the national standard negates the need for states and localities from pursuing their own legislation or regulations going forward.