WATCH: Menendez Pushes for Passage of Sarah Katz Caffeine Safety Act at Energy & Commerce Hearing

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Rob Menendez (NJ-08) advocated for his bill, the Sarah Katz Caffeine Safety Act during an Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing that considered the legislation. During the hearing, Menendez engaged with witnesses and health experts to underscore the urgent need for national caffeine transparency standards, marking a significant step toward moving the bill to a full committee markup.

The legislation is named in honor of Sarah Katz, a Jersey City native and 21-year-old student who tragically suffered a fatal cardiac arrest in 2022 after consuming a highly caffeinated beverage.

"Today's hearing is a major step toward ensuring no other family has to endure the heartbreak that the Katz family has faced," said Congressman Menendez. "By bringing transparency and updating federal regulations to the growing energy drink market, we can empower consumers, protect our children, and save lives. I am more committed than ever to getting this legislation through committee and onto the House Floor."

"We are deeply grateful to see the Sarah Katz Caffeine Safety Act advancing to a hearing," said Jill and Michael Katz. "This legislation is about awareness, transparency, and protecting lives - especially for young people who may not fully understand the risks of highly concentrated caffeine. Sarah believed in using each of the 1,440 minutes in a day to make a positive impact, and we hope this effort helps prevent future tragedies and strengthens public understanding."

The Sarah Katz Caffeine Safety Act aims to modernize FDA labeling requirements for the rapidly evolving caffeinated beverage industry. The legislation would:

• Require restaurants to disclose if a menu item contains more than 150 milligrams of caffeine on menus, menu boards, and drive throughs.
• Require energy drink companies to label the amount of caffeine or other stimulants in a product.
• Require the National Institutes of Health ("NIH") to further study, or to contract with an appropriate entity, how caffeine impacts vulnerable populations.
• Require the FDA to update any relevant regulations to better protect certain vulnerable populations and increase transparency around the impacts of caffeine consumption.
• Direct the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control to conduct a public safety education campaign on safe caffeine consumption so that the American public can safely consume caffeine if they choose to do so.
• Authorize a Government Accountability Office study on how caffeinated beverages are misleadingly marketed, including towards children and teens.

Menendez is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Subcommittees on Energy, the Environment, and Communications and Technology. He reintroduced the Sarah Katz Caffeine Safety Act, during the 119th Congress. The bill is endorsed by Center for Science in the Public Interest, the John Taylor Babbitt Foundation, Parent Heart Watch, Sudden Arrhythmia Death Syndromes (SADS) Foundation, Consumer Federation of America, and Consumer Reports. Full text of the bill is available here.

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