CRN hires lobbying specialists to support legislation
hired the prestigious lobbying firm Bergner, Bockorny, Castagnetti
& Hawkins to help it campaign on legislation issues,
increasingly important for the industry.
The firm has been asked to strengthen CRN's Congressional outreach and education efforts, which focus on the positive health benefits of supplements and the need for fuller implementation of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA).
"We want to engage in broader, constructive dialogues about our industry and the important role dietary supplements play in helping prevent disease and promoting good health. CRN already has an active legislative program in place, and the addition of an outside lobbying firm strengthens our ability to build relationships with more Congressional leaders," said CRN president Annette Dickinson.
Bergner, Bockorny is highly respected for its bi-partisan connections that reach across both houses of Congress. Jay Hawkins and Melissa Schulman will spearhead efforts for the firm, working with Mike Greene, CRN's director of government relations.
The firm has initially been brought on for a one-year period, but it is anticipated that the relationship will become a long-term effort.
"One thing we've learned from all the legislative activity that took place in the first half of the 108th Congress is that we need to educate Congressional offices about our industry, our consumers, our science-based products, and the appropriate regulatory framework DSHEA provides for dietary supplements," added Dickinson.
News that the US Food and Drug Administration is to ban the herbal ephedra has recently underlined the efficiency of the Dietary Supplement Health Education Act (DSHEA), according to many industry observers, despite being repeatedly questioned by congress members.
