Amid the port uproar, the excitement or distress surrounding South Dakota’s abortion law, and the frequent political scandals, the House of Representatives has managed to quietly approve a food labeling bill.

Food labeling bill, you say. What’s so exciting about that? This is not just any food labeling bill, this is the National Uniform Food Safety Labeling Act — a bill that will end the different standards states have set up regarding food labeling. Although this bill may be constitutional it goes completely against the idea that the local government closest to the people knows what is best. If Californians want stricter labels than Texans, Californians should be able to get their way, especially when they’ve enacted label laws by popular referendum, such as California’s Proposition 65.

Unfortunately, there has been little upcry from conservatives. Professor Brainbridge writes:

It strikes me as a perfectly plausible exercise of Congress’ power under the Commerce Clause. The Clause’s basic function, after all, is to prevent the economic balkanization that arises when states subject interstate commerce to disparate regulation.

Maybe, but I’m not convinced.