The manufacturers and purveyors of Cheeseburgers won a fat victory when the House of Representatives in Washington approved the new bill -- affectionately dubbed the Cheeseburger Bill.
However, the man behind the bill, who presumably would have celebrated the victory with a high-fat milkshake, was not in the house. Instead, Ric Keller, known for his portly figure, was in hospital having a heart-monitoring device installed.
His spokesman admitted that he saw the irony in Keller's hospitalisation, but said the condition was not "cheeseburger-related".
The House voted 306 to 120 to stop obesity claims being a basis for legal action, following two hours of debate over who is to blame for bulging waistlines and over weight American children.
The Burger Bill, also known as the McBill, previously cleared the House in March, but failed to make it through the Senate. Senator Mitch McConnell, who sponsored the bill in the Senate, said that he expects it come up next year.
Once it is passed, the McBill will mean that lawsuits against fast-food companies will still be allowed, but only where a firm has broken state or federal laws.
If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the