[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 114 (Wednesday, September 3, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H6722]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


HOUSE NEEDS TO CONDUCT HEARINGS TO EXAMINE ELEMENTS OF PROPOSED TOBACCO 
                               SETTLEMENT

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, Congress should not rubber stamp the 
recently proposed tobacco settlement that benefits the tobacco industry 
more than the public. As I understand it, the settlement will give 
tobacco companies immunity from liability, enable companies to prevent 
disclosure of potentially revealing documents, provide a financial 
windfall for company executives through increased stock options, 
restrict future Food and Drug Administration regulation, and not 
adequately accomplish the goal of reducing teenage smoking.
  Mr. Speaker, today my Senator from New Jersey, Senator Lautenberg, 
launched a campaign to gain access to tobacco industry documents that 
could remain under wraps if the agreement gains the approval of 
Congress. I support that effort, and I think the House also should 
support that effort.
  Much work needs to be done, and I think that Congress, and 
particularly the House, needs to move forward with hearings to further 
examine the elements of this tobacco settlement. As it stands now, the 
settlement is a winner for the tobacco industry and a loser for our 
children. Let us work to change that outcome.

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