[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 119 (Wednesday, September 10, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H7126]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              TOBACCO TAX

  (Mrs. ROUKEMA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. ROUKEMA. Mr. Speaker, I want to bring to my colleagues' 
attention here a letter that is probably in their offices today from me 
requesting them to join me and cosign a letter to the Speaker on the 
subject of the tobacco tax giveaway that was buried in the tax bill 
that we passed last August. This is really not an issue that is going 
to go away. Nor should it. We owe it to our constituents to correct 
this onerous tax windfall to big tobacco. I am suggesting that we take 
the lead of the other body, which is debating this very issue today. 
But under our rules, we need the Speaker to schedule this vote.
  Mr. Speaker, if we neglect this issue we will again be feeding the 
cynicism of the American people. This will detract from and undermine 
our own success in the budget and the tax bill that we passed. Now we 
find out that there was a provision, a big giveaway, multiple billions 
of dollars, maybe $50 billion over time to the tobacco industry.
  I am urging to my colleagues that whatever merits there are on either 
side, and I obviously take one side of the issue, I do not like it. It 
is wrong. But whatever merits there are, the Speaker has an obligation 
to call up for a vote repeal of this onerous windfall to big tobacco, 
schedule the bill, and begin to restore the professionalism, integrity, 
and honor of the House of Representatives.

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