[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 25 (Wednesday, March 11, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H1025]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     REPUBLICAN INACTION ON TOBACCO

  (Mr. PALLONE asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, this year Congress has been the do-nothing 
Congress. The Republican leadership sits idle while each day 3,000 
children get hooked on tobacco products. Of those, 1,000 who start 
today will die early because of tobacco-related diseases. This is an 
epidemic that deserves congressional action now.
  While the Republican leadership continues to cash in on big tobacco 
campaign contributions, Democrats today will roll out legislation that 
stops tobacco companies dead in their tracks from peddling their poison 
to children.
  So far in this Congress we have managed to rename airports, post 
offices and public buildings. Congress needs to step up to the plate 
and pass tobacco legislation for America's children. The evidence is 
clear: Big tobacco has pushed their product onto children.
  Democrats are fighting to prevent tobacco companies from this nasty 
habit. The Republican leadership would rather protect their special 
interest friends than protect the Nation's children from joining the 
tobacco ranks. The American people will not stand for this inaction.

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