[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 79 (Wednesday, June 17, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6435-S6436]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            THE TOBACCO BILL

  Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, I am hopeful that today we will come to 
some conclusion and come to an end in the tobacco controversy that has 
gone on for a very long time now. I think there are several things 
which seem to have a consensus. One is that we should make effective 
efforts to reduce teenage smoking. After all, that was the beginning. 
That was the purpose. That, to me, is still the overriding objective of 
whatever we do in terms of tobacco.
  I think there is a consensus that the tobacco companies should be 
held accountable for the kinds of advertising that they do, for the 
things they say. The FDA rules should accomplish that.
  I think that most people believe we should enforce the laws against 
the purchase of cigarettes by teenagers.

[[Page S6436]]

  I think there is also consensus, quite frankly, that we have talked 
quite long enough about this issue. It is time to come to the snubbing 
post, and do something about it. I hope we do.
  I am discouraged, frankly, with the direction that this bill is 
moving. It is no longer focused on the real issues for which it came to 
public attention, teen smoking and public health. Instead, it has 
become a platform for talking about all kinds of things, such as 
replacing one tax with another, such as increasing programs over the 
next 25 years to the tune of maybe $800 billion, programs that will 
almost surely become entitlements, and when this funding has run out, 
will have to be replaced by other funding. Those are not the reasons we 
began to do this.
  There are things in the bill that I don't think anyone has even 
thought about or talked about. For example, $1,700 per year in college 
tuition for tobacco farmers and their family members, including 
brothers and sisters and stepbrothers and stepsisters and sons in law 
and daughters in law. I doubt that is what we talked about. Providing 
$7.5 billion to help American Indians stop smoking, or about $18,000 
per person--those are not the kind of initiatives we had in mind.
  Secondly, I am opposed to the tobacco industry's marketing techniques 
aimed at teens, either through regulation, through law or through 
public opinion. That should stop. My position has been clear on these 
issues. But to expand the size of our federal agencies or create new 
ones--some reports indicate--as many as 17 new agencies will be 
established by this bill, is not what we had in mind, is not where we 
began.
  Unfortunately, we find promoters of the bill accuse those who are not 
enthusiastic about it of being against doing something about teenage 
smoking. That is not true. Everyone is for curbing the use of youth 
smoking. Everyone wants to do that. So we ought not to be confused by 
such accusations. After all, one of the real philosophies and 
overriding efforts in this Congress ought to be to reduce the size of 
the Federal Government and uphold States rights. Those things are very 
important. Instead, this bill goes the opposite direction, creating new 
government boards, guaranteed annual spending increases and a wide 
range of State mandates--just the opposite in terms of the principals 
we support.
  Fortunately, there will be two alternatives. We will have an 
opportunity to vote on substitutes if that is the choice of the 
leadership. One will be offered by Senator Gramm and Senator Domenici. 
That is sort of a basic bill aimed at the purpose of controlling 
teenage smoking. Again, that should be our primary purpose. The second 
one, of course, is sponsored by Senator Hatch and Senator Feinstein 
which goes back pretty much to the original agreement.
  So I am not going to extend the tobacco debate any longer than it 
already has been for 3\1/2\ weeks, but I do just simply want to say 
that we ought to focus on the issue for which we began. We ought to do 
something about teen smoking, get away from this idea of bringing in 
everything that we can possibly think of in terms of taxes, money, and 
bureaucracy. It is time to deal with the issue and move on. We have a 
great deal to do before this session ends. We haven't even begun to 
discuss the appropriations bills. We have the Armed Forces 
authorization bill to finish. We have sorts of other legislative 
matters that are just as important.
  Mr. President, I simply wanted to express my view in terms of the 
fact that I think it is time to come to some consensus, to some 
conclusion, and move forward. I think this can be achieved if we would 
only focus on the real issue--curbing teenage smoking.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Jersey.

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