[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 79 (Wednesday, June 17, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S6485]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TOBACCO LEGISLATION

  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, today is a sad day for children across 
America. Big tobacco companies with unlimited lobbying budgets and 
Republicans in the Senate killed tobacco reform legislation. Kids lost 
and Joe Camel won. I am outraged at the message this sends: tobacco 
money is more important than children's health.
  Almost four weeks ago, the Senate began debating a comprehensive 
tobacco bill aimed at reducing underage smoking and strengthening the 
role of public health agencies to combat tobacco. Congress appeared 
unified in its intent to end the practice of tobacco companies preying 
on our children. But some of my colleagues in the Senate got lost along 
the way.
  Since we started debate on tobacco legislation, more than 60,000 
children have taken up this deadly addiction. But, this has not been 
the focus of the debate on this legislation. In fact, if the American 
people were watching the debate on the Senate floor they would be hard 
pressed to determine what legislation we were actually debating. That's 
because the tobacco industry has spent $40 million to hijack the 
process and prevent Congress from acting. This is a tragic example of 
our political system at its worst.
  We had an historic opportunity to enact comprehensive tobacco 
legislation that would have mandated tobacco companies stop targeting 
our children. In one piece of legislation we could have saved five 
million children from suffering the ill effects of smoking or facing 
premature death. Those who acted to kill this legislation will have to 
answer these five million children, who are now facing a death sentence 
due to the actions of a few.
  To those who think the state suits are a fall back position, they 
need to know that these suits do not change the corporate culture of 
tobacco. The states litigate, and Congress legislates.
  This is a sad day for those of us who have worked hard to advance the 
tobacco settlement. Throughout debate of this legislation, I voted to 
strengthen the bill to protect our children and prevent the continued 
deadly assault of tobacco companies.
  As a parent, I have always been troubled by how tobacco companies 
target our children. When my son turned 14, he received a birthday card 
from a tobacco company inviting him to celebrate this milestone by 
purchasing cigarettes. They sent a child coupons for cigarettes as a 
birthday gift. This is outrageous and unacceptable. These are kind of 
tactics that I have been fighting to end.
  I will not let this set back today end my pursuit of big tobacco. I 
will continue to stand up to tobacco companies. I will continue to work 
for bipartisan, comprehensive tobacco legislation that is focused on 
public health.
  This is not the first time I have witnessed the power of the tobacco 
industry or the hold that tobacco money has on many of the same members 
of the Senate. It is these very members who have used every tactic 
known to delay, filibuster and load this bill down with so many 
unrelated items, that it is hard to remember what was in the original 
legislation.
  Every parent should be outraged. The U.S. Senate played politics with 
the health and safety of children in America. Today's action says that 
tobacco money is more important than the health and safety of our 
children. Where are our priorities?

                          ____________________