[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 32 (Tuesday, March 21, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E371]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                          TOBACCO LEGISLATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 21, 2000

  Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am introducing two bills today relating to 
the regulation of tobacco products.
  Today the Supreme Court recognized that tobacco use ``poses perhaps 
the single most significant threat to public health in the United 
States.''
  Unfortunately, the Court also ruled that Congress has not given the 
Food and Drug Administration explicit authority to regulate tobacco. So 
now Congress must act to deal with this enormous problem.
  The first bill I am introducing is comprehensive legislation that 
represents what our country genuinely needs to reduce tobacco use by 
children. It explicitly authorizes the Food and Drug Administration to 
regulate tobacco products; it establishes an innovative and effective 
performance standard that gives the tobacco industry meaningful 
economic incentives to reduce the numbers of children that smoke; it 
establishes a national policy on environmental tobacco smoke; and it 
creates a new nationwide public education campaign on tobacco.
  None of these measures alone are the answer to reducing tobacco use--
but taken together, they will succeed in reducing the number of 
children who smoke. They are what we need to do in our battle against 
the deadly toll of tobacco, and will save millions of lives for 
generations to come.
  I am concerned, however, that some may try to avoid acting on tobacco 
legislation by arguing there's not enough time in this session to deal 
with a comprehensive bill. And I'm concerned that some may try to avoid 
dealing with this urgent issue by pretending that comprehensive 
legislation makes it more difficult to deal quickly with today's 
Supreme Court decision.
  So I'm introducing a second bill that only deals with the question of 
FDA jurisdiction over tobacco. This legislation explicitly authorizes 
the FDA to regulate tobacco products, and does not address any of the 
other issues that Congress must confront in crafting effective national 
tobacco legislation.
  The policies in both bills have been before Congress for many years. 
We've held years of hearings on these issues and tried to examine 
carefully every possible consequence of legislation. The time to act is 
now.
  In 1998 I reached a comprehensive agreement with Congressman Tom 
Bliley, the Chairman of the Commerce Committee, to reduce smoking by 
children. For reasons I still don't understand, the Republican 
leadership blocked that legislation from ever being considered.
  Now, once again, the Republican leadership has the sole power to 
bring legislation to the floor. I hope they won't miss another 
opportunity to protect our children.

                                    American Lung Association,

                                   Washington, DC, March 21, 2000.
     Hon. Henry A. Waxman,
     U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative Waxman: The American Lung Association 
     is pleased to endorse the Child Tobacco Use Prevention Act of 
     2000 and the FDA Tobacco Jurisdiction Act of 2000. These 
     bills will grant explicit authority to the Food and Drug 
     Administration to regulate tobacco products. Full, 
     unfettered, FDA authority is needed to protect the public 
     health and provide oversight on how tobacco products are 
     manufactured, labeled, distributed, advertised, sold and 
     marketed.
       We strongly support the additional public health provisions 
     included in the Child Tobacco Use Prevention Act. Company-
     specific performance standards to reduce child tobacco use, 
     smokefree environments and tobacco prevention and education 
     programs complement full FDA authority and greatly enhance 
     the effort to reduce the disease and death caused by tobacco.
       Congress must act quickly and pass this critical public 
     health legislation this year. Full, unfettered FDA authority 
     over tobacco products is the top priority for the American 
     Lung Association. Thank you for your continued leadership to 
     protect children from tobacco.
           Sincerely,
                                                 John R. Garrison,
                                          Chief Executive Officer.