[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 143 (Wednesday, September 10, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1749]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             PREVENT ALL CIGARETTE TRAFFICKING ACT OF 2008

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                               speech of

                          HON. PETER J. ROSKAM

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, September 9, 2008

  Mr. ROSKAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4081, the 
Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking, PACT, Act of 2008, and commend Mr. 
Weiner and Mr. Smith for their hard work on this important bill. By 
some accounts, my own State of Illinois has lost $214 million last year 
alone due to smuggling, counterfeit products, and Internet sales.
  The illegal trafficking of cigarettes not only results in the loss of 
Federal, State and local taxes on those products, but it is also of 
very serious consequence because much of these profits is going to fund 
criminal and terrorist activities.
  Currently, there is technology available that can dramatically 
improve the States' tobacco tax security systems. One such system, 
currently in use by the State of California with great success, about 
to be implemented by New Jersey and under consideration by other States 
as well, is manufactured in my district. My hope is we can move forward 
on this issue to ensure these new technologies can be part of a bigger 
solution.
  With that, Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with my colleagues 
in the future to pursue ways in which the Congress can assist States in 
understanding and implementing such systems to combat smuggling of 
tobacco products.

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