[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 146 (Thursday, September 12, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5456-S5457]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              E-Cigarettes

  Mr. President, finally, on some praise for the Trump administration, 
I don't do it that often, but when it is due it is due. Yesterday, the 
Federal Drug Administration announced that it plans to pull most 
flavored e-cigarettes from the market. I have been concerned about the 
possible danger of e-cigarettes for a long time. I have been one of the 
first to bring attention to the fact that the e-cigarette manufacturers 
aim at kids with both flavors and advertising. I have called for 
greater scrutiny, asked companies to recall brands of e-cigarettes 
where the parts are exploding, and have particularly focused on getting 
the FDA to ban e-cigarettes with flavors that are designed to appeal to 
teenagers and young kids.
  I had several conversations and meetings with FDA Commissioner Scott 
Gottlieb about this issue. In fact, I brought him some kids from high 
school in Westchester who said that e-cigarettes were hurting their 
school and that so many kids were involved. I think it made a good 
impression--a strong impression--on former Commissioner Scott Gottlieb.
  We take wide-ranging steps to prevent tobacco companies from 
targeting underage children in their markets but so far have done 
little to prevent e-cigarettes from executing basically the same 
strategy. It is past time the FDA moved to take these kid-friendly 
products off the shelves, and I commend the FDA's announcement that it 
plans to take action.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Ohio.
  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. President, I appreciate what the Democratic leader 
just said about the flavored e-cigarettes, and I, too, commended the 
Trump administration yesterday for taking this action. It is a big deal 
in our high schools in Ohio and in other venues as well, and this will 
help to keep a lot of young people from engaging in this, which is bad 
for their health. Certainly, just like cigarette smoke, it also leads 
to addictions. I commend him for that.
  The Democratic leader also talked about the fact that President Trump 
has been tougher on China than any previous President in modern times, 
certainly, and that is also true. Let's all hope the Chinese Government 
comes to the table in the next few weeks, as they get back to their 
discussions, ready to actually address some of these issues, 
particularly, the issue of their subsidies, which are contrary to our 
laws, but also the international rules, the technology transfer, and 
the taking of our intellectual property. These are changes in the 
structure of our trade relationship that are required for us to get to 
that level playing field that all of us should want.
  I also agree about the notion that we should have more reciprocity. 
If they are keeping our stuff out, we should be able to respond in 
kind. Ultimately, we all want a resolution to this issue. We want the 
tariffs to be eliminated, but we want to do it on a basis where there 
is actually fair trade between our two countries.
  With regard to the appropriations process, I, too, am hopeful we can 
get something done here on a bipartisan basis. The Democratic leader 
suggested

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we might end up with a government shutdown. We should never end up with 
a government shutdown. It is terrible policy. It hurts government 
workers. It is bad for taxpayers.
  We will be issuing a report from the Permanent Subcommittee on 
Investigations tomorrow in this regard to show how the last three 
government shutdowns have resulted in tremendous pain, not just to 
those who get furloughed and those who work without pay but also to the 
taxpayer, and they are fairly inefficient. Let's not even talk about a 
government shutdown. Why are we going down this road?