[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 187 (Monday, November 13, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H5715]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CONSIDERING THE PROPOSED MENTHOL BAN

  (Mr. DAVIS of North Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DAVIS of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise to address a 
significant issue that would affect the hardworking families and 
farmers of North Carolina--the FDA's proposed rule to ban menthol 
cigarettes and flavored cigars.
  Having grown up cropping tobacco to help my family make ends meet, I 
know firsthand how this industry impacts eastern North Carolina, rural 
America, and beyond.
  Mr. Speaker, we must be mindful that this well-intended ban could 
have an unintended consequence. It might increase the availability of 
illegal tobacco products and, more concerning, jeopardize the 
livelihoods of families and farmers by eliminating at least 6,000 
menthol cigarette industry jobs in North Carolina. We must always 
protect our communities and their well-being.
  To be clear, we need jobs. That is why I sent a bipartisan letter to 
the President with my North Carolina colleague, Representative   David 
Rouzer, and asked this administration to thoroughly consider the 
economic implications of this proposed ban before taking decisive 
action.

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