    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1998, Book I)]
    [April 20, 1998]
    [Pages 591-592]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 591]]

    Remarks on Congressional Action on Tobacco Legislation and an Exchange
    With Reporters
    April 20, 1998

        The President. Good afternoon. Today Congress returns to work and to
    its obligation to act on the most critical public health threat to our
    children. Over the next 5 weeks, this Congress has an historic
    opportunity to pass bipartisan, comprehensive legislation to protect our
    children from the dangers of tobacco. We must not let this opportunity
    slip away.
        The facts are plain as the stakes are high: 3,000 children begin to
    smoke every day, even though it's illegal in every State, and 1,000 will
    die earlier because of it. All these children have been targeted by a
    massive, multimillion-dollar media campaign that preys on their
    insecurities and their dreams.
        For decades, we now know from their own documents that tobacco
    companies targeted children; and for decades, the industry denied it.
    Now, the tobacco industry once again seeks to put its bottom line above
    what should be our bottom line: the health of our children. In today's
    newspaper, the lead lobbyist for the tobacco industry says, and I quote:
    ``We are fighting for our life.'' Well, let me be clear: We are fighting
    for the lives of our children; we are fighting for the public health;
    and we are fighting against predatory practices by tobacco companies
    that have targeted our children.
        In the days to come, the tobacco industry will doubtless raise
    objection after objection and will work behind closed doors to persuade
    Congress to pass half measures that will not reduce teen smoking. But I
    believe the majority of the American people and, indeed, the majority of
    Congress, members of both parties in Congress, will see this for what it
    is, a tobacco industry smokescreen.
        I ask Congress and the American people to focus on the real
    opportunity now within our reach. Over the past 5 weeks, Congress must
    move forward--over the next 5 weeks, Congress must move forward on
    comprehensive bipartisan legislation to reduce teen smoking by raising
    the price of cigarettes, putting into place tough restrictions on
    advertising and access, and imposing penalties on the industry if it
    continues to sell cigarettes to children. We can do that and protect the
    tobacco farmers at the same time.
        The legislation now moving through the Senate, authored by Senator
    McCain, which was voted out of committee on a
    nearly unanimous bipartisan vote 3 weeks ago now, is a strong step in
    the right direction. This is not a time for half measures; that simply
    won't reduce teen smoking, and it will only play into the tobacco
    industry's hands. It is a time for the kind of comprehensive approach to
    the problem that Senator McCain's legislation takes.
        We have an opportunity and an obligation now to put aside politics,
    to turn aside the pleas of special interests, to act in the interest of
    the health of generations of our children. I call on Congress to do so,
    and I look forward to working with them in good faith over the next few
    weeks.
        Q. The suggestions that Speaker McCain--rather not, McCain--pardon
    me.
        The President. Is he running for Speaker? [Laughter]
        Q. No, but perhaps he should. Speaker Gingrich wants to water down
    the bill, and House Republicans--there have been those suggestions.
    What's your reading of Speaker Gingrich's position, and what position
    should he take?
        The President. Well, let me say, before his recent comments I had been encouraged, because he
    basically said that he would not permit us to take a stronger position
    than he did. I was concerned by his reported comments; you know, I
    wasn't here in the country. I didn't hear them; I didn't see the context
    of them. But I certainly hope that he will return to his former
    position.
        We need this to be a bipartisan effort. We need everybody working
    together. And we can do this. We can work through all the differences
    that are out there, and we can pass a bill that will clearly,
    dramatically reduce teen smoking. We can do it. And we got fresh
    evidence from the Journal of the American Medical Society--American
    Medical Association, showing that the role of advertising on children
    and their smoking habits has been even greater than peer pressure. We've
    got all this evidence out there, and we

    [[Page 592]]

    know what to do; we know how to do it; we can do it. And I'm just hoping
    and praying that we will.
        Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 12:13 p.m. in the Rose Garden at the White
    House.