[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 34, Number 17 (Monday, April 27, 1998)]
[Page 690]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on the House of Representatives Release of Tobacco Industry 
Documents

April 22, 1998

    The House Commerce Committee today released thousands of tobacco 
industry documents. I commend Chairman Bliley, Congressman Waxman, and 
the members of the Committee for helping to bring these documents to 
light.
    The release of these documents underscores the urgency of enacting 
comprehensive, bipartisan tobacco legislation this year, which can stop 
3 million children from smoking over the next 5 years and save one 
million lives. I am committed to working with legislative leaders on 
both sides of the aisle, in both the House and the Senate, to enact a 
comprehensive bill to stop young Americans from smoking before they 
start--a bill that raises the price of cigarettes, puts into place tough 
restrictions on advertising and access, imposes penalties on the 
industry if it continues to sell cigarettes to children, and ensures 
that the FDA has authority to regulate tobacco products. Our Nation's 
children are counting on us to put politics aside and work together in a 
bipartisan manner to get this job done.