Statement on Proposed Tobacco Legislation

I commend Representatives Hansen and Meehan for their hard work in putting together a strong bipartisan comprehensive tobacco bill designed to reduce youth smoking in this country. The Hansen-Meehan bill contains a substantial price increase, strong industry and company penalties for failure to reduce youth smoking, full FDA authority to regulate tobacco, strong restrictions on advertising and youth marketing of tobacco products, and strong protections against exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. I look forward to working with them to ensure that their legislation adequately protects tobacco farmers and to pass a comprehensive tobacco bill this year.