Congressional Record United States Th of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 105 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 105 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 143 WASHINGTON, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1997 No. 142 House of Representatives The House met at 10:30 a.m. and was Forest, Colorado, to correct the effects of nearly everyone. A tobacco-friendly called to order by the Speaker pro tem- earlier erroneous land surveys; tax provision that was hidden in the S. 591. An act to transfer the Dillon Ranger pore [Ms. GRANGER]. settlement was quickly removed by the District in the Arapaho National Forest to f the White River National Forest in the State Senate and the House once the public of Colorado; became aware of it. But without a tax DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO S. 595. An act to designate the United benefit or higher cigarette prices, or TEMPORE States Post Office building located at Ben- both, there is no way the industry can The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- nett Street and Kansas Expressway in afford the astronomical $368.5 billion Springfield, Missouri, as the ``John settlement they have agreed to pay fore the House the following commu- Griesemer Post Office Building''; nication from the Speaker: S. 916. An act to designate the United over the next 25 years. The industry WASHINGTON, DC, States Post Office building located at 750 makes only $8.4 billion annual pretax October 21, 1997. Highway 28 East in Taylorsville, Mississippi, profit. I hereby designate the Honorable KAY as the ``Blaine H. Eaton Post Office Build- The tobacco companies deserve every GRANGER to act as Speaker pro tempore on ing''; bit of grief they are receiving, but for this day. S. 973. An act to designate the United reasons other than commonly assumed. States Post Office building located at 551 NEWT GINGRICH, It is true they profit from selling a Speaker of the House of Representatives. Kingstown Road in Wakefield, Rhode Island, as the ``David B. Champagne Post Office dangerous product, but so do auto- f Building''; and mobile, airplane, and gun manufactur- MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE S. 985. An act to designate the post office ers as well as food producers, drug com- located at 194 Ward Street in Paterson, New panies, and coffee farmers. When we A message from the Senate by Mr. Jersey, as the ``Larry Doby Post Office''. boil it down, any product used incor- Lundregan, one of its clerks, an- The message also announced that in rectly or excessively is dangerous. nounced that the Senate had passed accordance with sections 1928a±1928d, Even oxygen used incorrectly can be with amendments in which the concur- as amended, the Chair, on behalf of the dangerous. And most people know to- rence of the House is requested, a con- Vice President, appoints the Senator bacco is dangerous without the benefit current resolution of the House of the from Utah [Mr. BENNETT] as a member of the nanny-state inspectors and the following title: of the Senate delegation to the North bureaucrats' warning label. H. Con. Res. 8. Concurrent resolution rec- Atlantic Assembly during the 1st ses- Tobacco company executives symbol- ognizing the significance of maintaining the sion of the 105th Congress, to be held in ize much of what is wrong with cor- health and stability of coral reef ecosystems. Bucharest, Romania, October 9±14, 1997. porate America and our corrupt system The message also announced that the f of special interests, favoritism, and Senate had passed bills of the following MORNING HOUR DEBATES interventionism. For decades, Big To- titles, in which the concurrence of the bacco lobbied for and gladly accepted House is requested: The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- ant to the order of the House of Janu- subsidies and trade benefits, while any- S. 399. An act to amend the Morris K. Udall ary 21, 1997, the Chair will now recog- one with a grain of common sense Scholarship and Excellence in National En- knew smoking was a bad habit that ad- vironmental and Native American Public nize Members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for versely affected some people's health. Policy Act of 1992 to establish the United It is no secret that young people could States Institute for Environmental Conflict morning hour debates. The Chair will Resolution to conduct environmental con- alternate recognition between the par- easily become addicted to nicotine. flict resolution and training, and for other ties, with each party limited to 30 min- There were specific gains to be real- purposes; utes, and each Member except the ma- ized from the charade that surrounded S. 587. An act to require the Secretary of jority leader, the minority leader, or tobacco sales. Pretending that smoking the Interior to exchange certain lands lo- the minority whip limited to 5 min- was a benign habit made it easier to cated in Hinsdale County, Colorado; utes. collect benefits from the nonsmoking S. 588. An act to provide for the expansion The Chair recognizes the gentleman taxpayers. And the alternative, argu- of the Eagles Nest Wilderness within the ing for personal responsibility, was Arapaho National Forest and the White from Texas [Mr. PAUL] for 5 minutes. River National Forest, Colorado, to include f hardly in vogue. Over the past 50-plus years, respon- land known as the Slate Creek Addition; TOBACCO SETTLEMENT S. 589. An act to provide for a boundary ad- sibility for risk incrementally has been justment and land conveyance involving the Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, tobacco shifted from the individual to the Raggeds Wilderness, White River National industry leaders are under attack by State. As we moved further from a free b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H8835 H8836 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE October 21, 1997 society toward a managed welfare This lack of understanding respon- or driving too fast. But the way the tobacco state, responsibility for nearly every- sibility, rights and subsidies has led corporate leaders are acting in cahoots with thing began to be systematically deliv- the tobacco industry leaders to further big government, you would think they are con- ered to someone else through the State compound the problem by not fighting spiring to prevent this. and its growing army of bureaucrats. the trumped up obligation to pay for The question is: Who has responsibility for The tobacco industry was a willing ac- any health care that may have arisen our well-being? Who should make decisions complice to this betrayal of individual from smoking. regarding risk taking and personal habitsÐthe responsibility. Not once have we heard a tobacco in- government or the individual? The failure of Big Tobacco to fight dustry leader defend his right to sell During the Clinton health-care debate, to- Government's requirement to put something that is risky to someone but bacco and nearly every other industry took the warning labels on cigarettes while ac- not others, which is the case with to- easy way out. They conceded that it was the cepting agricultural subsidies allowed bacco and most other products. Government's responsibilityÐFederal and the entire smoking industry to be in- Tobacco industry leaders are under attack stateÐto provide medical care for everyone as vaded by the Federal Government. by nearly everyone. A tobacco-friendly tax pro- if it were, in itself, a constitutional right. Tobacco put the welcome mat out for vision that was hidden in the settlement was When the free market works, medical insur- big Government. Now it is only a mat- quickly removed by the Senate and House ance premiums adjust to reflect the costs of ter of time before nicotine will be de- once the public became aware of it. But with- habits like smoking, sky diving, overweight, clared a drug and more FDA regulation out a direct tax benefit or higher cigarette and medical preconditions. When Government will inundate us. Unfortunately, this prices, or both, there's no way the industry pays, the concept of insurance goes out the will only compound our many problems can afford the astronomical $368.5 billion set- window, everybody gets everything paid for, with nicotine. tlement they have agreed to pay over the next and no one can be discriminated against. Madam Speaker, smoking should be 25 yearsÐthe industry makes only $8.4 billion Persons who have harmed their heath by treated no differently than compulsive annual pretax profit. smoking have learned they can coerce those eating, chocolate addiction, or driving The tobacco companies deserve every bit of with good health into paying for the con- too fast. But the way the tobacco cor- grief they are receivingÐbut for reasons other sequences of their bad habit. In fact, many porate leaders are acting in cahoots than commonly assumed. It's true they profit who harm themselves through their chosen with big Government, one would think from selling a dangerous product. But so do lifestyles, not just a single bad habit, reli- they are conspiring to prevent this. automobile, airplane, and gun manufacturers, giously believe they have a right to be taken Madam Speaker, the question is who as well as food producers, drug companies, care of by someone else. This group includes has responsibility for our well-being? and coffee farmers. When you boil it down, not only those who smoke, but those who Who should make decisions regarding any produce used incorrectly or excessively is drink too much, or perform sexual acts which risk-taking and personal habits, the dangerous.