House Eyes Tobacco Bill

Source from:  By James R. Carroll jcarroll@courier-journal.com The Courier-Journal 03/14/2008

Panel plans debate on FDA regulation Perhaps as early as next month, a key House panel will take up legislation to give the Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate tobacco products. The House Energy and Commerce Committee has not yet set a date to consider the bill, which cleared its health subcommittee Tuesday night on an 18-9 vote. The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., has the bipartisan support of 219 co-sponsors. Congress takes an Easter break starting tomorrow and will not return until March 31. The bill would not be considered until after that. Waxman and other backers of the bill said FDA regulation of tobacco is a critical step in combating smoking-related diseases, which kill more than 400,000 Americans every year. "This would be the most significant step the federal government has taken on tobacco in decades -- probably the most significant step … since the release of the surgeon general's warning in 1964," said Matthew Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Myers' group is among more than 500 public-health groups supporting the tobacco-control bill. But during deliberations on the measure last week and Tuesday, some Republicans questioned whether the FDA was equipped to take on new duties at a time when it is facing challenges in keeping the nation's food and drug supplies safe. Several GOP amendments would have delayed implementation of the bill for anywhere from three to 10 years to give the FDA time to strengthen its regulation of food, drugs and medical devices. The subcommittee defeated those proposals. Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., chairman of the full energy and commerce committee, said he agreed with Republicans that the FDA's record was "shameful." Dingell said he planned to introduce legislation soon that would provide the agency with adequate resources to carry out all its responsibilities. The tobacco bill would give the FDA the authority to regulate the manufacture, marketing and sales of tobacco products. The legislation specifically states that the agency would have no power to regulate tobacco growers or conduct farm inspections. The tobacco regulation would be paid for entirely from user fees imposed on tobacco-product manufacturers and importers. In fiscal 2008, the fees would total $85 million, then grow the following year to $235 million and to $450 million in fiscal 2010. The fees would continue to grow annually until reaching $712 million in fiscal 2018. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee has approved a similar measure, which is awaiting action by the full Senate. That measure, sponsored by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., has 55 co-sponsors from both parties. Enditem