House Proceeding on Jun 12th, 2009 :: 1:16:20 to 1:25:05
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1:16:14 to 1:16:35( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: federal employee's retirement system and for other purposes. senate amendment, mr. waxman from california concurse that the house concur in the senate amendment. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to house resolution 532, the motion will be debable for e hour. the gentleman from california, mr. waxman, and the gentleman from indiana, mr. buyer, each

1:16:20 to 1:25:05( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Henry A. Waxman

1:16:36 to 1:16:56( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: will control 30 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from california. mr. waxman: madam speaker, i yield myself such time as consume. for debate on this matter. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. waxman: it's hard to believe that we have finally reached this day and more than a decade -- after hor than a decade of effort and with

1:16:57 to 1:17:18( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: countless delays and defeats at last we are about to enact trulhistoric legislation to protect the public health and to end the tobacco epidec. i'm proud that we made it to this point but it has taken us far too long. it has been more than 45 years since the landmark surgeon

1:17:19 to 1:17:39( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: general report that found that cigarette smoking was responsible for 70% increase in the mortality rate of smokers over nonsmokers. and a 10 to 20 times greater risk of developing lung cancer. 45 years.

1:17:40 to 1:18:00( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: that delay is a tragic testament to the power and influence of big tobacco in our country and on congress. but that power is fading. times have changed. public opinion has changed. and the tobacco industry's ability to block essential

1:18:01 to 1:18:21( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: public health legislation has come to an end. today is a day when strong and effective regulation finally is established as the crucial counterweight to the efforts and even deceptive practices of this industry. this is the day when americans

1:18:22 to 1:18:43( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: can begin to truly kick the habit and with a full force of our laws marshal to protect our consumers and many our young people. many of us rember vidly the milestones that have led us to this moment. in 1994, tobacco executives stood up before my subcommittee

1:18:44 to 1:19:04( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: and swore under oath that nicotine was not addictive. in 1996, the f.d.a. tried t regulate tobacco products, but the supreme court told them they needed congress to give them that specific legal authority. and now 13 years later here we

1:19:05 to 1:19:26( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: are finally giving f.d.a. that authority to regulate the leading preventable cause of death in america. regulating tobacco was the single most important thing that we can do right now to curb this deadly toll. and f.d.a. is the only agency with the right combination of scientific expertise,

1:19:27 to 1:19:49( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: regulatory experience and public health mission to oversee these products effectively. i'm pleased that the senate acted quickly and sent us back legislation nearly identical to what we passed two months ago with overwhelming support in this house. this legislation will direct f.d.a. to end marketing and

1:19:50 to 1:20:10( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: sales of tobacco to kids, to stop manufacturers from calling cigarettes light or less dangerous when they're not and to require changes to what is in a cigarette like toxic ingredients such as formaldehyde, ben ne, radioactive elements and other deadly chemicals.

1:20:11 to 1:20:31( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: some have objected that this bill is too bill a challenge for an already burdened in fact overburdened f.d.a. i disagree. it's clear to me that f.d.a.'s recent struggles are primarily a result of years of chronic underfunding and a failure of leadership in the last administration. this history does not mean that

1:20:32 to 1:20:52( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: f.d.a. with a strong and committed leadership it now has cannot take on this critical role of protecting the country against the harm from cigarees and other tobacco products. it simply means that when we give the agency this new responsibility we must also givet the resources necessary

1:20:53 to 1:21:14( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: to do the job and to do it well. we have ensured that this will happen. the tobacco program will be fully funded through new user fees paid for by the industry. that money will go exclusively to the new tobacco center and will be enough for f.d.a. to handle this task well.

1:21:15 to 1:21:35( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: furthermore, by setting up this system, we have ensured that the new tobacco program will have no impact on other vital programs at f.d.a. in fact, the agency's new commissioner has expressed her enthusiastic support for the bill as a, quote, major advance in

1:21:36 to 1:21:57( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: heal in a recent letter to senator kennedy about this legislation, commissioner hambu made clear that f.d.a. is eager to begin carrying out its new responsibilities under this law. president obama has also praised this legislation as both historic and com

1:21:58 to 1:22:19( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: describing it as an integral part of his plan to protect america's children and reform our health care system. it's clear that this administration and f.d.a. take this on, and we just need to give them the law that will allow them to begin. in the bill we have provided

1:22:20 to 1:22:41( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: everything necessary to take this historic step. set of new authorities and full certain funding. thing. for the first time in many we have final

1:22:42 to 1:23:02( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: that too. it includes er 1,000 medical, public health, faith and community groups from aarp to the american academy of pediatrics. from the southern baptist convention to the islamic society of north america. it's supported by the american lung association, the american heart association, the american cancer society, the groups that

1:23:03 to 1:23:23( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: are best situated to understand the damage caused by tobacco and to recognize that a renewed f.d.a. can and must take on this new authority. the diversity of support for this bill shows just how critical it is to all americans. tobacco does not discriminate when it robs people of their health, their productivity and

1:23:24 to 1:23:45( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: their lives. and that's why we must come together to rob tobacco of its fluence -- influence over americans. finally, i want to note this bill has a number of changes to respond to specific concerns that we've heard. in committee consideration of this bill over the past two

1:23:46 to 1:24:06( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: years we made changes to ensure fairness and flexibility for convenience stores, tobacco growers and small manufacturers. we worked with the -- our republican colleagues to incorporate their suggestions. we worked with members congressional black caucus t ensure that menthol cigarettes

1:24:07 to 1:24:28( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: will be an early focus on of -- focus of attention on the agency and has the authority to deal with these and other products. i know that the senate also has made changes to further strengthen the bill in response to input from both sides of the aisle. i want to thank my colleague, representative todd plats, for his strong leadership -- todd

1:24:29 to 1:24:49( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: platts, for his strong leadership on th as well as representative john dingell and frank pallone for their diligent work in moving this bill forward over the years. i also want to thank representative ed towns and steve lynch and ike skelton, all of whom were critical in getting us to this point, each of these individuals made this possible and produced a great

1:24:50 to 1:25:06( Edit History Discussion )

Henry A. Waxman: victory for public health. food is a tremendous day. i am proud to be part of this historic moment when congress finally stands up to big tobacco and stands up for the health of all americans. that is the task before us as