Pete Stark: “I rise in support of the Meehan amendment to the fiscal year 1998 agriculture appropriations bill. This amendment is the…”

“I rise in support of the Meehan amendment to the fiscal year 1998 agriculture appropriations bill. This amendment is the next important step in the fight against teen smoking. This amendment appropriates $10 million to the Food and Drug Administration to implement the agency's tobacco initiative requiring retailers to check the photo identification of persons seeking to purchase tobacco products. Similar to the way retailers check ID for alcohol purchases, this amendment does the same for cigarettes. There is a large body of evidence about the harmful and addictive effects of tobacco. Adults have the right to decide for themselves about the choices they make with regard to what they eat, drink, or smoke. However, children are not always able to make those same decisions. It is illegal to sell tobacco to children under the age of 18. This amendment helps to implement the FDA policy of carding those individuals who smoke. It is merely an enforcement tool in the fight against youth smoking. This amendment should be non-controversial and should enjoy unanimous support in this chamber. I urge my colleagues to support the Meehan amendment.”