Tom Harkin: “Senator Cochran said that only a few States are getting FDA funding right now. That is the point. Six States right now…”

“Senator Cochran said that only a few States are getting FDA funding right now. That is the point. Six States right now are receiving FDA enforcement money, and only 10 States are expected to receive such money in fiscal 1997, because FDA does not have the money for all States. What this amendment provides is enough money to expand the FDA initiative to all 50 States. I thank my friend from Mississippi for pointing that out. That is the essence of this amendment; to expand to all interested States FDA funding for enforcement of rules providing for ID checks and prohibiting illegal sales to kids who come in to buy cigarettes and tobacco. Madam President, we hear time and time again the tobacco companies saying they want to stop kids from smoking. This amendment does that. Yet has one tobacco company stepped forward to support this amendment? A deafening silence. Not one penny comes out of their pockets under this amendment, and yet not one tobacco company has come forward to say, yes, this amendment by Senators Harkin and Chafee is good because it will keep kids from smoking and buying tobacco. They say they want to help stop kids from smoking. Not one of them has come forward to support this amendment. Shame on them.”