Tom Harkin: “I respond again to the Senator from Kentucky that there are other assessments and user fees in this bill. So why should…”

“I respond again to the Senator from Kentucky that there are other assessments and user fees in this bill. So why should the tobacco companies be exempt from an assessment? There are, I point out, a number of other assessments on industry in this ag appropriations bill. So this is nothing new and startling. Again, we are not reopening the tobacco debate. This amendment was offered last summer, last September, and was voted on, and it carried by a vote of 70 to 28. That amendment raised $34 million. What is different between that amendment and this amendment is, this amendment raises an additional $100 million. I know what the Senator is going to say about the 150. I want to explain that.”