Dick Durbin

Well, in fact, that's exactly what the cigarette companies have been saying for 50 years.

If current smoking trends continue, 5.6 million American kids will die prematurely from a smoking-related illness.

The cigarette is one of them.

the rate of smoking among the military is 20 percent higher than the average American population.

But while we are seeing a decline in cigarette smoking among youth, we are seeing a rapid rise in youth use of and experimentation with e-cigarettes.

If you can sell an addictive product to an adolescent, you got them. You may have them for life.

Tobacco is the only product legally sold in America today which, if used according to manufacturers' directions, will kill you.

In short, Mr. Chairman, this hearing comes at exactly the right time. It is an urgent need for our government to step in and protect our kids.

I've said, many times, sequestration was a threat that was never supposed to happen. But it did.

These products are designed to appeal to youth, more accessible to youth, and are explicitly marketed to youth.

The shocking events in Iraq this past week demonstrate the threats posed by continuing chaos in Syria which has given rise to dangerous new extremist groups.

The aggressive moves by Russia in Ukraine recall the importance of U.S. security commitments to our allies, partners, and friends.

I want to thank the Chairman for his kind remarks and also my colleagues.

I want to commend the professionalism of our men and women in uniform who worked alongside law enforcement and intelligence counterparts to ensure that this man will be brought to justice.

When cigarette companies used these marketing practices, they were extraordinarily successful in increasing the number of kids who smoke.

I think it's hard to believe. Look at the numbers here. E-cigarette use among nation's kids is on the rise.

But now we find ourselves in a curious position.

Our NATO allies are awakening to the fact that, for 20 years, they've taken European security for granted.

The only tripwire to stop this man's naked ambition to restore the Russian empire is NATO.

I don't believe there is a case to be made for e-cigarettes being sold to children.

Despite these challenges, we can still afford to make critical investments in the Defense budget within available resources.

We're trying to set an example, and I think our men and women in uniform, if they have healthier and longer lives, would be a good example of a policy that we should follow.

People smoke for the nicotine and they die from the tar;

I don't know that there's any end to the ambition of Vladimir Putin.

It is difficult, here, to separate out the lines of questioning.