Ed Whitfield: “Those of us who oppose this amendment do not represent the tobacco lobby. We represent 142,000 farm families around this…”

“Those of us who oppose this amendment do not represent the tobacco lobby. We represent 142,000 farm families around this country who for generations have grown this product. If we continue our efforts to destroy the tobacco farmers, we will have to come up with a new program to provide economic assistance to 142,000 farm families who have an average income of $13,000 a year. This is a supplemental income product. Mr. Chairman, we do not require anyone to smoke. There still is such a thing as personal responsibility in America.”