Kent Conrad: “Yes, exactly. It seems startling, but that is what the budget resolution provides. The resolution says that not one dime…”

“Yes, exactly. It seems startling, but that is what the budget resolution provides. The resolution says that not one dime of any tobacco settlement money can go for tobacco smoking cessation, smoking prevention, or any of the other programs that all of the experts have said are required. We could not have any of this money go for the National Institutes of Health and Research. We could not use any of the money for the expanded FDA role in regulating tobacco products. None of the money could be used for counter-tobacco advertising programs. Every single expert that has come to us has said those are essential to a comprehensive plan to actually reduce teen smoking. So the budget resolution is clearly deficient in that regard.”