Frank Lautenberg: “What grandparent, I ask you, would not say: Take care of my grandchild first, help my grandchild so that when he or she…”

“What grandparent, I ask you, would not say: Take care of my grandchild first, help my grandchild so that when he or she grows up, they are healthy, help my grandchild to not become an addict to tobacco or other drug substances? What grandparent would not stand up and proudly say ``take care of them first'' because eventually they will be the ones who will shoot the Government programs and health insurance programs up through the roof? Yes, there is $22 billion worth of spending in Medicare on tobacco-related illness. We are not sure, but there is a significant amount, perhaps a like amount, in Medicaid tobacco-related illness. But if we don't inhibit smoking among the youngsters today, this price will continue. Sometimes you have to make an investment in the long term before you can obtain the result that you want. You can't always do it overnight. So I submit, Mr. President, that we are determined not to break the caps. We are determined to abide by CBO accounting. We are determined not to spend money that we don't have.”