Marcy Kaptur: “the motion I offer today instructs the conferees on the fiscal year 1998 Agriculture Appropriations Act to agree to the…”

“the motion I offer today instructs the conferees on the fiscal year 1998 Agriculture Appropriations Act to agree to the higher funding levels provided by the Senate for the Food and Drug Administration's Youth Tobacco Initiative. Just this morning, Mr. Speaker, the Senate agreed to provide $34 million, which was the full budget request, for the Food and Drug Administration Program to assist our States in enforcement and outreach efforts related to rules to prevent children, our children, from purchasing tobacco as minors. The House bill included $24 million for this important program, and originally the Senate had only provided $4.9 million. But this morning, in an act of great wisdom, the Senate, on an amendment that was voiced after substantial approval was given and a motion to table defeated, voted in the Senate to raise the level to $34 million, which was the full budget request. Mr. Speaker, our bill here in the House included $24 million for this important program. Our motion would simply instruct our House conferees to agree to the funding levels for the Food and Drug Administration provided by the Senate, therefore, fully funding this important initiative to protect our Nation's children. Mr. Speaker, I do not need to point out, I suppose, that nearly 90 percent of adult smokers in our country began doing so before the age of 18.”