Mr. President, this is an example of the cigarillos my colleagues were talking about. This one is flavored apple. This one is flavored sweet cherry. How about this one. That is strawberry. These products are all about addicting our children. Here is the long and short of it. In 2009, this Chamber and the House signed a bill that gave the FDA the power to regulate these products. The President signed that bill and, since then, the FDA, the Food and Drug Administration, has done nothing to utilize that power to regulate these addictive products that are going to destroy the health of our children in the years to come. Finally, from June 2009 until October of last year--so more than 4 years--they finally sent a draft deeming regulation to GAO, the General Accounting Office, and there it sits. To summarize, let us not accept inaction by the FDA. Let us not accept inaction by the GAO. Let's have the courage the Surgeon General had 50 years ago to take on dangerous products damaging the health of Americans so our children will live better lives. I yield. ____________________
Share & report
More from Jeff Merkley
Madam President, I call up my amendment No. 1758 and ask that it be reported by number. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the amendment by number. The legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from Oregon [Mr. Merkley]…
Mr. President, this evening we had a vote on the motion to proceed to the Republican budget resolution, and that passed. It was a simple majority vote. And this budget resolution has a very simple, straightforward theme: Families lose, and…
Mr. President and colleagues, back in 1974, the Senate and the House were very agitated over the increases in the national annual deficit that was adding considerably to the national debt. They said we needed to do something about this…
Mr. President, as much as President Trump desires it, the President is not a king. We are here tonight because, as much as President Trump desires it, the law is not a suggestion. We are here tonight because President Trump has decided he…





