Robert Smith: “today I rise to speak on my sense-of-the-Senate amendment regarding the use of tobacco revenues to restore solvency to…”

“today I rise to speak on my sense-of-the-Senate amendment regarding the use of tobacco revenues to restore solvency to the Medicare Program. During the markup of this resolution, my colleague, Senator Lautenberg, offered a very similar amendment that stated it was the sense of the Senate that any tobacco legislation should increase the cost of a pack of cigarettes by $1.50. I voted in favor of this amendment. However, like Chairman Domenici, I believe we should use these revenues, not for new programs, but to save Medicare. I stated in the Budget Committee meeting that we were voting on amendment after amendment of very popular, and I am sure well-polled, ideas. When it comes to educating children or taking care of children, providing for schools and all of the other ideas that in the abstract we find very, very appealing, I found the arguments compelling--except for one thing. We have made some serious promises to the American people with respect to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid--entitlements upon which people, frankly, have come to depend. These programs are in extremis. So, while it would be easy to vote for all of these well-polled ideas, I think it is important that we stand up for the promises of the past. As we all know, there is a way to protect Medicare and also to address the issue of smoking. The use of tobacco products by children and teenagers has become a public health epidemic.”