Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, S. 1147, the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking, or PACT, Act of 2009, is bipartisan legislation that will help Federal, State, and local law enforcement officials combat cigarette smuggling and trafficking. Today, the House considers the Senate version of this legislation. The House passed similar bipartisan legislation last May, which I cosponsored with my colleague from New York (Mr. Weiner). {time} 1045 Tobacco smuggling has become one of the most prevalent forms of smuggling in recent years, and its effects are felt not only in America but around the world. The World Health Organization estimates that illegal cigarettes account for over 10 percent, or approximately 600 billion cigarettes, of the almost 6 trillion cigarettes sold globally each year. According to a study by the World Bank, cigarettes are appealing to smugglers because taxes typically account for a large portion of the sale price for cigarettes. Smugglers are, therefore, able to sell contraband cigarettes at a significantly lower price, making it highly profitable to traffic them for resale. Tobacco smuggling traditionally involves the diversion of large quantities of cigarettes from wholesale distribution into the market. This usually occurs during shipment of the cigarettes, thus allowing the traffickers to avoid most, if not all, of the taxes that will be imposed at retail.…”