Orrin Hatch

We would not have had a settlement that amounts to $368.5 billion; not anywhere near that amount without those attorneys.

Is it not true--this will be my last question--is it not true that under the substitute that the distinguished Senator from California and I are working on, that we do not base this on a price per pack of cigarettes, our $428.5 billion, we…

If these Wall Street analysts are correct, and the Treasury estimates are off in year 5, under the Commerce Committee bill, we may reach a price increase that is twice as high as what the President has called for; that is, a $3-per-pack…

I would ask the Senator if she is aware--let me emphasize the $4.50 to $5-per-pack prices that these leading Wall Street analysts projected in testimony to the Judiciary Committee, those prices are much higher than what the Treasury…

Now, similarly, Gary Black of Sanford C. Bernstein & Company, told the Judiciary Committee on May 12, 1998, that under the Commerce Committee bill the real price of cigarettes will exceed $5 per pack in 2003. Is the Senator aware of that?

Martin Feldman of Salomon Smith Barney projects in the year 2003, the Commerce Committee bill, the old bill--but the revised one is the same on the facts--will result in a real price of $4.61 per pack. In nominal terms, this means that…

David Adelman of Morgan Stanley Dean Witter testified on April 30 that the 2003 average retail price will reach at least $4.53 per pack if the Commerce Committee bill is adopted. His analysis also indicates that the price under this bill…

All right. Now, Wall Street analysts tell us the Treasury numbers are off--way off, they say. They say that the actual price increases under the Commerce Committee bill will be much higher than what Treasury is telling us. They say the…

Given that the price of cigarettes is about $1.95 per pack today, it looks like the Commerce Committee bill or this managers' amendment will achieve the $1.50 price hike 5 years ahead of schedule by the Treasury's own estimates. Is the…

Nineteen percent of whom smoke. Is the Senator aware that one out of five packs of cigarettes sold in California happens to be contraband?

Is the Senator aware of this comment by CBO in April 1998--and I hope this is in the form of a question that is acceptable to the manager of the bill--about black-market cigarettes: Any legislation that would rapidly raise the price of a…

And I would like to ask, isn't it true that the distinguished Senator from California heard the testimony of witnesses saying that if the per-pack price under the Commerce bill goes to $4.50 to $5.50 per pack, there is going to be an…

I think that is what I will do, because it seems to me that some of the people around here are afraid to get the facts on this matter. And I have to say that it is highly offensive to have someone come here and suggest that the…

Who came in and testified about how they threatened him, his life, his family's life, how the city become inundated in organized crime, until they finally had to reduce the size of the excise tax in order to prevent further black…

I am a member of the Finance Committee and, of course, on that committee voted against the $1.50 increase at the manufacturers level, not because I would not like to punish the tobacco companies, but because that amount is excessive and in…

I have to admit that I don't appreciate some of the colloquies that have gone on before, but Senators have a right to do so. This is too important an issue for the American public. We need to look at the real facts on such important…

This is a very large bill, perhaps the largest the Senate has ever considered, at least in recent memory. We need to question its full impact as we proceed. That is the right way to make policy on such an important issue.

If we are going to resolve this matter, it seems to me, and I wonder if the Senator would agree with me, that we have to take into consideration the approximately 50 million users of tobacco products in this society, many of whom are…

Despite what Michael Douglas said in the popular movie ``Wall Street,'' greed is not good, and it is especially onerous and burdensome when the greed comes from Congress itself.

I have no doubt that if the managers' amendment of $1.10 goes through--does the Senator have any doubt that if a managers' amendment of $1.10 goes though, let alone $1.50, that we will wind up with another similar process and problems on…

I would be happy to--I do not think the Senator from Utah is abusing the rules. I think I have the privilege to ask all the questions I can. I think these have been intelligent questions. I think they have been right on point. I think they…

Is the Senator aware of how hard the Senator from Utah studied just exactly what would be the highest amount we could charge and still keep the tobacco companies--yes, kicking and screaming and fighting, and say they are gouged--on board…

Is it not correct, I ask my colleague from Missouri, who has been making very important points here during this debate, is it correct that currently smokers with incomes under $30,000 pay almost 50 percent of the tobacco excise tax?

I will take only a few more minutes. While I agree--I will make this clear--that a price increase is an important component of a comprehensive program, the reason I have gone through all this is there is no clear and convincing evidence of…

Well, I am disappointed that some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are so ready to support a new tax-and-spend program supposedly aimed at children but weighing so heavily on the backs of addicted, low-income adult workers…