Obama Hails Tobacco Legislation

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: In The News

(AP)

President Obama today hailed landmark tobacco legislation that will give the government broad power to regulate cigarettes. The bill has now passed Congress and Mr. Obama plans to sign it into law.

"This bill has obviously been a long time coming," the president said of the legislation, which has been in the works since the 1990s. "We've known for years, even decades about the harmful, addiction and often deadly effect of tobacco products."

The president said "after a decade of opposition, all of us are finally about to achieve the victory with this bill, a bill that truly defines change in Washington."

He went on to suggest that the bill represents the latest piece of evidence that he is building bipartisan consensus.

"Along with legislation to protect credit card owners from unfair rate hikes, homeowners from mortgage fraud and abuse, and taxpayers from wasteful defense spending, this kids tobacco bill would be the fourth piece of bipartisan legislation that I've signed into law over the last month that protects the American consumer and changes the way Washington works and who Washington works for," he said.

The president's full remarks, as provided by the White House, are below.

President Obama: Good afternoon. I just wanted to give a quick statement about the kids tobacco legislation that passed the Senate yesterday.

This bill has obviously been a long time coming. We've known for years, even decades, about the harmful, addictive, and often deadly effects of tobacco products. Each year Americans pay nearly $100 billion in added health care costs due to smoking. Each day about a thousand young people under the age of 18 become regular smokers.

For over a decade, leaders of both parties have fought to prevent tobacco companies from marketing their products to children, and provide the public with the information they need to understand what a dangerous habit this is. And after a decade of opposition, all of us are finally about to achieve the victory with this bill, a bill that truly defines change in Washington.

I'm proud that the House and the Senate have acted swiftly and in an overwhelmingly bipartisan fashion to pass this legislation that will protect our kids and improve our public health. Along with legislation to protect credit card owners from unfair rate hikes, homeowners from mortgage fraud and abuse, and taxpayers from wasteful defense spending, this kids tobacco bill would be the fourth piece of bipartisan legislation that I've signed into law over the last month that protects the American consumer, and changes the way Washington works and who Washington works for.

So I look forward to signing it. I want to thank all the people in the House and the Senate for working so hard to pass this bill in a bipartisan way. And I want to give a special shout-out to my legislative director, Phil Schiliro. He and his team have just done an outstanding job. They've been working on this for a long time, even before they joined the administration. I'm really proud of them.

All right. Thanks, guys. Have a great weekend.

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by jt_lancer June 14, 2009 11:52 PM EDT: I'll take smoking over health fascism any day.; Reply to this comment


by rushlimpdrug June 13, 2009 8:18 AM EDT: Did Obama give up smoking or is he just telling
his "followers" what they want/need to hear?; Reply to this comment


by oftencensord June 13, 2009 8:09 AM EDT: Do you people EVER change the tape? You are sent out among us with a tape for a brain. Specific Talking points are plugged in and you just keep repeating the same tired old drivel. It doesn't matter to you ditto heads that people are dying from the use of these products.... doesn't matter than we've been regulation products our citizens consume for DECADES and DECADES.. NO! Got to get in a punch at the New President.. he isn't in the "Party" you are in so not ONE good word can be put out for him. Amazing! Absolutely AMAZING!
Posted by skyk-2009 at 4:44 AM : Jun 13, 2009

There is some truth in your comment. People's understanding of their world is altered, and even real life events are mentally "overwritten" by seeing the portrayal of the event on television and cinema. News editors know this, advertising agencies know this, politicians know this, and you can see the effects right here.
People need to practice putting there own real life experiences ahead of the entertainment industry version... maybe some sanity could be restored.; Reply to this comment


by oftencensord June 13, 2009 7:48 AM EDT: Obama: "and taxpayers from wasteful defense spending"

Did I miss some legislation regarding defense spending? They pass some reform every three days. I am getting stressed out, time for a smoke and a Zanax.; Reply to this comment


by stn_sage June 12, 2009 10:41 PM EDT: Whether this legislation turns out to be a good thing, remains to be seen, and mostly depends on the FDA!

IF those in the FDA make responsible decisions---it'll work; if they don't, it won't!

I'm not overly optimistic because we've seen numerous times
how they have allowed the pharmaceutical and medical industries to put products on the market before they were
fully tested---the result, people were killed!

So, it's up to them! We'll see how it goes!; Reply to this comment


by FauxNews June 12, 2009 8:18 PM EDT: More taxes under the pretense of better health. Only a fraction of the ?tobacco settlement? money was ever used to educate and help people fight smoking. Get ready for more hidden taxes and fines to pay the interest on the World?s largest loan, our Federal Debt.; Reply to this comment


by jugartha2 June 12, 2009 6:20 PM EDT: A lot of the states are getting into the tobacco fray too. I wonder where California will come out? I think I read an article or two about it on http://www.yourpolitics.com.; Reply to this comment


by pensacola8-2009 June 12, 2009 6:17 PM EDT: There is nothing worthless about this bill. The Federal powers make lobbying more expensive for those fighting for tobacco companies. Eventually tobacco will be drained and fighting competitive industries who compete for their smoking clients and convert them to using other products.; Reply to this comment


by specialty8 June 12, 2009 5:27 PM EDT: Just another worthless piece of a bill to distract people from the real problems this administration has no idea how to handle. If they had any sense they would all just resign and leave this to a real economist.; Reply to this comment


by payasyougo June 12, 2009 3:24 PM EDT: Cigarettes kill. It's a known fact. They should be banned.
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If a large group of people continued to poke themselves in the eye with an ice pick, the government would ban ice picks. Unless, of course, there was tax revenue at stake...; Reply to this comment