WASHINGTON --While local and state tobacco-related legislative issues are reported on routinely throughout the year, bills pending in Congress that would tax or regulate cigarettes, other tobacco products and electronic cigarettes are also numerous, but generally do not receive the same level of media attention.
The tobacco-related bills summarized below are pending in either the U.S. Senate or the U.S. House of Representatives and have been referred to congressional committees for future committee hearings and actions:
- Senate Bills 430 and 2047 and House Bills 478 and 4325 would regulate the marketing of e-cigarettes.
- Senate Bill 142 and House Bills 1375 and 3242 would require child safety packaging for liquid nicotine containers to be established by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
- The President’s proposed federal budget includes a 94-cents-per-pack increase in the federal cigarette tax and proportionate tax increases for all other tobacco products.
- House Bill 1578 would temporarily increase the federal tax on tobacco products to fund the enrollment of individuals under the pre-existing condition insurance program under the Affordable Health Care law.
- Senate Bills 39, 194, and 826 would enact tobacco tax parity so that tobacco products are taxed at essentially the same rate as the federal cigarette tax rate.
- House Bill 3042 would amend the Jenkins Act to prevent the interstate sale and delivery of e-cigarettes, cigars and pipe tobacco to minors.
- House Bill 662 would amend the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to exempt traditional large and premium cigars from regulation by the Food and Drug Administration and from user fees assessed on tobacco products by the FDA.
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