Funding for Tobacco Prevention

May 10, 1999

ISSUE:

The House and Senate Conference committees charged with drafting a final version of the supplemental appropriations bill will soon be addressing the tobacco settlement funds. Last month the Senate passed an amendment offered by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex.) that would send the entire federal share of the tobacco settlement funds to the states without requiring them to spend any of this money on tobacco prevention. The Hutchison amendment has been added to the Senate supplemental appropriations bill, which includes relief funding for Hurricane Mitch.

The House version of the bill does not include the Hutchison amendment. This gives public health advocates an opportunity to push the House and Senate members negotiating the final bill to either eliminate the Hutchison amendment or add a measure requiring states to spend a percentage on tobacco prevention.

ACTION:

Please find below the list of the House and Senate Conference Committee - if your Senators or Representative is on the list please contact them and voice your support of using a percentage of the tobacco settlement funds for tobacco prevention!

You can reach you lawmakers by calling the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. If you prefer to write, send AS SOON AS POSSIBLE to:

Honorable __________
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Honorable ___________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

BACKGROUND:

Billions of Medicaid dollars have spent treating tobacco related diseases. In an attempt to recoup some of this expense, States filed suits against major tobacco companies. Last year 50 states reached settlement agreements in these suits for $246 billion over 25 years. While it was the states who sued Medicaid law requires that the recovery in such suits go to both state and federal government. Senator Hutchison's amendment waives the federal government's claim to any of the settlement funds.

The federal government will continue to pay about 57% of Medicaid costs, including an estimated $7.3 billion annually for tobacco dieseases. Health advocates agree that a portion of these funds should be available to off-set federal cost and designated to be used for prevention of tobacco use, especially among children. While congressional leaders and the White House negotiate the final bill it is important for us to continue to fight for a percentage of the settlement funds to go for tobacco prevention. Efforts to attach a tobacco prevention requirement are directly related to the committee negotiations because of the placement of Sen. Hutchison's amendment in the supplemental bill.

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is urging to advocate for requiring states to spend 25 percent of the settlement funds on tobacco prevention.

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

House

Republicans:
Sonny Callahan, Ala.
David Hobson, Ohio
John Kolbe, Ariz.
Jerry Lewis, Calif.
Ron Packard, Calif.
John Porter, Ill.
Ralph Regula, Ohio
Harold Roger, Ky.
Joe Skeen, N.M.
Charles Taylor, N.C.
James Walsh, N.Y.
Frank Wolf, Va.
Bill Young, Fla.

Democrats:
Norm Dicks, Wash.
Julian Dixon, Calif.
Steny Hoyer, Md.
Marcy Kaptur, Ohio
Alan Mollohan, W. Va.
John Murtha, Pa.
David Obey, Wis.
Ed Pastor, Ariz.
Nancy Pelosi, Calif.
Martin Sabo, Minn.
Jose Serrano, N.Y.

Senate

Republicans:
Robert Bennett, Utah
Christopher Bond, Mo.
Conrad Burns, Mont.
Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Colo.
Thad Cochran, Miss.
Larry Craig, Idaho
Pete Domenici, N.M.
Slade Gorton, Wash.
Judd Greg, N.H.
Kay Bailey Hutchison, Tex.
Joh Kyl, Ariz.
Mitch McConnell, Ky.
Richard Shelby, Ala.
Arlen Specter, Pa.
Ted Stevens, Ark.

Democrats:
Robert Byrd, W.Va.
Byron Dorgan, N.D.
Richard Durbin, Ill.
Diane Feinstein, Calif.
Tom Harkin, Iowa
Ernest Hollings, S.C.
Daniel Inouye, Hawaii
Herb Kohl, Wis.
Frank Lautenberg, N.J.
Patrick Leahy, Vt.
Barbara Mikulski, Md.
Patty Murray, Wash.
Harry Reid, Wis.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY GUIDANCE:

The 1998 General Assembly adopted a resolution on "Tobacco Use." The resolution contains references to deterring young people form initiating tobacco use and to reducing access of children to tobacco.