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SEP. 29 yy (WED) 14:40
S B C MINORITY
TEL: 202 228 2007
P. 001
United States Senate
TOBACCO-
WASHINGTON, DC 20610
F42000
BUDGET
September 28, 1999
The Honorable Trent Lott
Majority Leader
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Mr. Leader:
As the Congress moves toward completing work on appropriations bills for fiscal year 2000,
we urge the Republican leadership to abandon current plans to spend Social Security surpluses, and
instead to support a requirement that the tobacco industry reimburse taxpayers for the costs of
tobacco-related diseases.
As you may know, the Congressional Budget Office recently concluded that the Senate is
headed toward using $19 billion in Social Security surpluses to fund the government in fiscal year
2000, largely through the misuse of emergency designations and other scorekeeping gimmicks that
evade the discretionary spending caps. Some have suggested that Congress has no choice but to
use Social Security surpluses if government is to be funded adequately. We strongly disagree.
There is a better alternative. We can simply ask the tobacco industry to make taxpayers
whole, and reimburse them for all costs associated with tobacco-related disease. These costs total
about $20 billion annually - almost exactly the amount of Social Security funds that CBO projected
will be tapped under current Senate plans.
As you know, the Department of Justice recently announced plans to seek reimbursement of
these costs through civil litigation. However, there is no need to wait for resolution of this
Security surpluses.
litigation, which could take many years. Congress can and should act immediately, to protect Social
The choice for Congress is clear. Either we can continue along the current path and raid
Social Security surpluses. Or we can ask the tobacco industry to compensate taxpayers for tobacco-
related costs. In our view, protecting Social Security should come first.
Than Frank R. Lautenberg Sincerely, Dascaee
Trom Thomas A. Dasche
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