Extracted text

OCR Page 1 of 55
http://thomas.loc.gov/c..r1.05:./temp/~r105dljiLv http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/C?r105:./temp/~r105dljiLv DURBIN AMENDMENT NO. 2636 (Senate - June 10, 1998) [Page: S6054] (Ordered to lie on the table.) Mr. DURBIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill, S. 1415, supra; as follows: [Page: S6055] In title II, strike subtitle A and insert the following: Subtitle A--Underage Use SEC. 201. FINDINGS. The Congress finds the following: (1) Reductions in the underage use of tobacco products are critically important to the public health. (2) Achieving this critical public health goal can be substantially furthered by increasing the price of tobacco products to discourage underage use if reduction targets are not achieved and by creating financial incentives for manufacturers to discourage youth from using their tobacco products. (3) When reduction targets in underage use are not achieved on an industry-wide basis, the price increases that will result from an industry-wide assessment will provide an additional deterrence to youth tobacco use. (4) Manufacturer-specific incentives that will be imposed if reduction targets are not met by a manufacturer provide a strong incentive for each manufacturer to make all efforts to discourage youth use of its brands and ensure the effectiveness of the industry-wide assessments. SEC. 202. PURPOSE. This title is intended to ensure that, in the event that other measures contained in this Act prove to be inadequate to produce substantial reductions in tobacco use by minors, tobacco companies will pay additional assessments. These additional assessments are designed to lower youth tobacco consumption in a variety of ways: by triggering further increases in the price of tobacco products, by encouraging tobacco companies to work to meet statutory targets for reductions in youth tobacco consumption, and by providing support for further reduction efforts. SEC. 203. GOALS FOR REDUCING UNDERAGE TOBACCO USE. (a) Goals: As part of a comprehensive national tobacco control policy, the Secretary, working in cooperation with State, Tribal, and local governments and the private sector, shall take all actions under this Act necessary to ensure that the required percentage reductions in underage use of tobacco products set forth in this title are achieved. (b) Required Reductions for Cigarettes: With respect to cigarettes, the required percentage reduction in underage use, as set forth in section 204, means-- Calendar Year After Date of Enactment Required Percentage Reduction as a Percentage Years 3 and 4 Years 5 and 6 1 of 7 06/16/98 08:49:22