Source: Seattle Times (WA)
Contact:  http://www.seattletimes.com/
Pubdate: Tue, 16 Jun 1998
Author:   Laurie Kellman, The Associated Press

CLINTON, LOTT CALL FOR VOTE ON TOBACCO BILL

WASHINGTON - President Clinton and Senate Republican leaders agree on one
thing about tobacco policy: It's time to stop talking and vote on
legislation aimed at curbing teen-age smoking.

But nearly a year after the industry and state attorneys general struck a
historic deal to cut teen smoking, the politicians can't agree on the terms
of a tobacco policy.

Clinton wants a final vote on a sweeping bill sponsored by Sen. John
McCain, R-Ariz. "Every day the Senate delays play into the hands of the
tobacco industry, which wants desperately to kill this bill," Clinton said
at the White House yesterday as the Senate began its fourth week of
debating the bill.

Impatient that the debate is delaying appropriations bills, Senate Majority
Leader Trent Lott has made it clear that the bill's fate should be decided
this week.

Its $516 billion price tag for the industry, Lott, R-Miss., said yesterday
is "too high," and should be scaled back more to the level of the $368
billion settlement struck last June 20.

"We can't seem to stop the insatiable feeding opportunity on this bill,"
Lott said.

McCain's bill would charge the tobacco industry $516 billion over 25 years
partly by raising cigarette taxes by $1.10 a pack by 2003. The measure also
would grant the Food and Drug Administration power to regulate nicotine and
restrict tobacco companies' ability to advertise.

The bill has been revised by amendments to use some of the money for tax
cuts and to strip the bill of the legal protections the companies demanded.

The Senate wrestled inconclusively yesterday on yet another amendment that
would deny tax deductions for advertising, promotion and marketing expenses
for tobacco companies that advertise to children unless they obey FDA rules
designed to curb sales pitches to underage smokers.

Lawmakers tentatively adopted the advertising proposal by Sen. Jack Reed,
D-R.I., by voice vote after an attempt to kill it failed on a tie. Moments
later, though, McCain said he will call for another vote.

Also scheduled today was debate on an amendment by Sen. Slade Gorton,
R-Wash., that would cap the fees of attorneys who litigated state lawsuits
against the tobacco industry at between $500 and $4,000 an hour, depending
on how long they worked on those cases.

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Checked-by: (Joel W. Johnson)