Providing for Consideration of H.R. Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. CURTIS. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule underlying the bill.

Reducing the alarming rate of youth e-cigarette use is and must remain a top priority for public health officials and lawmakers. Our children are the future of our country, and my greatest joy in this life has been watching my children grow into the men and women that they are today.

Protecting their health and safety and of that their children in order to ensure their future success is, personally, a top priority of mine in Congress. However, H.R. 2339, the bill before us today, is concerning for numerous reasons.

First, this one-size-fits-all bill was drafted without Republican input. The committee of jurisdiction passed the legislation virtually along partisan lines.

This legislation was finalized just Monday night but is receiving a vote this week, with details negotiated outside of public view. A bill of this magnitude, which includes over $100 million in new taxes, deserves a lengthy public debate.

Second, Congress recently passed needed legislation to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21 on a bipartisan basis.

Additionally, the Food and Drug Administration already has the ability to regulate flavored e-cigarette products, and this bill would permanently undermine ongoing efforts to combat youth vaping by the FDA.

Most importantly, this bill would undercut ongoing efforts by the State of Utah to combat youth vaping. The Utah Legislature and Governor's office acted decisively to keep these products out of the hands of our youth and are considering additional steps to protect the welfare of our kids. The State of Utah is a great example of what we can accomplish when partisanship is put aside for the greater good.

In closing, I want to reiterate the importance of keeping these products out of the hands of children. But we can't do that without a lengthier, bipartisan conversation, and especially if we are ignoring the work State and local governments have been doing to keep our children safe.

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