Protecting American Lungs and Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act (H.R.

Floor Speech

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Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2339, the Protecting American Lungs and Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act.

After years of declining smoking rates in the United States, the introduction of e-cigarettes has caused an alarming uptick in the rate of smoking, particularly amongst younger Americans. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, more than 5.3 million middle school and high school students used e-cigarettes in 2019, an alarming increase of more than 3 million in two years.

H.R. 2339 offers a comprehensive approach for how we can reverse the youth vaping epidemic by banning promotion and advertising targeted at kids, taxing e-cigarettes the same way we tax other forms of tobacco, and banning online sales of most tobacco products. More specifically, this bill fulfills the promise that the Trump Administration failed to follow through with by banning all flavors for e-cigarettes and e- liquids for devices that use open-tank systems.

While I support the overall bill, I maintain some concerns with certain provisions within the legislation. Specifically, I am concerned with the effects this flavor ban may have for older Americans that use pipe tobacco and/or hookah. Some of my constituents who have been using the same flavored tobacco for pipes or hookah for decades should not be forced to give up their flavor of preference, especially when statistics indicate that younger Americans are not prone to use these products.

Although I have these various concerns, I am still eager to take on ``Big Nicotine'' and support the passage of H.R. 2339 to curb youth tobacco usage. I look forward to fixing any issues my colleagues and I may have when this bill goes to conference with the Senate.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for Protecting American Lungs and Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act.

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