Tobacco.org

This just in . . .

A new bill called the " SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH AND ADMISNISTRATIVE ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 1996 (Now called the "Regulatory Sunset and Review Act of 1996") was introduced in Congress on February 29th that would be devastating to federal tobacco control efforts such as the proposed OSHA and FDA regulations on tobacco. They are clearly trying to ram the bill throught before we or other members of the public know about it. (Note: It has been substituted for H.R.994 so it can move quickly).

In effect, it would allow "small businesses" fronting for the tobacco industry to stymie any regulation by:

• 1). Giving "small businesses" the power to sue agencies over procedure and substance. And it would only take "one" to halt these regulations.

• 2). The OMB office would be granted authority to approve petitions to review regulations.

• 3). Congress would be granted the explicit authority to veto a regulation.

Your help is needed immediately as votes on the bill are expected on the House floor on Tuesday, March 5th and the Senate floor later that day or Wednesday, March 6th.

ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) calls this " new deceptive regulatory reform bill -- a prescription for disaster."