Reaction Of Senator Patrick Leahy, (Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee), To House Commerce Committee Disclosure of 39,000 Tobacco Industry Documents

April 22, 1998

I applaud Chairman Bliley and Congressman Dingell for making these documents available to the public on the Internet.

"After years of stonewalling by the tobacco industry, we finally have the clearest evidence yet of Big Tobacco’s efforts to suppress evidence about the health hazards of tobacco, manipulate nicotine to keep smokers addicted and market its deadly products to children. These documents prove over and over again that this rogue industry deserves no special legal protection for its misconduct.

"These documents are one more compelling reason why the Senate must pass comprehensive tobacco control legislation before the Memorial Day Recess."

# # # # #

The Internet address for the House Commerce Committee home page is: http://www.house.gov/commerce