June 27, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 109 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page S4588]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TOBACCO-FREE YOUTH ACT

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, on another matter, just last month, I 
introduced legislation, along with my colleague from Virginia, Senator 
Kaine, to address a serious and growing public health issue. As Senator 
Kaine and I laid out in May, the growing popularity and accessibility 
of tobacco products like e-cigarettes and vapor products are 
endangering America's youth.
  The CDC estimates that in 2018 youth e-cigarette use in America 
increased by 1.5 million. So we introduced legislation that would 
accomplish something very important--raising the minimum age for 
purchasing tobacco and vapor products to 21 nationwide. We want to put 
a huge dent in these pathways to childhood addiction and help get these 
products out of high schools altogether.
  Now, as a Virginian and a Kentuckian, neither Senator Kaine nor I 
lack an appreciation for the history of tobacco in America. For 
generations, this hugely important cash crop helped to build our States 
and, indeed, the whole Nation's early prosperity. Yet new doors are 
open today to Kentucky's growers and producers, and parents back home 
are rightly worried that e-cigarettes and vapor products pose new 
threats to the young people at a critical stage in their developments.
  So I was proud to take the lead on this, and I am proud my colleague 
from Virginia has joined me in leading this effort to give this cause 
the strong bipartisan momentum it richly deserves. Our measure cleared 
an important milestone yesterday. The HELP Committee approved our 
Tobacco-Free Youth Act and advanced it here, to the floor, along with 
other legislation.
  I thank Chairman Alexander, Ranking Member Murray, and all of our 
colleagues on the committee for including our legislation in this 
package and advancing it. I look forward to continuing to work with 
them, with Senator Kaine, and with all of our colleagues as we work to 
get this important proposal signed into law.

                          ____________________