Summary

PRESIDENT CLINTON IS PUSHING TO FINISH THE CONTROVERSIAL TOBACCO DEAL BY THIS SUMMER, BUT WILL A DEAL MEAN BIG TOBACCO IS OFF THE HOOK ON LIABILITY CLAIMS? THAT'S THE QUESTION BEFORE A SENATE COMMITTEE TODAY.

Source CONUS Archive
Record ID 145345
Story Slug DAYPACK:TOBACCO LEGISLATION (03/06/1998)
Location Washington, DC
Format Pkg
Date 3/6/1998
Archive Time 42:09
TRT 1:44
Supers :00 WASHINGTON BRUCE REED/WHITE HOUSE DOMESTIC POLICY ADVISOR SEN. ORRIN HATCH/(R) UTAH ..QUICK.. SEN. PATRICK LEAHY/(D) VERMONT SCOTT WISE/TOBACCO INDUSTRY LAWYER BOB BARNARD/REPORTING
Video Description Teens smoking, President Clinton stepping to podium, male sot, shot of congressional floor, Warren Hatch sot, more shots of teens smoking, closeup of paper, Senator sot, Tobacco Company Lawyers, Reporter standup, white house rep sot, teens smoking, another shot of congressional floor, girl smoking.
Description PRESIDENT CLINTON IS PUSHING TO FINISH THE CONTROVERSIAL TOBACCO DEAL BY THIS SUMMER, BUT WILL A DEAL MEAN BIG TOBACCO IS OFF THE HOOK ON LIABILITY CLAIMS? THAT'S THE QUESTION BEFORE A SENATE COMMITTEE TODAY.
Script LEAD: GET READY TO HEAR A LOT MORE ABOUT TEEN SMOKING. THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION PLANS AN ALL OUT ASSAULT BEGINNING THIS WEEKEND TO GET CONGRESS TO PASS ANTI-TOBACCO LEGISLATION. REPORTER BOB BARNARD SAYS THE DEBATE GOT GOING IN WASHINGTON TODAY. (Take Pkg) SCRIPT: TAKING TOBACCO OUT OF THE HANDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE. THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION TODAY DECLARES THAT ITS NUMBER ONE DOMESTIC GOAL FOR THE YEAR. SOT SUPER: BRUCE REED/WHITE HOUSE DOMESTIC POLICY ADVISER 14:20:10 WE WANT TO SEE A COMPREHENSIVE EFFORT TO REDUCE TEEN SMOKING AND THAT'S OUR MAJOR CONCERN AND THE ADMINISTRATION WANTS CONGRESS TO CRAFT AND PASS COMPREHENSIVE TOBACCO LEGISLATION BY SUMMER. ORRIN HATCH.. A TOP REPUBLICAN SENATOR.. AGREES. SOT SUPER: SEN. ORRIN HATCH/(R) UTAH .1 9:45:45 IT'D BE A DOGGONE TRAGEDY IF WE DON'T GET THIS DONE.... BUT THERE'S ONE POTENTIAL STUMBLING BLOCK DEBATED ON CAPITOL HILL TODAY: THE INDUSTRY'S DESIRE FOR IMMUNITY FROM FUTURE CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS AND STATE LITIGATION.. IN EXCHANGE FOR NEARLY 400 BILLION DOLLARS OVER 25 YEARS. VERMONT DEMOCRAT PATRICK LEAHY REMEMBERS THOSE LONG-SECRET TOBACCO COMPANY DOCUMENTS. SOT SUPER: SEN. PATRICK LEAHY/(D) VT .1 10:05:01 MARKETING CIGARETTES TO 14-YEAR-OLDS IS OUTRAGEOUS AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THIS IS THE KIND OF CONDUCT WE SHOULD REWARD WITH UNPRECEDENTED LEGAL PROTECTIONS...IN THE WORDS OF TODAY'S 14-YEAR-OLDS...GET REAL! BUT IN THE WORDS OF A TOBACCO COMPANY LAWYER.. INDIVIDUALS CAN STILL SUE. SOT SUPER: SCOTT WISE/TOBACCO INDUSTRY LAWYER .2 10:39:45 IT'S NOT IMMUNITY IN ANY SENSE. IT IMPOSES LIABILITY ON THESE COMPANIES FOREVER...REGARDLESS OF WHETHER ANYBODY EVER WINS A CASE AGAINST THEM AGAIN. STANDUP: SUPER: BOB BARNARD/REPORTING THE WHITE HOUSE AND SOME HEALTH-RELATED ORGANIZATIONS HAVE CONSISTENTLY OPPOSED ANY SPECIAL DEALS FOR THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY. BUT SOME SEE THAT UNITED FRONT GOING UP IN SMOKE. BRUCE REED IS THE WHITE HOUSE POINT MAN ON TOBACCO LEGISLATION. NATSOUND WITH BRUCE REED 14:21:28 WE'D RATHER SEE A BILL THAT DOESN'T LIMIT LIABILITY...BUT WE'VE ALSO SAID THAT AS LONG AS WE GET EVERYTHING ELSE WE NEED TO CUT TEEN SMOKING...THAT THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY A DEAL BREAKER FOR US THE INDUSTRY HAS AGREED TO RAISE CIGARETTE PRICES UP TO A BUCK FIFTY A PACK OVER TEN YEARS.. AND TO ALLOW THE GOVERNMENT TO REGULATE NICOTINE. BUT CONGRESS HOLDS THE KEY ON IMMUNITY. IN WASHINGTON...I'M BOB BARNARD. TAG: AN INDUSTRY LAWYER SAYS A DEAL ON WHAT THEY CALL "CIVIL LIABILITY" WOULD ONLY FORGIVE THEM FOR PAST SINS.. NOT FUTURE CRIMES. (Reporter tags)
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