Tuesday, July 01, 2003
Tobacco

Letter Questions USDA Promotion of Tobacco Trade

Senator Durbin and Rep. Waxman write to the Department of Agriculture regarding a new GAO report that finds that the Foreign Agricultural Service has analyzed the potential opportunities foreign tobacco markets, including the market for "younger smokers," offer U.S. tobacco companies and participated in negotiations that led to the elimination of tobacco tariffs. These actions appear to violate the law that prohibits the Foreign Agricultural Service from promoting the sale and export of tobacco products.