By NEIL H. SIMON, Media General News Service
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WASHINGTON - Rep. Eric I. Cantor's support for a bill to regulate tobacco products puts the Richmond lawmaker right in line with the only cigarette maker supporting the bill, hometown giant Philip Morris.
The Virginia Republican, the top House recipient of campaign contributions from the tobacco industry, is backing the bill opposed by most tobacco companies, the Bush administration and many Congressional Republicans.
"I signed on to that bill because it means jobs for the greater Richmond area with Philip Morris USA being such a prominent employer and major corporate presence," Cantor said in an interview.
Cantor became a cosponsor June 5, after 227 House members had announced their support and two months after the bill passed a House committee.
Philip Morris employs approximately 6,000 people in the Richmond area.
The House is expected to vote Wednesday on HR 1108, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, that would give the Food and Drug Administration the power to curtail marketing, control nicotine levels and enlarge warning labels on tobacco products.
Cantor received $87,450 from the tobacco industry between January 2005 and May 2008, according to MAPLight, a non-profit organization that tracks money and politics. Of that sum, $27,800 came from Altria, the parent company of cigarette maker Philip Morris.
"We shared our views with Congressman Cantor and many other members of Congress," said Philip Morris USA spokesman Bill Phelps. "We remain committed to securing the benefits that legislation would provide for our consumers and stockholders."
Cantor said the bill is good for the local economy and families who "depend on a stable, prosperous future for Philip Morris."
"Contributions have no impact on my decision to sponsor legislation," he said in a statement.
Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-Va., who cosponsored the bill last December, received $3,850 from the tobacco industry, including $2,000 from Altria, between January 2005 and May 2008.
Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., a leading opponent of the Senate companion bill, received $238,200 from tobacco industry in the same period.
It's not surprising that Philip Morris carries sway with local members of Congress, said Bob Holsworth, a political scientist at Virginia Commonwealth University.
"They are one of the most important companies in the region," Holsworth said. "In reality, most people who have represented the Richmond area, both federally and in the state legislature, had certainly an open ear to listen to the arguments of Philip Morris because of their long term role as an employer in the region."
Health advocates welcomed Cantor's support but are reserving praise for lawmakers until final passage.
"Regardless of when members chose to voice their support for this bill, their true opportunity to ... force companies to publicize the true danger of what they sell will come with their votes," said Dan Smith, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.
Other major tobacco companies complain the bill's marketing restrictions could benefit Philip Morris by freezing its position as a market leader.
Some industry lobbyists privately said they were surprised Cantor did not cosponsor the bill sooner.
Reynolds American and Lorillard Tobacco have lobbied against the bill, saying giving the FDA regulatory control over tobacco products would force the companies to make their cigarette recipes public and hurt competition.
"While the Lorillard Company fully supports reasonable federal regulation of the tobacco industry, the FDA is already overburdened and is the wrong agency to carry out this task," said Lorillard spokesman Michael Robinson.
Using similar arguments, the administration last week sent a letter to the top Republican on the Energy and Commerce Committee, saying the White House would "strongly oppose" the legislation.
Even if the bill passes in the House, it faces an uncertain future in the Senate, where a committee-passed companion bill has yet to see floor action.
"We hope the Senate will follow suit very quickly (and pass the bill)," said Derek Scholes, government relations manager for the American Heart Association. "We're running out of time in this Congress."
Both Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama support the tobacco regulation bill.
Top Recipients of Tobacco Industry Campaign Contributions
Jan. 2005 - May 2008
1. Sen. Richard Burr, D-N.C. $238,200
2. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. $212,660
3. Fmr. Sen. George Allen, R-Va. $128,650
4. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont. $108,645
5. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C. $108,500
6. Fmr. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga. $107,150
7. Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn. $103,150
8. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn. $92,400
9. Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va. $87,450
10. Fmr. Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss. $77,200
Source: www.MAPLight.org
The Virginia Republican, the top House recipient of campaign contributions from the tobacco industry, is backing the bill opposed by most tobacco companies, the Bush administration and many Congressional Republicans.
"I signed on to that bill because it means jobs for the greater Richmond area with Philip Morris USA being such a prominent employer and major corporate presence," Cantor said in an interview.
Cantor became a cosponsor June 5, after 227 House members had announced their support and two months after the bill passed a House committee.
Philip Morris employs approximately 6,000 people in the Richmond area.
The House is expected to vote Wednesday on HR 1108, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, that would give the Food and Drug Administration the power to curtail marketing, control nicotine levels and enlarge warning labels on tobacco products.
Cantor received $87,450 from the tobacco industry between January 2005 and May 2008, according to MAPLight, a non-profit organization that tracks money and politics. Of that sum, $27,800 came from Altria, the parent company of cigarette maker Philip Morris.
"We shared our views with Congressman Cantor and many other members of Congress," said Philip Morris USA spokesman Bill Phelps. "We remain committed to securing the benefits that legislation would provide for our consumers and stockholders."
Cantor said the bill is good for the local economy and families who "depend on a stable, prosperous future for Philip Morris."
"Contributions have no impact on my decision to sponsor legislation," he said in a statement.
Rep. Robert C. Scott, D-Va., who cosponsored the bill last December, received $3,850 from the tobacco industry, including $2,000 from Altria, between January 2005 and May 2008.
Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., a leading opponent of the Senate companion bill, received $238,200 from tobacco industry in the same period.
It's not surprising that Philip Morris carries sway with local members of Congress, said Bob Holsworth, a political scientist at Virginia Commonwealth University.
"They are one of the most important companies in the region," Holsworth said. "In reality, most people who have represented the Richmond area, both federally and in the state legislature, had certainly an open ear to listen to the arguments of Philip Morris because of their long term role as an employer in the region."
Health advocates welcomed Cantor's support but are reserving praise for lawmakers until final passage.
"Regardless of when members chose to voice their support for this bill, their true opportunity to ... force companies to publicize the true danger of what they sell will come with their votes," said Dan Smith, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.
Other major tobacco companies complain the bill's marketing restrictions could benefit Philip Morris by freezing its position as a market leader.
Some industry lobbyists privately said they were surprised Cantor did not cosponsor the bill sooner.
Reynolds American and Lorillard Tobacco have lobbied against the bill, saying giving the FDA regulatory control over tobacco products would force the companies to make their cigarette recipes public and hurt competition.
"While the Lorillard Company fully supports reasonable federal regulation of the tobacco industry, the FDA is already overburdened and is the wrong agency to carry out this task," said Lorillard spokesman Michael Robinson.
Using similar arguments, the administration last week sent a letter to the top Republican on the Energy and Commerce Committee, saying the White House would "strongly oppose" the legislation.
Even if the bill passes in the House, it faces an uncertain future in the Senate, where a committee-passed companion bill has yet to see floor action.
"We hope the Senate will follow suit very quickly (and pass the bill)," said Derek Scholes, government relations manager for the American Heart Association. "We're running out of time in this Congress."
Both Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama support the tobacco regulation bill.
Top Recipients of Tobacco Industry Campaign Contributions
Jan. 2005 - May 2008
1. Sen. Richard Burr, D-N.C. $238,200
2. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. $212,660
3. Fmr. Sen. George Allen, R-Va. $128,650
4. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont. $108,645
5. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C. $108,500
6. Fmr. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga. $107,150
7. Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn. $103,150
8. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn. $92,400
9. Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va. $87,450
10. Fmr. Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss. $77,200
Source: www.MAPLight.org