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Senate Votes to Raise Tobacco Taxes, Increase Health Care Coverage for Children

August 3, 2007

Statement of Daniel E. Smith, President, American Cancer Society Cancer Action NetworkSM (ACS CAN)

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- August 3, 2007 -- "Just one day after the House gave the nationwide cancer community a major win, the Senate delivered a victory of its own with a strong bipartisan vote. The legislation approved last night will save lives by substantially increasing the federal cigarette tax an action that will reduce smoking rates and expanding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

"The interests of the public in particular children have clearly trumped the interests of the tobacco and insurance industries over the last two days. Congress should approve the 61-cent cigarette tax increase in the Senate bill over the 45-cent increase in the House bill because a larger jump would have a greater impact in curbing tobacco use and consumption.

"A 61-cent increase would reduce the costs of smoking-related pregnancy complications by $420 million, save $200 million nationally in treating lung cancer and save states and the federal government nearly $12 billion in tobacco-related Medicaid expenses in the five years after implementation. The tax would prevent nearly 1.9 million U.S. children from becoming lifelong tobacco users and more than 900,000 Americans from dying prematurely because of smoking.

"Congress also should adopt the House provision that eliminates the co-payments Medicare beneficiaries currently pay for mammography and colonoscopy services. These lifesaving procedures detect breast and colon cancer in their earliest stages when they are easier and less costly to treat.

"The stage is set for Congress to approve a strong bill that will help to prevent children from taking up the deadly habit of smoking, ensure that more low-income children have access to health insurance and expand the availability of lifesaving cancer screenings. Given these enormous benefits, we ask President Bush to reconsider his vow to veto the bill."

ACS CAN is the nonprofit, nonpartisan sister advocacy organization of the American Cancer Society, dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage lawmakers, candidates and government officials to support laws and policies that will make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.

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