On April 2, the House approved, 298-112, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (H.R. 1256), after defeating, 169-256, a motion to recommit by Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI). The motion to recommit would have required the user fees assessed on tobacco companies be the only funds used to pay for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation. A substitute amendment by Rep. Steve Buyer (R-IN) to eliminate the ability of the FDA to regulate tobacco and instead created a Tobacco Harm Reduction Center at the Department of Health and Human Services also was defeated, 142-284. The House Energy and Commerce Committee approved the bill on March 4 (see The Source, 3/6/09).
