This week, the House Agriculture/Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Subcommittee began its work on funding measures for the Departments of Agriculture, Forestry Service and the Food and Drug Administration.  The subcommittee provided a $300 million increase for FDA.  Though the bill did not contain any “legislative riders” to weaken or delay FDA’s authority to regulate tobacco products, Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA) announced his intent to offer tobacco related amendments during the full Appropriations Committee mark-up of the bill.

In recent years, the House Agriculture/FDA Appropriations bill has been vehicle for supporters of the tobacco industry to include legislative riders that delay or inhibit FDA’s authority to regulate tobacco products.  Amendments have included provisions to exempt cigars from FDA’s regulatory authority and provisions to shield e-cigarettes from FDA new product review.  Fortunately, the Senate has not adopted similar provisions and these legislative riders have been ultimately removed from the final spending bill.

In related news, the ATS joined a sign-on letter with over 50 medical and public health organizations urging Congressional appropriators to reject any legislative rider that would weaken or delay FDA’s authority to regulate tobacco products.  The ATS will continue to monitor the appropriations bill and strongly oppose any such legislative riders.