Southern Baptist Convention Letter
to Representative DeLay

August 9, 2004
The Honorable Tom DeLay
House Majority Leader
242 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Mr. DeLay:

I am writing to you about the House-Senate conference on the FSC corporate tax bill, H.R. 4520. The Senate version of the bill in conference includes an amendment by Senator Mike DeWine that would require effective regulation of tobacco products by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We strongly urge you to support this amendment, without changes, in the Conference Report on the legislation.

We believe that the most important thing you can do to reduce tobacco addiction would be to work for the enactment of this strong legislation supported by the public health community to give the FDA the authority to regulate tobacco products. We find it incredible that the FDA can ensure the safety of everyday items like macaroni and cheese, but has no authority over tobacco, a product that kills over 400,000 Americans every year.

The faith community spends too much time burying mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers who die because they became addicted to tobacco products when they were young. We know all too well that the tobacco companies continue to spend billions of dollars to addict people to this deadly product. We also know that the federal government can reduce the staggering addiction rate, particularly among vulnerable children, by fully regulating tobacco products. For our children's sake, we urge you to do so.

This year marks the fortieth anniversary of the landmark Surgeon General's Report that unveiled the horrors of tobacco addiction. Though we have made some progress in reducing tobacco use in this country, there are still far too many smokers, and far too many teenagers who become addicted to tobacco.

We urge you to save as many children as possible from tobacco addiction by endorsing full FDA regulation of tobacco and working to ensure passage of the DeWine amendment. We would be grateful to know your position on this issue. We would also very much appreciate the opportunity to meet with you at your earliest convenience to discuss how we can work together to protect our children from the horrors of tobacco addiction.

Respectfully,

Richard D. Land, D.Phil.
President
Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission
Southern Baptist Convention