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News: Traditional Cigar Preservation Bill Introduced in Congress with 34 Co-Sponsors

5 Feb 2015

Fdaprotect

On Monday, Florida Congressman Bill Posey introduced the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2015 (H.R. 662). The legislation, which Posey also introduced in 2011 and 2013, would prevent the Food and Drug Administration from regulating handmade cigars.

The FDA is close to finalizing a rule that would subject cigars to FDA oversight, including a pre-approval requirement that would likely halt the introduction of new cigars. (One FDA proposal would apply all cigars to the pre-approval process, while another would exempt non-flavored cigars over $10.)

The 2011-12 version of the bill gained support from a majority of the House of Representatives, while the 2013-14 version had 145  co-sponsors. Posey’s 2015 legislation was introduced with 34 original co-sponsors, which groups like the IPCPR and CRA will seek to build on over the next two years.

Even if the bill isn’t passed and signed into law, significant Congressional support would send a strong message to the FDA that many elected officials in Congress, which has oversight and funding authority over the legislation, don’t want the FDA to to extend its authority over handmade cigars.

The following bi-partisan group of Representatives are the 34 original co-sponsors of the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2015:

Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-12]
Rep Blackburn, Marsha [TN-7]
Rep Brady, Robert A. [PA-1]
Rep Buchanan, Vern [FL-16]
Rep Calvert, Ken [CA-42]
Rep Cardenas, Tony [CA-29]
Rep Castor, Kathy [FL-14]
Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy [MO-1]
Rep Cole, Tom [OK-4]
Rep Collins, Chris [NY-27]
Rep Costa, Jim [CA-16]
Rep Diaz-Balart, Mario [FL-25]
Rep Foxx, Virginia [NC-5]
Rep Graves, Sam [MO-6]
Rep Grayson, Alan [FL-9]
Rep Griffith, H. Morgan [VA-9]
Rep Harris, Andy [MD-1]
Rep Hastings, Alcee L. [FL-20]
Rep Hunter, Duncan D. [CA-50]
Rep Jolly, David W. [FL-13]
Rep Kelly, Mike [PA-3]
Rep Kinzinger, Adam [IL-16]
Rep Murphy, Patrick [FL-18]
Rep Murphy, Tim [PA-18]
Rep Pascrell, Bill, Jr. [NJ-9]
Rep Pompeo, Mike [KS-4]
Rep Rogers, Harold [KY-5]
Rep Roskam, Peter J. [IL-6]
Rep Ross, Dennis A. [FL-15]
Rep Royce, Edward R. [CA-39]
Rep Sessions, Pete [TX-32]
Rep Westmoreland, Lynn A. [GA-3]
Rep Wilson, Frederica S. [FL-24]
Rep Yoder, Kevin [KS-3]

If your Congressman is already a co-sponsor, contact them and thank them. If not, contact them and demand they become a co-sponsor. (Unsure who your representative is? Find out here.) Read an example of a letter to Congress in support of the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act here.

Patrick S

photo credit: Best Price Cigars

2 Responses to “News: Traditional Cigar Preservation Bill Introduced in Congress with 34 Co-Sponsors”

  1. Reggie W Thursday, February 5, 2015 at 11:35 am #

    I just reached out to my rep since he isn’t on this list. It was easy to take the Stogie Guys’ template and put my own twist on it. Took all of a few minutes. I suggest everyone reading this do the same.

  2. George e Thursday, February 5, 2015 at 1:27 pm #

    Reggie – Thanks! I hope others will follow your lead.