PROGRESS IN WASHINGTON, DC:
New Senate Bill Calls for Protection of Cigars from FDA Regulation
 
S. 1461 will work with H.R. 1639 To Protect your Passion for a Great Cigar

By Glynn Loope, Executive Director
Cigar Rights of America

Amidst all of the chaos in Washington, DC this week, a quiet but amazingly significant action took place that goes to the heart of insuring your ability to have a great cigar, and that will work to protect the production, distribution, selling and enjoyment of cigars across the nation.

Two members of the United States Senate proved this week that as broken as Congress can seem, there is still the ability to protect freedom from activist federal bureaucrats that want to instill a new era of prohibition in America – the prohibition of tobacco products, and specifically cigars.

Two U.S. Senators proved that bi-partisan cooperation can work for this passion we share, much less work to protect a significant cornerstone to the economic foundation of their State of Florida. U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, D-FL, and US Senator Marco Rubio, R-FL came together and introduced S. 1461 as the companion bill to H.R. 1639, so that the Senate legislative process can now consider the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act .

They know what this industry not only means to Florida, but to America. They know that small family owned professional tobacconists from Boston to Seattle are part of the community fabric, represent thousands of jobs, for a product not addictive, nor marketed to children, and enjoyed for leisure by adults. In other words, not any of the reasons Congress passed and the President signed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. Regulating cigars simply goes beyond any legislative intent. H.R. 1639 and now S. 1461 clarify that point.

This week, the CRA Board of Directors and staff met in Washington, DC, and subsequently made calls on members of Congress in an effort to advance this legislation. In cooperation with industry allies such as the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association, progress is being made against those dedicated to the prohibition of tobacco.
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It's Time to Thank Them for Their Leadership

We want to extend a sincere word of thanks to U.S. Senators Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio for this action, and we hope you will join us in expressing that appreciation. Please call, email or drop a note to these two US Senators for this act of leadership on your behalf. We can assure you, our opposition will be making their feelings known. Let them know, they did the right thing for the cigar enthusiasts of America.

Please call the offices of your members of the United States Senate, and ask them to join S. 1461 as a Sponsor!

NEW SPONSORS FOR H.R. 1639 in the U.S. House of Representatives

There was progress on the other side of the U.S. Capitol, as well. H.R. 1639 now has 43 sponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives, with Congressmen Sanford Bishop. Howard Coble, and Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, Dennis Cardoza of California, and Tim Ryan of Ohio joining with many of their colleagues in standing up for liberty.

They join the ranks of not only their fellow members of Congress as sponsors of H.R. 1639, but specifically join the bi-partisan leadership of Congressman Bill Posey and Congresswoman Kathy Castor. Republicans and Democrats are coming together on this issue, and we need to recognize it with our appreciation.

Please join your brethren cigar enthusiasts in thanking these members of the United State Congress for this act of leadership, on your behalf.

What you can do:

  • Cut and paste the CRA link to our petition, and spread it among your own network of cigar club members, fellow cigar enthusiasts, and for cigar shop owners, place on your web site and in your promotional emails, so that we can reach all of Cigar Nation.

Help Spread The Word
 
ATTENTION RETAIL TOBACCONISTS & CIGAR ENTHUSIASTS:

Please copy/paste the below FDA Petition link to your website and share with your customers.

http://www.cigarrights.org/petition_FDA001.php

Support Your Local Great American Cigar Shops™
 

 
CRA Needs Your Help!

In order to be successful in our fight to enjoy cigars without the threat of smoking bans and high taxation, CRA needs your help. Please consider partnering with CRA through two important methods:

Membership
There is strength in numbers! The more members CRA has, the greater voice we have at all levels of legislature. Please help CRA by asking your fellow cigar enthusiasts to join CRA today! Membership starts as low as $35/year.

Donate
Our fight around the country is very expensive. We would like to ask all CRA members and cigar enthusiasts to consider making a donation to CRA in any amount you choose.
 
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