With the vote on April 2, Members of Congress now have the opportunity to come together and pass the most significant federal tobacco control legislation in American history. In this time of acrimonious politics, our elected officials should make the most of this chance to enact legislation that the majority of Americans want and need.

Recent polling data shows that 70 percent of Americans support legislation giving the Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate tobacco products. Now that both the House and Senate jurisdiction committees have passed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, congressional leaders should not waste any time passing a bill that has both political and public support. Our lives and our children’s lives depend on the regulation of a product that causes 150,000 cardiovascular disease deaths each year.  

We commend the Committee, particularly Chairmen John Dingell, Frank Pallone and Henry Waxman, for shepherding this legislation through the mark-up process and urge both the full House and Senate to follow the Committee’s lead.