Sestak endorses smoking legislation awaiting Obama’s signature

June 18, 2009 at 9:45 am

Congressman Joe Sestak (D-7), pThe Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (HR 1256) would authorize the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate the sale and distribution of tobacco products. The House a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/13/business/13tobacco.html?ref=politics" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.nytimes.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2009%2F06%2F13%2Fbusiness%2F13tobacco.html%3Fref%3Dpolitics','voted+307-97')" target="_blank"voted 307-97/a for the bill, which now awaits President Barack Obama’s signature./p
pThe legislation would give the FDA greater authority to regulate access to, and the advertising and promotion of, tobacco products. It also would allow the FDA to adopt rulings it believes are “appropriate to protect the public health.”/p
pOne of the main goals of the bill is to prevent underage smoking. “As a father, it is of upmost (sic) importance to me that we discourage teenage smoking,” Sestak said in a a href="http://sestak.house.gov/apps/list/press/pa07_sestak/090612_tobacco.shtml" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://sestak.house.gov']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fsestak.house.gov%2Fapps%2Flist%2Fpress%2Fpa07_sestak%2F090612_tobacco.shtml','statement')" target="_blank">statement on his pAccording to data cited by a href="http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/index.php" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.tobaccofreekids.org']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tobaccofreekids.org%2Findex.php','Campaign+for+Tobacco-Free+Kids')" target="_blank"Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids/a, Pennsylvania minors smoke 32.9 million packs of cigarettes each year./p
pUnder the new bill, tobacco manufacturers would be forced to disclose the contents of cigarettes and list harmful ingredients in their current products. Tobacco manufacturers would no longer be able to sell products that suggest a modified or reduced risk, such as “light” cigarettes, unless evidence suggests that these cigarettes significantly reduce the risk of tobacco-related disease. The marketing of flavored cigarettes, exempting menthol-flavored cigarettes, also would be prohibited./p
pThere are a href="http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health/cwp/view.asp?A=174&Q=236092" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dsf.health.state.pa.us%2Fhealth%2Fcwp%2Fview.asp%3FA%3D174%26amp%3BQ%3D236092','approximately+2%2C200%2C000+cigarette+smokers+in+Pennsylvania')" target="_blank">approximately 2,200,000 cigarette smokers in Pennsylvania, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Thirty percent of Pennsylvanians aged 18 to 29 smoke cigarettes, while 10 percent in that age group identified as former smokers.

Altria, the parent company of Philip Morris USA, reported spending at least 13.8 million last year to lobby the federal government, according to a

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Fixing the primary election process before May 18

June 17, 2009 at 9:14 am

State Representative Eugene DePasquale has introduced legislation that, if passed, would change the way that 2010 primary elections are conducted. The bill,

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2003 voting standards may be applicable in 2010 elections

June 10, 2009 at 3:02 pm

According to The Associated Press, a new bill is being pushed by state Representative Babette Jones (D-Philadelphia), which would apply uniform voting standards adopted in 2003 to all future elections in Pennsylvania.

The bill outlines voting standards, which explain exactly what constitutes a vote on the state’s various voting systems. Although the state no longer uses punch cards or lever machines, the voting standards provide guidance about what should be counted as a vote on…

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Progressive site on Specter’s back

June 5, 2009 at 7:17 pm

Watch out Arlen Specter. Progressive organizations have created a Web site that will monitor Senator Arlen Specter’s voting record. The site, TrueMajority.org and  pThe a href="http://www.specterscorecard.org" onclick="return TrackClick('http%3A%2F%2Fwww.specterscorecard.org','http%3A%2F%2Fwww.truemajority.org')" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.specterscorecard.org" onclick="return TrackClick('http%3A%2F%2Fwww.specterscorecard.org','http%3A%2F%2Fwww.truemajority.org')"]);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.specterscorecard.org','Specter+Scorecard')" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.specterscorecard.org" onclick="return TrackClick('http%3A%2F%2Fwww.specterscorecard.org','http%3A%2F%2Fwww.truemajority.org')"]);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.specterscorecard.org','Specter+Scorecard')">Specter Scorecard will track Specter’s key votes and combine them into a “progressive batting average,” which will be updated each time Specter…

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Who will oppose DeWeese on table games?

June 4, 2009 at 12:06 pm

Bill DeWeese made the news twice the other day.

The Inquirer reported that former state Representative Mike Veon, a key defendant in the Bonusgate investigation, accused DeWeese of engaging in the same illegal conduct for which Veon is under indictment.

The Inquirer also reported that Veon accused Attorney General and likely gubernatorial candidate Tom Corbett’s office of engaging in prosecutorial misconduct, including the intimidation of witnesses.

This is pretty sleazy stuff… it suggests that, surprise…

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Lawmakers band together to keep beneficial feeding program in Philadelphia

June 3, 2009 at 10:31 am

There is a low-profile but important fight underway between Pennsylvania lawmakers and the Obama administration. The political battle centers around a beneficial feeding program that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has formed with the Philadelphia School District.

Late last month, Senator Arlen Specter wrote to PresidentObama urging him to explain the decision made by the Department of Agriculture to end the districts feeding program.

“While I appreciate the administration’s offers of assistance to the Philadelphia…

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Keeping energy bills low when rate caps expire

June 2, 2009 at 9:55 am

With energy rate caps expected to expire soon and rate increases looking like a certainty, energy policy will be at the forefront of the 2010 elections.

Lawmakers are already working to keep electricity rates low. Earlier this month, Montgomery County Republican Representatives Robert Godshall and Bob Mensch sent a letter to the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission (PUC), which works to ensure that utility services are provided to consumers at reasonable rates. They encouraged the Commission to urge…

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Congressman Sestak is optimistic about Sotomayor’s confirmation

May 27, 2009 at 5:44 pm

Yesterday, Congressman—and now likely Senate candidate—Joe Sestak (D-7) emphasized the bipartisan appeal of Judge Sonia Sotomayor in a statement. He expressed optimism that the Senate nomination and confirmation process should go smoothly for the Judge.

Judge Sotomayor is President Obama’s choice for the replacement of Supreme Court Justice David Souter. With Judge Sotomayor’s nomination and confirmation expected in the next three months, Sestak has emphasized her experience, motivational drive and bipartisan appeal as factors that…

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Magid’s fundraiser could affect Meehan campaign

May 27, 2009 at 7:29 am

Laurie Magid, the interim replacement for gubernatorial hopeful and former U.S. Attorney Pat Meehan, was pShe had previously worked with Meehan when he was a District Attorney in Delaware County, and she…

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Gerlach and Sestak work together to protect residents during natural gas construction drive

May 21, 2009 at 12:27 pm

In a speech at a recent GOP dinner, potential gubernatorial candidate and Congressman Jim Gerlach (R-6) laid out a five-point plan for Pennsylvania. The plan, according to news reports, touched on the elimination of double taxation on businesses, the state’s need to break reliance on foreign oil, transparency in government, aid for Pennsylvania’s schools and students, and the preservation of the Pennsylvania’s parks.

Gerlach’s mention of energy independence and transparency in government comes more than…

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