530 



out, unfortunately, that several Members of this Congress in the 

 North Carolina delegation who's districts are impacted by this 

 issue were not allowed to testify today. 



These Representatives probably represent some 70,000 people 

 who work directly in the tobacco industry either as growers or proc- 

 essors. And I think their interest and insight into this matter 

 would be useful. And I hope that at a future date they can be in- 

 cluded in the process and that their written testimony could be in- 

 cluded in the record today. 



I know that we will address a number of issues concerning to- 

 bacco processing and smoking in this hearing. I am particularly in- 

 terested in hearing from the principal executives of the seven major 

 tobacco companies about some of the issues previously raised before 

 this subcommittee, particularly those that were raised, and pos- 

 sibly distorted, by Commissioner Kessler several weeks ago. 



It is extremely important that we get factual information at this 

 hearing. I believe that the gentlemen here today are in a position 

 to provide that. Dr. Kessler spent a great deal of time explaining 

 how he perceived the position and actions of the tobacco industry. 

 Several of the issues discussed appeared to be in direct contradic- 

 tion to my understanding as to how tobacco is processed, and cer- 

 tainly, I think, to the understanding of the gentlemen who are here 

 today. 



I expect that this hearing can shed considerable light on these 

 for the benefit of the members of the committee and the American 

 public who are watching. It is important that this subcommittee 

 deal with factual information, as it should on matters of this im- 

 port, and that it should take whatever actions are necessary, based 

 on fact and not on public perception. However, I am extremely con- 

 cerned that there are too many members here, and too many others 

 outside, who are too eager to jump to conclusions before they look 

 at the facts. 



And I think we need to back up and, as the chairman said in his 

 opening statement, apply equivalent standards to this product as 

 we do to other products, applying the same rational thought to 

 each. If we do this we will serve the American public well. I yield 

 back the balance of my time. 



Mr. Waxman. Thank you, Mr. McMillan. I do want to note that 

 our colleagues from North Carolina were here to testify at our 

 March 25th hearing. We'll have their statements in the record. Mr. 

 Wyden? 



Mr. Wyden. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I want to 

 commend you for all of your years of leadership in this effort, and 

 also our colleague, Mike Synar, who has done a tremendous job in 

 advocating for the health rights of children who are so directly af- 

 fected by tobacco products. 



And I think I'd like to start by saying that I come to this hearing 

 as a parent of a 4 year old and a 10 year old, and in a few years 

 all of you, the executives who are sitting at the witness table, are 

 going to be using advertising by Joe Camel to try to hook my kids 

 and addict them to tobacco products. 



Now, some of you are parents and grandparents as well, and I 

 think you'd agree with me that all our children are our most valu- 

 able possession. And I just can't understand how each of you is en- 



