Glasgow Daily Times, Glasgow, KY

State News

June 4, 2009

Bunning opposes FDA regulation of tobacco

FRANKFORT — Jim Bunning opposes legislation before the Senate to regulate tobacco products by the Food and Drug Administration and is withholding judgment on the nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court of Sonia Sotomayor.

That sums up Bunning’s weekly teleconference with Kentucky reporters Tuesday because he wasn’t asked about his controversial bid for a third term. Typically, Bunning is peppered with questions about his determination to stay in the race, what he sees as efforts by Sen. Mitch McConnell and others to undermine that determination, and potential challengers.

Not this time. Bunning opened the teleconference by saying he expects a week-long debate on the FDA regulation of tobacco.

“I do not support this legislation as it is currently written,” Bunning said. “While I want to keep cigarettes out of the hands of children, I do not believe the FDA should regulate tobacco. All this bill would do is add unnecessary mandate and expenses to both consumers and tobacco farmers. So long as tobacco is considered to be a legal commodity, I believe it should be regulated by the USDA (U.S. Dept. of Agriculture) not the FDA.”

Bunning said he will try to amend the bill on the floor, amendments the Democratic majority blocked in committee. He said he hopes it won’t pass but wouldn’t speculate about its chances.

Sotomayor presents a dilemma for Republicans – conservatives in the party want Senate Republicans to oppose her nomination but some senators fear a backlash from moderates, women and Hispanic voters. Bunning said he hadn’t made up his mind about Barack Obama’s first nominee to the highest court.

“I’m going to wait (for) the process of the hearings, the judicial committee, before I make any decisions on which way I will proceed on her nomination,” Bunning said. “So I have not made up my mind and I’m going to watch with close scrutiny when they go into her 12 years on the appellate bench and her 3,500 plus cases she has decided.”

Bunning criticized the agreement between the Obama administration and General Motors which led to the automaker’s filing for bankruptcy.

“While this agreement may buy GM some time in the short term, I do not believe it does anything to assure GM’s success over the long term,” Bunning said. Under the agreement, the federal government will offer financial assistance and assume about a 60 percent stake in the company. That troubles Bunning.

“Most importantly, I do not believe the government should be in the business of running private companies with taxpayers’ dollars,” Bunning said. “The federal government can’t even get its own fiscal house in order. Why would anyone believe the politicians and bureaucrats can successfully return a corporation as large as General Motors to economic viability?”

Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort, Ky. He may be contacted by email at rellis@cnhi.com.

Text Only
State News
  • EVENING UPDATE: Supreme Court: Lawmakers to run in old districts

    Legislative candidates will have to run in decade-old districts in this year’s elections, the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled Friday afternoon.

    February 24, 2012

  • Stivers withdraws pseudoephedrine bill

    In a move that surprised both supporters and opponents, the sponsor of a bill to require prescriptions for medications containing pseudoephedrine withdrew the bill in the state Senate Thursday.

    February 23, 2012

  • Gambling talk, cold medicine dominates week

    First it was redistricting which dominated every conversation in the 2012 General Assembly. Lawmakers couldn’t resolve that issue and it’s now before the state Court of Appeals which is expected to seek to transfer the case to the state Supreme Court.

    February 17, 2012

  • Drug bill clears committee

    It took some blunt testimony and visual evidence and the vote was close, but the Senate Judiciary Committee passed out a bill Thursday to require prescriptions for the purchase of products containing pseudoephedrine.

    February 16, 2012

  • Senate committee looks at constables

    A state Senate committee revised a proposed constitutional amendment which would have eliminated the office of constable Wednesday, choosing instead to offer a statute to allow local governments to define constables’ duties through ordinance.

    February 16, 2012

  • Medicaid managed care groups reassure committee

    Medicaid managed care organizations went before a restive Senate committee whose members have been bombarded with complaints from providers about late payments for Medicaid services.

    February 16, 2012

  • Gambling amendment introduced

    Gov. Steve Beshear and Republican Sen. Damon Thayer on Tuesday announced the much anticipated gambling amendment they hope to push through the legislature, an amendment that would allow up to seven casinos, five at existing horse racing tracks.

    February 15, 2012

  • Activists gather to protest mountaintop removal

    Their message was clear, though not everyone agrees with it.

    February 15, 2012

  • Kentucky pharmacists unhappy with rates

    A roomful of Kentucky pharmacists Monday made clear their dissatisfaction with some of their reimbursement rates under the newly implemented Medicaid managed care system before a legislative committee.

    February 14, 2012

  • LRC appeals to Supreme Court

    A lawyer for the governing arm of the state legislature has filed an appeal asking the state Supreme Court to dissolve a Franklin Circuit Court temporary injunction that 2012 candidates for the legislature run under 2002 district lines and set aside its ruling that the new district lines passed this year are unconstitutional.

    February 14, 2012

AP Video
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium 50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes Raw Video: Fight Erupts in Ukrainian Parliament Texan Ranchers Remain Wary of Drought Raw Video: Soldiers Plant Flags at Arlington Police: Man Arrested in Etan Patz Disappearance NYC Protests: the Revolution Will Be Scripted Chicago U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Resigns Neighbors of Etan Patz's Suspect: It's Shocking Gulf Fishermen Reel From Seafood Troubles Stuntman Makes Skydive Without Parachute in UK Raw Video: Bride Who Faked Cancer Released
Facebook
Hyperlocal Search
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Popular Searches
Powered by Local.com
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
Seasonal Content