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Cigar Ban

Bobbyson1a

Bobbyson1a

Bobbyson1a
Joined
Oct 27, 2003
Messages
1,389
YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ORDER CIGARS BY MAIL IN THE NEAR FUTURE!

As early as tomorrow, the House Judiciary committee will be considering House Bill HR2824. In fact, this bill is listed to be considered for mark up tomorrow, Wednesday, January 21, 2004 at 10AM on their website at:

http://www.house.gov/judiciary

Why is this important? Because its sister bill, S1177, which has already passed in the Senate eliminates your right to order cigars by mail!

The House Bill #HR2824 does NOT presently contain the "cigar" and "all tobacco products" language as contained within the Senate bill. Neither the Senate bill, nor the House bill have anything to do with cigars, it is all about combating cigarette counterfeiting, but that didn't stop someone in the Senate from sneaking in the cigar related references that were added at the very last moment. If it could happen in the Senate, it definitely could happen again in the House...

So it is critical that we let the House Judiciary Committee know to NOT add “cigars” and “all other tobacco products” provisions to their House Bill HR2824 as were added to the Senate Bill at the last moment. Because if they do, "our goose is cooked,” and mail order cigars will become illegal!

Below is a list of the Congressmen on the House Judiciary Committee who should understand our plea to keep cigars and non-specific “tobacco product” references out of HR2824.

They are scheduled to consider this bill tomorrow, so we are asking everyone that does not want their right to receive cigars via mail order to contact the House Judiciary Members listed below immediately.

It is critical that all cigar smokers e-mail, phone, or fax these representatives and request that “cigars” and “all other tobacco products” NOT BE ADDED TO HR2824.

House Judiciary Committee:

Spencer Bachus, Alabama
http://www.house.gov/bachus


Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee
http://www.house.gov/blackburn


Rick Boucher, Virginia
http://www.house.gov/boucher
ninthnet@mail.house.gov


John Carter, Texas
http://www.house.gov/carter


Steve Chabot, Ohio
http://www.house.gov/chabot


Howard Coble, North Carolina
http://www.house.gov/coble
howard.coble@mail.house.gov


Tom Feeney, Florida
http://www.house.gov/feeney
tom.feeney@mail.house.gov


Jeff Flake, Arizona
http://www.house.gov/flake
jeff.flake@mail.house.gov


J. Randy Forbes, Virginia
http://www.house.gov/forbes


Bob Goodlatte, Virginia
http://www.house.gov/goodlatte
talk2bob@mail.house.gov


Mark Green, Wisconsin
http://www.house.gov/markgreen
mark.green@mail.house.gov


Melissa Hart, Pennsylvania
http://www.house.gov/hart


John Hostettler, Indiana
http://www.house.gov/hostettler/
john.hostettler@mail.house.gov


Henry Hyde, Illinois
http://www.house.gov/hyde


William L. Jenkins, Tennessee
http://www.house.gov/jenkins


Ric Keller, Florida
http://keller.house.gov


Steve King, Iowa
http://www.house.gov/steveking


Mike Pence, Indiana
http://mikepence.house.gov
mike.pence@mail.house.gov


Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, Virginia
http://www.house.gov/scott
bobby.scott@mail.house.gov


F. James Sensenbrenner, Wisconsin
http://www.house.gov/sensenbrenner
sensenbrenner@mail.house.gov


Lamar Smith, Texas
http://lamarsmith.house.gov
lamar.smith@mail.house.gov


Melvin L. Watt, North Carolina
http://www.house.gov/watt
nc12.public@mail.house.gov



Below is a form message you may want to copy and send. Please feel free to write your own, we just wanted to make this as simple as possible. Whatever you do, please make it fast! We cigar smokers are running out of time and we need to make our voices heard!!!





The Honorable _________________
United States House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515



Dear Congressman:

On December 9, 2003, the U.S. Senate cut a last minute deal to ban all sales of cigars through the U.S. mail. This provision was quietly slipped into the cigarette anti-counterfeiting bill (S.1177), even though the rest of the bill had nothing to do with cigars. The House Judiciary Committee will soon consider its version (H.R.2824) of the same bill.

I need you to keep cigars out of this bill! There is not a counterfeit cigar problem in this country. There is not a youth cigar smoking problem in this country. This is another example of a big government solution in search of a problem that does not exist. Please do the right thing and don't let the federal government tamper with my right to receive legal cigars through the mail.

Sincerely,
 
I don't understand why JR's and the other online merchants aren't bombarding all of us degenerates with emails etc. concerning this. If my business was about to be put out of business by some bogus legislation I would be screaming at the top of my lungs.
 
LMAO, recognize the name of the Congressman from Tennessee? (I'll give you a hint, check my profile :) )

We even have the same middle initial. I wrote to him once.

Looks like it's time to do it again.
 
I got that e-mail from JR & Holts.
I already e-mailed all the Congressman on the list.

This is geting out of hand.
 
Hey, is there any place that anyone know of that will tell how each member of the Senate voted on S1177? I am looking, and will keep looking, just hoping someone might already have that info.

ALostTexan
 
I received an email from Mike's Cigars about his today. I sent an email to everyone on the list. :angry:
 
I've been looking at the senate bill for some time and it appears to be legislation aimed at collecting taxes on cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. Am I just not seeing something? This is the only reference to cigars I can find...

3) IMPORTER- The term `importer' means each of the following:

(A) Any person in the United States to whom non-tax-paid tobacco products manufactured in a foreign country, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, or a possession of the United States are shipped or consigned.

(B) Any person who removes cigars or cigarettes for sale or consumption in the United States from a customs bonded manufacturing warehouse.

© Any person who smuggles or otherwise unlawfully brings tobacco products into the United States.

Are there any lawyers out there who can decipher the mumbo jumbo for the rest of us dunderheads?
 
I received an email from Holt's & Mike's today.

I have a very good friend who is a staffer for my Congressman, Rob Simmons CT-2.

I've asked him to look into this and get back to me. He'll give me the inside scoop ;)

Oh based on my experience working for a State Senator, LETTERS are far better than email AND you really need to contact YOUR specific Congressman.

Many times when Senators or Reps receive letters from people outside their district, they are a very low priority (meaning that they won't get answered).

We really need to contact our individual Senators and Congressmen. One of my loser US Senators is too busy trying to run for President and he hasn't taken a vote in months (Lieberman). This guy is a freaking LOSER!!

*EDIT*

I heard back from my friend in Washington. Here's the deal:

This is a classic case of a turf war betweeen convenience stores & the internet sellers. The convenience stores are whinning that it's "not fair" that the internet sellers avoid paying state sales and applicable state tobacco taxes.

The best thing you can do is contact YOUR Congressman and your US Senators. I think the best argument that can be made is that the consumer would get completely hosed if the internet sellers didn't keep the prices competitive. Banning internet sales would give the convenience stores power to charge even MORE for cigars. Remind your Congressman how the convenience stores already gouge customers for ANYTHING they sell in there already (how much is a gallon of milk at a 7-11 vs your supermarket?). If the purpose of banning internet sales is because people "get away" with avoiding their state sales tax, the we better ban internet selling of ANYHING & EVERYTHING. Besides that, every state tells their residents that they are supposed to declare anything they bought on the internet and pay the appropriate state sales tax. I know I always do :lookup: :lookup:

"Banning internet sale of anything never mind cigars flies in the face of capitalism and free trade. The consumer will be the unltimate loser if this were to become law as we'd be forced to pay much higher prices for cigars."

Or something along that line........ get it?

Fortunately these bills are still winding their way through the committee process and look to be a long way from the floor of the House or Senate.

Again, contact YOUR elected reps. and hopefully the internet sellers have better lobbyists than the convenience store crybabies
 
Update.

Due to the packed schedule of the House Judiciary Committee, they did not get to HR2824 today and have rescheduled it to be marked up on Wednesday, January 28, 2004
 
Big Slim Junior said:
I've been looking at the senate bill for some time and it appears to be legislation aimed at collecting taxes on cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. Am I just not seeing something? This is the only reference to cigars I can find...

3) IMPORTER- The term `importer' means each of the following:

(A) Any person in the United States to whom non-tax-paid tobacco products manufactured in a foreign country, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, or a possession of the United States are shipped or consigned.

(B) Any person who removes cigars or cigarettes for sale or consumption in the United States from a customs bonded manufacturing warehouse.

© Any person who smuggles or otherwise unlawfully brings tobacco products into the United States.

Are there any lawyers out there who can decipher the mumbo jumbo for the rest of us dunderheads?
Click to expand...
This is just the definition of the term "Importer" as used in the proposal. You must now go through the proposed legislation and find all uses of the term "importer." By this definition, anytime "importer" is used, it is referring to cigars as they apply to A, B and C.
 
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