AWMA set up a meeting recently with Senator Webb’s (D-VA) Chief Counsel, Trevor Moe, and AWMA member, Chris Smythers, Merchants Grocery Company, along with some members of the Coalition to Stop Contraband Tobacco – John Hoel, Altria Client Services and Lyle Beckwith, NACS – to urge the Senator to support the PACT Act.  As one of the leaders of the newly formed coalition, AWMA has been working to promote enactment of the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act or PACT Act to help combat the illegal remote sales of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco.  

During our meeting with Senator Webb’s Chief Counsel, Trevor Moe, we were told that the Senator has decided to support our position and co-sponsor the PACT Act.  AWMA and the coalition members are gratified by the Senator’s recognition as to the importance of closing a number of gaps in the current federal law regulating “remote” (primarily Internet) sales of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products.  The PACT Act provides an important opportunity to further protect the legitimate channels of distribution for cigarettes and smokeless tobacco and ensure that our law-abiding distributor businesses are not unfairly disadvantaged.

The PACT Act – S. 1147 – is scheduled to be marked-up in the Senate Judiciary Committee next week.  AWMA appreciates the support of all our members who have written letters to their U.S. lawmakers on behalf of this important legislation.  Anyone wishing to make their views in support of S. 1147 known may visit our website at www.awmanet.org and simply click on the “government affairs” button to be taken directly to a pre-written letter that can be sent to your Senators.  The U.S. House of Representatives has already passed similar legislation – H.R. 1646 – by a wide bipartisan vote.  We are hoping for similar swift action in the U.S. Senate.
 

(L to R)  John Hoel, Altria Client Services; Trevor Moe, Chief Counsel for Senator Jim Webb (D-VA); Lyle Beckwith, NACS; Chris Smythers, Merchants Grocery Company; and Anne Holloway, AWMA