News by SB Informer

National Black Chamber Opposes New FDA Tobacco Regulations

SB Informer
Thursday, March 8, 2007; 02:31 AM

The National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) announced today that it has submitted testimony to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee regarding legislation to increase federal regulation of tobacco products. The bill in question is S. 625, introduced earlier this month by Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA).

This legislation, giving the Food and Drug Administration broad new powers to regulate tobacco, would affect millions of business owners around the nation. The NBCC, representing a wide variety of African American business owners, is expressing its concern about this bill's impact on small businesses nationwide.

In his testimony, NBCC President and CEO Harry C. Alford said, "As written, the bill would represent a threat to every small retailer and distributor of tobacco and related products in the country. As you well know, thousands of such small businesses across the country are Black-owned businesses, and like most small businesses, they are struggling every day to survive in an extremely competitive marketplace. One of the greatest threats posed to the success of small businesses is government overregulation, and overregulation is exactly what S.625 seems to have in mind."

Mr. Alford went on to say, "At every turn, S.625 undercuts the honest work being done by small businesses -- user fees that depress wages and encourage job loss, lost revenues, unfair enforcement and application of the rules and regulations. S.625 is a well-meaning bill, but one that will have disastrous effects on thousands of minority-owned retailers around the country, killing jobs and closing businesses in those communities that can least afford to take the hit."

The NBCC (http://www.nationalbcc.org/) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, nonsectarian organization dedicated to the economic empowerment of African American communities. 190 affiliated chapters are locally based throughout the nation as well as international affiliate chapters based in Bahamas, Brazil, Colombia, Ghana and Jamaica and businesses as well as individuals who may have chosen to be direct members with the national office.

 Feedback   Submit Article