Ray Lutz for Congress 2010

www.VoteRayLutz.com

Media Contact: Brennan Purtzer, Media Director

619-447-3246 / [email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Candidate Lutz says Hunter bill creates black market for cigarettes

Rep. Hunter’s bill specifically removes non-commercial shipping clause

San Diego County, Calif. (August 5, 2010) – “This isn’t about disrespecting or denying the troops, this is a policy goof-up,” said Democratic Congressional Candidate Ray Lutz. “Hunter’s attempt is honorable but misguided. There’s a better way to solve this problem that doesn’t fund a black market that may support terrorists.”

Lutz, 52, was responding to a bill introduced last week by freshman Republican Congressman Duncan D. Hunter. Lutz is campaigning for Hunter’s 52nd Congressional District seat.

Hunter’s bill (HR 6037) amends a Senate bill, known as “PACT-act,” which went into effect June 17, 2010 (S.1147). The Hunter bill allows tobacco products to be shipped to soldiers serving in combat zones unconditionally, which Lutz says is overly-broad and creates the opportunity for abuse. The PACT-act currently allows up to ten shipments per month – a maximum of ten ounces per shipment – (totaling about 100 packs per month) shipped Express Mail only, for age verification purposes.

“Part of the goal of the act was to end illegal trafficking in cigarettes, which, along with the opium trade, is believed to be fueling the insurgency,” Lutz said. “Lifting the weight, frequency and non-commercial requirements of PACT kicks opens the dangerous door it took Senator Kohl (D-Wis.) eight years to shut.”

Lutz continued, “Many legislators complain that there are too many laws, too many loopholes and exemptions, but now, instead of simply getting the United States Postal Service to change their requirements, Congressman Hunter is actually writing legislation to exempt black market trade.”

Lutz says the problem lies with the U.S. Postal Service’s regulations and is not something we need to create new federal legislation to correct.

Postal regulations require that tobacco products be mailed using Express postage — so that a signature is required when delivered — to help ensure that the package is not delivered into the hands of children. However, Express Mail service does not deliver to the combat theaters of Iraq and Afghanistan, leaving combat soldiers unable to receive such shipments.

A legislative aid who worked on the original PACT-act, said the solution was simple: amend the U.S. Postal Service requirements to allow such care packages to be shipped as International Priority Mail with a signature option. Such an arrangement would satisfy PACT’s goals, and would cost families less to ship.

Another Senate legislative aid said that the Pentagon, which has been strongly discouraging smoking among its servicemen for decades, hadn’t expressed any concern over the PACT-act whatsoever. “Buying cigarettes over there is cheaper anyway,” the aid said.

“A simple, non-legislative solution is available, yet Hunter’s proposal opens the door for unbridled tobacco trafficking,” Lutz said. “It makes you wonder why Hunter would provide a means for terrorists to raise money on tobacco along with opium and other drugs. Has he switched sides? That’s what I want to know.”

Rep. Hunter, a reserve Marine captain, has so far received at least $6,000 from tobacco-related PACs for his 2010 election campaign.

( – promoted by Brian Leubitz)

Tomorrow is Memorial Day. It’s the day when we remember all the brave troops who gave their lives for the things that we cherish the most about America. Our freedom. Our liberties. Our way of life. Thanks to all the sacrifices of the past, we are the nation that we are today.

Follow me after the flip as we talk about what Memorial Day means for us this year…

But what’s the true meaning of Memorial Day today? Here’s what Orange Juice’s Art Pedroza found out about Memorial Day:

“It was formerly known as Decoration Day. This holiday commemorates U.S. men and women who have died in military service to their country. It began first to honor Union soldiers who died during the American Civil War.”

“After World War I, it expanded to include those who died in any war or military action. One of the longest standing traditions is the running of the Indianapolis 500, which has been held in conjunction with Memorial Day since 1911.” […]

Memorial Day is especially poignant this year given the sheer number of U.S. soldiers who are actively engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as other U.S. bases throughout Europe and Asia.

So what does Memorial Day mean for us today? It means that we honor the brave soldiers who are giving their all in Afghanistan and Iraq for all the American values that we cherish. George W. Bush may not have sent out troops to war for the right reasons, but I know that our troops are serving our nation for the right reasons. They believe in this country. They hold our American values near and dear. They are what’s right about this nation.

So what should we do tomorrow? Let’s remember all these brave soldiers. Let’s honor these courageous souls. If you’re in Orange County, check out Orange Juice’s list of Memorial Day services in the community tomorrow. If you’re somewhere else in the state, find out what’s happening in your town. And if you have other plans in mind for the day, just take some time out of your busy day to remember all of those who have lost their lives while in service to our country.

Sometimes, it’s so easy to forget the human costs of war. It’s so easy to forget during Memorial Day when we fire up the bratwursts on the grill and lather the sunscreen on the kids before they jump in the pool. It’s so easy to forget when we watch C-SPAN, and we watch the politicians debate which bill will get our troops out of Iraq’s chaotic civil war faster. It’s so easy to forget when we watch Bush on the teevee, blathering on about how we’re fighting the terrorists there so that they don’t find us here, or about how we’re building some democracy in the Middle East that the people there don’t even want, or about some new half-truth or outright lie about why we’re in Iraq. We must remember that tomorrow isn’t about them. Tomorrow’s about the troops who lost their lives in service to their nation.

Tomorrow’s about the troops. Let’s remember them tomorrow. And after tomorrow, let’s truly honor the troops that are still with us today by working to end Bush’s failed war. But in the mean time, let’s just stop. Let’s stop and remember.