…. I’m sure that folks are not too fond of seeing online calls to action here in the precincts of their friends list but I felt this was important – if you think its a real breach of etiquette let me know and I’ll take it down.

As some of you know I’m a pipe and cigar smoker, and there’s a little crisis going on in the Congress right now that I think could use folks’ attention:

You and I know how very different cigars are from
cigarettes. Unfortunately, from time to time cigars get
clumsily lumped in with cigarettes, and cigars become
collateral damage. One of those times is right now. All
cigar smokers who buy mail-order need to act! A recent
bill was passed in the Senate (S.1177) which makes it
illegal to ship cigarettes and smokeless tobacco over
state lines, banning internet and mail-order sales. At
the very last minute, unfortunately, one simple sentence
stating “all tobacco products” was added. Of course the
intent of the bill is cigarettes, not cigars – but the
restriction as written would also ban mail-order cigars!
Right now this bill (H.R. 2824) is before the House
Judiciary Committee where they are deciding if it will go
to the full House for a vote.

We need to all fight like hell to make sure the last-second
language that the Senate added does not appear in the House
bill. Notify your Congressman, and most urgently, notify
the Congressmen who sit on the House Judiciary Committee
from the list below. A link to a comprehensive, state by
state list of members of Congress is provided as well. The
timing of your communication is urgent – the squeaky wheel
gets the grease so the more email and phone calls the better.
Tell them to leave cigars out of cigarette legislation!

HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE:

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

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

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

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Full list of members of the House of Representatives:
http://www.house.gov/writerep/

Full list of members of the Senate:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm