Continued lobbying with Federal funds by the National Cancer Institute’s ASSIST Program

RE: Lobbying by the National Cancer Institute's 17-state, $135 million ASSIST Program. (American Stop Smoking Intervention Study)

Author's name withheld on request

"ONCE THE FEDERAL GOVENMENT BEGINS TO FINANCE ONE SIDE OF A PUBLIC POLICY DEBATE, THERE WILL NO LONGER BE A DEBATE. THERE WILL ONLY BE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S POSITION." (August 10, 1992 letter signed by Senators Orin Hatch, Mitch McConnell and Malcolm Wallop to then Secretary of Health & Human Services, Louis Sullivan).

The letter further states, "We have recently received information which indicates that Federal funds made available through the National Cancer Institute (NCI) will be used to fund lobbying activities at the state and local level. Given the disturbing precedent that this would establish and the numerous legal and policy problems which arise when the federal government finances one side of a debate, we ask that you take necessary steps to stop this practice immediately."

The above admonition was ignored and three and a half years later, continuing in direct opposition, the New York Tobacco Control Program's February 5, 1996 newletter to ASSIST coalition directors reiterated its directive on lobbying:

"Coalitions may use contract funds to communicate with elected officials or employees of county legislatures, town or city councils, etc. and with county executives or mayors regading local tobacco control legislation. Contract funds may also be used to urge members of the general public to support such legislation and to communicate their support to local officials."

The following suggestion from the same newsletter seems a bit underhanded.

For instance, if a coalition wishes to communicate with a member of Congress regarding legislation, it should assign the task of drafting and typing the correspondence to a person not compensated by the ASSIST contract. Coalitions should consider having a separate agency or individual purchase one or two reams of coalition stationery for such pruposes. The stamp on the envelpe should be bouth by an agency or individual not receiving ASSIST funds."

The following form ASSIST Committee minutes clearly call for political action:

"...efforts of the Committee should be directed more toward creating legislation..." (and restaed at later meetings)

"The efforts of the Committee should be directed more toward creating legislation."

"I spoke either directly or through staff to each council member. I did not identify myself as a consultant for this project..."

"The Committee should focus its efforts on legislative activites..."

In May 1993, with the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) sponsorship, the American Lung Association coordinated a 23-state "invitation only" how-to political action conference in Sacramento, CA. The NCI helped to defray travel expenses of some of the participants.

In spite of a federal grant to ALA which stipulated a payment for an individual to write and supervise printing and mailings of conference proceedings, A September, 1995 CDC Freedom of Information response DENIED the existence of any written material from the conference.

Obtained from another source, the following are excerpts from the "non-existent" post-conference "Guidebook for State Action to Increase Tobacco Taxes," a 100-plus page instruction manual on forming a successful political initiative campaign.

"BENEFITS"...(of a coalition)

"Increased manpower because of access to each other's lobbyists."