TOBACCO BILL MIGHT COST MORE, GOP STUDY FINDS

Consumers and tobacco companies would pay hundreds of billions of dollars
more than previously estimated under a tobacco bill to be considered by the
Senate this month, a Republican Policy Committee study said Sunday.

Some lawmakers and the tobacco industry will likely use the study as
ammunition for their arguments against the Senate Commerce Committee's
tobacco bill,drafted by Sen. John McCain, R.-Ariz.

The RPC study said the legislation, if passed, would raise $755.3 billion
to $868.9 billion over the first 25 years of its implementation.

The Clinton administration's Office of Management and Budget has previously
estimated revenues from the McCain bill over 25 years at $539.9 billion to
$602.2 billion.

Checked-by: jwjohnson@netmagic.net (Joel W. Johnson)