Tobacco Documents Online

Copyright 1993 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc., All rights reserved. ' ABC NEWS SHOW: WORLD NEWS TONIGHT WITH PETER JENNINGS FEBRU'ARY 25, 1993 LENGTH: 4201 words BODY: ANNOUNCER: From ABC, this is World News Tonight with Peter Jennings. ### PETER JENNINGS: President Clinton was talking again today about the need for a national health care plan, and this time he gave a strong public hint that some of the money needed to pay for it may be raised from those people who ignore the risks of smoking andl drinking. Here's ABC's Brit Hume. BRIT HUME: [CLINTON! PC] Appearing with business and labor leaders who are hacking his economic plan, the President was asked how he'll pay for his next big plnn, to overhaul health care and make it available to all. Specifically, would he be asking for more new taxes? PRESIDENT CLINTON: There are lots of options we are looking at now which wouldn't necessarily increase middle-class tax burdens. BRIT HUME: [MEDIA] Well, he was asked, does that mean he's now ruling out increasing so-called sin taxes on such things as beer, wine and tobacco? [BUSINESS & LABOR LEADERS] Those taxes hit all groups, including the middle class, but Mr. Clinton did not rule them out. PRESIDENT CLINTON: I think health related taxes are different. I think cigarette taxes, for example, are different. BRIT HUME: And why is that, he was asked. PRESIDENT CLINTON: Because I think that we are spending a ton of money in private insurance and in government tax payments to deal with the health care problems occasioned by bad health habits, and particularly smoking. BRIT HUME: [SU] The President has a thorny practical and political problem. He believes health care reform will save the government billions and free up billions more in the private sector, but he's also pledged to extend health insurance to all, which will cost billions. That's why he can't rule out additional taxes on the middle class or anyone else. Brit Hume, ABC News, the White House. PETER JENNINGS: An immediate health concern today which has to do with the Secretary of Defense, Les Aspin. [ASPIN] He was released from the hospital today after spending several days there because of a heart problem. Doctors have now told him he's going to need a pacemaker, but that physically he should be up to the job, at least of subduing reporters. At the Pentagon, the problem

is he doesn't have a lot of help because President Clinton has still not filled some key positions. In fact, it's the same story in a lot of government agencies. Here's ABC's Jim Wooten.