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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release September 22, 1999

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

Today, the Justice Department announced that the United States is filing suit against the major tobacco companies to recover the costs of smoking-related illnesses. As I said in my State of the Union address in January, smoking has cost taxpayers billions of dollars through Medicare, veterans' health, and other federal health care programs. The Justice Department is taking the right course of action: It is time for America's taxpayers to have their day in court.

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