CRA Announces Two More U.S. Reps Co-sponsoring H.R. 1639

Cigar Rights of America announced on Friday that two more members of the U.S. House of Representatives have joined on as co-sponsors of H.R. 1639, known as the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2011. At the core of the resolution is the protection of premium cigars from FDA oversight and regulation.

Rep. Joe Donnelly (D-Indiana) added his name on September 20, while Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Oregon) added his on September 21. Their co-sponsorship brings the total number of co-sponsors of H.R. 1639 to 221.

Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Oregon)                                                   Rep. Joe Donnelly (D-Indiana)

Earlier this week, the IPCPR announced that Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nevada) became the 14th co-sponsor of S. 1461, the companion bill in the U.S. Senate.

CRA asks cigar smokers across the country to contact their U.S. Representative and Senators and ask for their sponsorship of H.R. 1639 and S. 1461. They have created an online petition which cigars smokers and friends of cigar rights can use to contact their elected officials.

Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury, the G-League's Valley Suns, and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.