Press Release: 14th Cosponsor Signs on to S. 1461

September 20, 2012 — Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) signed on as a cosponsor of S. 1461, the companion bill of H.R. 1639 yesterday.

The bills, also known as the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2011, seek to exempt premium cigars from FDA regulation.

Senator Heller previously served as Nevada’s Representative to the Second Congressional District, as Nevada’s Secretary of State for three terms, and in the Nevada State Assembly for two terms.

Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV)

He currently serves on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee; the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee; and the Special Committee on Aging. Jobs and the economy continue to be Senator Heller’s top priorities.

If the FDA is allowed to regulate the premium cigar industry, it could include changes such as banning walk-in humidors, altering advertisement and store signage, and regulating the blends of tobacco in cigars. The House bill currently has 219 cosponsors, and is above majority.

The Senate bill has 14 cosponsors.

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.