PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Specialty Crops and Foreign Agriculture Programs.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jan 8, 2003
Tobacco Equity Elimination Act of 2003 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to: (1) make payments to qualifying tobacco quota holders as compensation for the loss of tobacco quota asset value; (2) make transition payments to active tobacco producers, including producers who forgo obtaining a tobacco production license; and (3) assess an annual user fee on tobacco manufacturers and importers who sell in domestic U.S. commerce.Amends the Agricultural Act of 1949 with respect to tobacco price supports to: (1) revise such provisions to reflect annual production costs for each type of tobacco; (2) eliminate references to quota tobacco in no net cost provisions; and (3) eliminate tobacco from the definition of "basic agricultural commodity."Directs the Secretary and cigarette and other tobacco-product manufacturers, respectively, to estimate annual export and domestic quantity and industry purchase requirements. Directs the Secretary to issue to each historic tobacco producer a tobacco production license in order to harmonize annual purchase intentions and production.Assesses tobacco producers for administrative costs.Repeals the Tobacco Control Act and specified related provisions ( thus terminating marketing quota program provisions).Authorizes the establishment of a nonprofit Center for Tobacco-Dependent Communities which shall provide economic and community development assistance to tobacco communities in transition to non-tobacco economies.
People & committees
Rep. Fletcher, Ernie [R-KY-6] · R–KY
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Specialty Crops and Foreign Agriculture Programs.
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 18, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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