Cigar Tax SCHIP Veto Upheld

The U.S. House did not garner enough votes on October 18 (273-156) to override the President's veto of legislation to expand/reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which would have raised the federal excise tax on cigars by 6,000% to $3.00 per cigar. However, during the next several weeks, the President and Congress must still agree on a plan to continue the SCHIP program, which expired on September 30, 2007, but was temporarily extended until November 16. The cigar tax is only one of many points of disagreement, and the massive increase put forward by Congress could still be approved. Therefore, the fight is not yet over. Unless you want to pay $75 more for your next box of 25 cigars, continue to call or email your Senators and Congressmen, and voice your disapproval of the proposed outrageous increase in the federal excise tax on cigars.