Comprehensive Smoking Education Act
Public Law 98-474 · H.R. 3979 · 98th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 12, 1984 · Health
Sponsor: Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA-24)
Cosponsors (59): Rep. James Scheuer, Rep. Ron Wyden,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Comprehensive Smoking Education Act - Amends the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to inform the public of the health hazards of cigarettes through research, demonstration, and educational activities.
Establishes an Interagency Committee on Smoking and Health to coordinate such Federal and private activities.
Requires the Secretary to report to Congress biennially (with the first report due by January 1, 1985).
Amends the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act to require cigarette packages and advertising to carry one of four specified warnings on a rotating quarterly basis. Requires outdoor billboard advertising to carry one of four specified warnings on a similar basis. Provides the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) with compliance enforcement responsibility.
States that: (1) the warning rotation plan shall be developed by the manufacturers or importers, and reviewed and approved (if in compliance with the provisions of this Act) by the FTC; and (2) such rotational plan shall not apply to retailers and distributors.
Requires manufacturers, packagers, or importers of cigarettes to annually provide the Secretary with a list of cigarette additives. States that such information shall be treated as confidential. Requires the Secretary to report to Congress regarding the health effects of such additives.
Makes such warning and reporting provisions effective one year after enactment of this Act.
States that nothing in this Act, other than the warning requirements, shall limit, expand, or otherwise affect the FTC's authority with respect to unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the advertising of cigarettes.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 11 actions.
- Oct 12, 1984Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-474.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Oct 2, 1984PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Sep 26, 1984Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Sep 10, 1984FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- May 23, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Energy and Commerce Committee
- May 17, 1984CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Energy and Commerce Committee
- Sep 22, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.