A group of US senators called on the White House Office of Management and Budget to release a final rule to expand the scope of US tobacco regulation, saying the proposal has languished at OMB for more than twice the standard 90-day review period.

The letter signed by 15 Senate Democrats also warned against weakening the proposed deeming rule to extend Food and Drug Administration tobacco regulatory powers to e-cigarettes, cigars, pipes, shisha and additional smokeless products. The senators noted FDA initially proposed the rule nearly two years ago.
Dated 18 April, the letter was signed by senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jack Reed (D-RI), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Tom Udall (D-NM), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Al Franken (D-MN), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Brian Schatz (D-HI).