PACT Act Concerns Senecas

Seneca Nation officials are concerned about a bill making its way through Congress that they say would affect private cigarette retailers from mailing orders of cigarettes.

The PACT – or Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking – Act has passed the U.S. House of Representatives, is now in the Judicial Committee of the Senate, and is expected to pass this summer.

Richard Nephew, chairman the Seneca Tribal Council, says if it passes it could affect hundreds of employees, both Seneca and non-Seneca, if businesses lose sales that are currently handled by mail.

Numerous privately owned Seneca businesses take cigarette orders on the phone and Internet and mail them to customers.