Five US tobacco industry executives L-R Laurence T

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 29: Five US tobacco industry executives L-R Laurence Tisch, CEO of the Loews Corporation, Geoffrey Bible, Chairman of Philip Morris, Vincent Gierer Jr., CEO of US Tobacco, Steven Goldstone CEO of RJR Nabisco and Nicholas Brooks Chairman of Brown & Williamson Tobacco Company are sworn in before testifing before the US House Commerce Committee 29 January on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The committee is holding hearings on the views of tobacco industry executives on the tobacco settlement. The tobacco industry is lobbying for congressional approval of a deal in which they would pay 368.5 billion USD over the next 25 years to settle smoking related litigation in exchange for protection from certain lawsuits. (Photo credit should read JESSICA PERSSON/AFP via Getty Images)