PHARMACEUTICAL ACT OF 2000 -- HON. RON PAUL (Extensions of Remarks -
February 10, 2000)
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HON. RON PAUL
OF TEXAS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Thursday, February 10, 2000
- Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce the Pharmaceutical Freedom Act
of 2000. This legislation ensures that millions of Americans, including
seniors, have access to affordable pharmaceutical products. My bill makes
pharmaceuticals more affordable to seniors by reducing their taxes. It also
removes needless government barriers to importing pharmaceuticals and it
protects Internet pharmacies, which are making affordable prescription drugs
available to millions of Americans, from being strangled by federal
regulation.
- The first provision of my legislation provides seniors a tax credit equal
to 80 percent of their prescription drug costs. As many of my colleagues have
pointed out, our nation's seniors are struggling to afford the prescription
drugs they need in order to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle. Yet, the
Federal Government continues to impose taxes on Social Security benefits and
limits senior citizens' ability to earn additional income by reducing Social
Security benefits if a senior exceeds the ``earnings limitation.'' Meanwhile,
Congress continually raids the Social Security trust fund to finance
unconstitutional programs! It is long past time for Congress to choose between
helping seniors afford medicine or using the Social Security trust fund as a
slush fund for big government and pork-barrel spending.
- Mr. Speaker, I do wish to clarify that this tax credit is intended to
supplement the efforts to reform and strengthen the Medicare system to ensure
seniors have the ability to use Medicare funds to purchase prescription drugs.
I am a strong supporter of strengthening the Medicare system to allow for more
choice and consumer control, including structural reforms that will allow
seniors to use Medicare funds to cover the costs of prescription
drugs.
- In addition to making prescription medications more affordable for
seniors, my bill lowers the price for prescription medicines by reducing
barriers to the importation of FDA-approved pharmaceuticals. Under my bill,
anyone wishing to import a drug simply submits an application to the FDA,
which then must approve the drug unless the FDA finds the drug is either not
approved for use in the U.S.
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or is adulterated or misbranded. This process
will make safe and affordable imported medicines affordable to millions of
Americans. Mr. Speaker, letting the free market work is the best means of
lowering the cost of prescription drugs.
- The Pharmaceutical Freedom Act also protects consumers' access to
affordable prescription drugs by forbidding the Federal Government from
regulating any Internet sales of FDA-approved pharmaceuticals by
state-licensed pharmacists. As I am sure my colleagues are aware, the Internet
makes pharmaceuticals and other products more affordable and accessible for
millions of Americans. However, the Federal Government has threatened to
destroy this option by imposing unnecessary and unconstitutional regulations
on web sites which sell pharmaceuticals. Any federal regulations would
inevitably drive up prices of pharmaceuticals, thus depriving many consumers
of access to affordable prescription medications.
- In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to make pharmaceuticals
more affordable and accessible by lowering taxes on senior citizens, removing
barriers to the importation of pharmaceuticals and protecting legitimate
Internet pharmacies from needless regulation by cosponsoring the
Pharmaceutical Freedom Act of 2000.
END