[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 134 (Tuesday, October 24, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1891-E1892]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      REMARKS ON THE AGRICULTURE APPROPRIATIONS CONFERENCE REPORT

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                          HON. PHILIP M. CRANE

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 24, 2000

  Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, the Agriculture Appropriations Conference 
Report contains provisions that change existing provisions of the 
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act as they relate to the ability of 
persons, other than a pharmaceutical manufacturer, to reimport 
medicines into the United States. These amendments to the nation's 
pharmaceutical laws relate to certain existing safety laws that

[[Page E1892]]

have, in their application, prevented the reimportation of medicines. 
Further, these amendments mandate the study of ``the effect on 
importations . . . on trade and patent rights under federal law.''
  I welcome this study and look forward to its completion. However, 
let's be clear that the Congress has not, through the enactment of this 
amendment, changed our long-standing, bipartisan U.S. trade policy and 
negotiating objectives, including strong and effective protection of 
intellectual property. The negotiating objectives of the United States 
have been explicitly established in law and remain to obtain the strong 
and effective protection of intellectual property rights in full accord 
with our rights under the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of 
Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) at a minimum and whenever 
possible, to obtain enhanced protection of intellectual property, on an 
accelerated basis. As section 31 5(2) of the Uruguay Round Agreements 
Act explicitly provides, ``it is the objective of the United States . . 
. to seek enactment and effective implementation by foreign countries 
of laws to protect and enforce intellectual property rights that 
supplement and strengthen the standards of the Agreement on Trade-
Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights.''
  In summary, the enactment of this Agricultural Appropriations bill 
does not affect or change U.S. trade law and policy, including our 
strong commitment established in law to the adequate and effective 
protection of intellectual property rights abroad.

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