[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 96 (Wednesday, July 11, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1315]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 11, 2001

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, it is far past the time for us to address 
the intolerable discrimination in drug pricing and provide a 
comprehensive prescription drug benefit now. These drug re-importation 
amendments fail to address the real issue of the lack of affordable 
prescription drugs and in turn provide no real relief.
  Seniors should be able to buy American prescription drugs for the 
same price in Rochester as you can in Rio, in Mankato as you can in 
Mexico City, at their own pharmacies. We pass ``buy America'' 
legislation in this body all the time; yet here we are asking American 
Seniors to buy American alright, just not in America--go to Canada, or 
Mexico, or the Islands--just not at their local pharmacy.
  Congress should pass legislation now to prevent drug companies from 
discriminating against U.S. Seniors, allowing them to get their drugs 
at the same prices as their counterparts in other countries. I urge 
Congressional leaders to bring to the floor the Prescription Drug 
Fairness for Seniors Act (H.R. 1400), which I am a cosponsor of, to 
directly tackle the issue of price discrimination. It's time to stop 
the current price discrimination and provide a comprehensive 
prescription drug benefit for all Seniors. Not debate re-importation 
amendments that only provide band-aids and not real answers.

                          ____________________