[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 82 (Wednesday, June 19, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H3674]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                DRUG FIRMS AMONG BIG DONORS AT GOP EVENT

  (Mr. DeFAZIO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, while the purported Republican benefit 
would total 16 percent of the first $4,500 of prescription drug costs, 
it would not reduce the outrageous and obscene charges of the 
pharmaceutical companies. Why? Because they are the sponsors of the big 
fundraiser tonight.
  Mr. Robert Ingram of GlaxoSmithKline, the chief operating officer, is 
the chief corporate fundraiser. His company has given one quarter of a 
million dollars to the Republicans, and they have delivered a bill that 
will do nothing to deal with the outrageous extortionist cost of 
prescription drugs in the United States of America.
  People will still be able to go to Canada and buy drugs manufactured 
in this country by their major contributors for half the cost, or 
Mexico for 40 percent of the cost, or Europe for a third of the cost. 
But, no, not here at home. Our seniors will be offered a Trojan horse 
benefit, 16 percent of the first $4,500 of their prescription drug 
cost. Boy, that is really going to help my seniors a lot.
  Do my Republican colleagues have no sense of shame, or is it just a 
sense of humor, to adjourn the House early to go to an event sponsored 
and paid for by the pharmaceutical companies while offering this phony 
Trojan horse benefit?

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