[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 169 (Thursday, November 20, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H11658]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  A RUBE GOLDBERG MEDICARE REFORM BILL

  (Mr. DeFAZIO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, the gentleman before me waxed eloquent 
about a $400 billion Rube Goldberg complete with subsidies for the 
pharmaceutical industry, the insurance industry and price fixing. It is 
going to guarantee that there will be no reduction in the extortionate 
price of prescription drugs. Americans will still continue to pay the 
highest prices in the developed world despite the fact that the drugs 
are manufactured here by American companies who often receive the 
benefit of taxpayer-funded research.
  We could provide a much more meaningful benefit for substantially 
less and that would be if we did two simple things: Negotiate lower 
prices like every other nation in the world has done, but this bill 
prohibits the government from negotiating lower prices on behalf of 
Americans or Medicare beneficiaries. And, secondly, we could just 
engage in free trade, allow the reimportation of U.S.-manufactured, 
FDA-approved drugs. That would substantially lower the price. Many 
American seniors have already resorted to that, but this bill will 
prohibit the reimportation of drugs but instead it will engage in 
subsidizing private insurance, subsidizing the pharmaceutical industry, 
price fixing and protectionism. They are violating every principle they 
say they believe in.

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