[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 19 (Wednesday, February 15, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H299]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             REIMPORTED PRESCRIPTION DRUGS BEING DESTROYED

  (Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring 
to everyone's attention that Customs and Border Protection has recently 
begun confiscating and destroying prescription drugs intercepted at the 
U.S.-Canadian border. Unfortunately, CBP is offering no recourse to 
appeal this action.
  While we all know that reimporting prescription drugs from Canada has 
not been legal in the United States for decades, this practice is not 
helping our seniors. However, if Border Patrol is suddenly going to 
enforce a law that many believed that government was no longer 
interested in enforcing, then they certainly should notify shippers and 
purchasers. Instead of simply confiscating and destroying these 
prescription drugs, they should include a warning in the first 
instance. The majority of the people purchasing these drugs are seniors 
on fixed incomes and likely do not have the money to repurchase them 
once they are destroyed.
  I urge Customs and Border Protection to at least warn customers when 
agents intercept these packages. A simple letter would save a lot of 
grief for many, many seniors who use this procedure and not just 
seniors but other Americans who choose to purchase their drugs from a 
Canadian connection.

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