[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 10 (Wednesday, January 17, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H419]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       REPEAL MEDICAL DEVICE TAX

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Utah 
(Mr. Curtis) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CURTIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the burdensome 
medical device tax. Originally passed as part of the Affordable Care 
Act, this ill-conceived tax places a 2.3 percent sales tax on 
manufacturers of medical devices.
  Although Congress successfully suspended the tax, it, unfortunately, 
went back into effect on January 1, 2018, and is beginning to derail 
much of the progress we have made to foster job growth and innovation.
  The medical device industry has a significant impact in my State's 
economy. It employs more than 4,000 individuals. Merit Medical Systems, 
Inc., a local Utah company, believes this tax could cost them over $7 
million, having a devastating impact on their ability to expand jobs 
and continue medical research.
  The current situation is a lose-lose for everybody. Not only does it 
increase medical healthcare costs, the tax is stifling job growth of 
our best medical technology innovators and slowing the cutting-edge 
research that leads to breakthroughs in patient care and treatment.
  Surely, we can do better for the American people. I call upon my 
colleagues to join me and, together again, repeal this tax once and for 
all.

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