[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 75 (Tuesday, May 7, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H3455]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICING

  (Ms. GARCIA of Texas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. GARCIA of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the serious 
threat that soaring costs of prescription drugs pose to the health and 
well-being of families.
  Americans spend more money on prescription drug prices per person 
than any other country in the world. The problem has grown so much that 
now Americans are paying more for out-of-pocket drugs every year than 
for hospital care. These inflated prices are sapping the strength of 
our economy and the health of our families.
  However, this is a challenge, Mr. Speaker, we can begin to tackle in 
this Congress this year. We can begin to fight this battle now by 
targeting abusive barriers to entry for cheaper generic drugs and 
taking steps to simplify pricing in our overly complicated system.
  That is why, last week, my colleagues and I on the Judiciary 
Committee voted to refer four bills for consideration that will give 
generic drug manufacturers greater access to our markets, increase 
competition, and save lives in the process.
  I call on all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support 
this bipartisan measure.

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