[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 13]
[House]
[Page 18608]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



  PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES ARE AGAINST REIMPORTATION OF PRESCRIPTION 
                                 DRUGS

  (Ms. DeLAURO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, seniors face skyrocketing prices for their 
prescription drugs. Many choose between purchasing their medications 
and buying groceries. We need a prescription drug benefit through 
Medicare. It is a necessity that would bring dignity to our seniors' 
lives and we need to do this.
  In addition, the House needs to fight for lower prices. In July we 
passed an amendment to allow U.S. pharmacists to be able to purchase 
prescription drugs at the same low prices paid for in other countries, 
20, 30, sometimes 50 percent less for the same drug, and then pass the 
savings along to seniors.
  It is common sense. It will bring seniors relief from the crushing 
costs of prescription drugs. The pharmaceutical companies are waging an 
all-out campaign against reimportation. It is time we stood up for our 
seniors. It is time that the Republican leadership stop using empty 
rhetoric and protect our seniors' right to affordable prescription 
drugs. We should allow reimportation of prescription drugs, and we 
should do it now.

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