[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19894]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              PHARMACEUTICAL MARKETING ACCESS ACT OF 2003

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. WALTER B. JONES

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 24, 2003

  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong 
support of H.R. 2427 to allow affordable prescription drugs to be sold 
in this country. American consumers continue to pay drug prices that 
are 30 to 300 percent more than in Europe and other industrialized 
nations and this is wrong.
  The citizens of the 3rd District of North Carolina are like the 
citizens across this nation--they are looking to the Congress for 
help--prescription drugs in this country must be more affordable.
  H.R. 2427 would allow individuals, pharmacists and wholesalers in 
America access to FDA approved drugs from FDA approved facilities in 
industrialized nations.
  Studies show that over 50 percent of our nation's current drug supply 
comes from FDA approved laboratories overseas; the only difference is 
that American consumers do not benefit from the lower prices available 
in these foreign countries.
  Those outside of Congress who are opposed to this bill have spent 
millions of dollars to keep American consumers from benefiting from 
H.R. 2427. In my opinion they have taken the low road in this debate.
  Mr. Speaker I will close by saying that the citizens of America have 
the right to have access to affordable prescription drugs. The costs of 
research and development by pharmaceutical companies should not be on 
the backs of American consumers.
  Like President Reagan said, ``markets are more powerful than 
armies.'' Allow for prescription drug importation and let the R&D costs 
be bourn by all the countries who are benefiting from these drugs.
  It is my sincere hope that we can pass this legislation.

                          ____________________