INTRODUCTION OF THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG AFFORDABILITY ACT
Not linked on Ron Paul’s Congressional Website.
HON. RON PAUL
OF TEXAS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
2009 Ron Paul 3:1
Mr. PAUL. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce
the Prescription Drug Affordability Act.
This legislation ensures that millions of Americans,
including seniors, have access to affordable
pharmaceutical products. My bill makes
pharmaceuticals more affordable to seniors by
reducing their taxes. It also removes needless
government barriers to importing pharmaceuticals
and it protects Internet pharmacies,
which are making affordable prescription drugs
available to millions of Americans, from being
strangled by federal regulation.
2009 Ron Paul 3:2
The first provision of my legislation provides
seniors a tax credit equal to 80 percent of
their prescription drug costs. While Congress
did add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare
in 2003, many seniors still have difficulty affording
the prescription drugs they need in
order to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle.
One reason is because the new program
creates a “doughnut hole,” where seniors
lose coverage once their prescription expenses
reach a certain amount and must pay
for their prescriptions above a certain amount
out of their own pockets until their expenses
reach a level where Medicare coverage resumes.
This tax credit will help seniors cover
the expenses provided by the doughnut hole.
This bill will also help seniors obtain prescription
medicines that may not be covered by the
Medicare prescription drug program.
2009 Ron Paul 3:3
In addition to making prescription medications
more affordable for seniors, my bill lowers
the price for prescription medicines by reducing
barriers to the importation of FDA-approved
pharmaceuticals. Under my bill, anyone
wishing to import a drug simply submits
an application to the FDA, which then must
approve the drug unless the FDA finds the
drug is either not approved for use in the U.S.
or is adulterated or misbranded. This process
will make safe and affordable imported medicines
affordable to millions of Americans.
Madam Speaker, letting the free market work
is the best means of lowering the cost of prescription
drugs.
2009 Ron Paul 3:4
I need not remind my colleagues that many
senior citizens and other Americans impacted
by the high costs of prescription medicine
have demanded Congress reduce the barriers
which prevent American consumers from purchasing
imported pharmaceuticals. Congress
has responded to these demands by repeatedly
passing legislation liberalizing the rules
governing the importation of pharmaceuticals.
However, implementation of this provision has
been blocked by the federal bureaucracy. It is
time Congress stood up for the American consumer
and removed all unnecessary regulations
on importing pharmaceuticals.
2009 Ron Paul 3:5
The Prescription Drug Affordability Act also
protects consumers’ access to affordable medicine
by forbidding the Federal Government
from regulating any Internet sales of FDA-approved
pharmaceuticals by state-licensed
pharmacists.
2009 Ron Paul 3:6
As I am sure my colleagues are aware, the
Internet makes pharmaceuticals and other
products more affordable and accessible for
millions of Americans. However, the Federal
Government has threatened to destroy this option
by imposing unnecessary and unconstitutional
regulations on Web sites that sell pharmaceuticals.
Any federal regulations would inevitably
drive up prices of pharmaceuticals,
thus depriving many consumers of access to
affordable prescription medications.
2009 Ron Paul 3:7
In conclusion, Madam Speaker, I urge my
colleagues to make pharmaceuticals more affordable
and accessible by lowering taxes on
senior citizens, removing barriers to the importation
of pharmaceuticals and protecting legitimate
Internet pharmacies from needless regulation
by cosponsoring the Prescription Drug
Affordability Act.
