Jim Bunning: “I would like to explain my opposition to amendment No. 4548 to the fiscal year 2007 Homeland Security appropriations…”

“I would like to explain my opposition to amendment No. 4548 to the fiscal year 2007 Homeland Security appropriations bill. This amendment would prohibit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection from preventing an individual not in the business of importing prescription drugs from importing an FDA-approved prescription drug. I oppose allowing uninspected pharmaceuticals to be imported into the country. I understand some prescription drugs are expensive, and many Americans struggle to afford their medications. That is why Congress passed a bill in 2003 to create a prescription drug benefit in Medicare. The drug program has greatly reduced the amount seniors spend on prescription drugs. This Medicare prescription drug bill also includes several provisions aimed at reducing the cost of pharmaceuticals, specifically by getting generic drugs to the market faster. These are important changes aimed at reducing costs for everyone. I have concerns about the safety of bringing prescription drugs into the United States from other countries without meeting the safety criteria currently in law. Under the current system, Americans can feel secure when they purchase pharmaceuticals in this country. They know the pills they are taking are safe and effective and that they have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, which uses some of the highest approval standards in the world.…”