Cliff Stearns: “I am here to support the FDA reform bill, and to compliment the chairman and ranking member, and, of course, the…”

“I am here to support the FDA reform bill, and to compliment the chairman and ranking member, and, of course, the subcommittee chairman, the gentleman from Florida [Mr. Bilirakis], who is a colleague. But I am disappointed that this legislation lacks a provision preventing the FDA from going forward with its proposed plan to ban certain metered-dose inhalers. I have introduced legislation, and myself and other colleagues have worked hard to try and lobby the conference. We were not successful. The FDA is proposing to ban metered-dose inhalers containing chlorofluoro- carbons sooner than America agreed to in the Montreal Protocol. I am going to reach out to both sides to see if we can pass a standing piece of legislation, because CFC damage is there, it hurts the ozone layer, but, frankly, we need to phase it out and not move abruptly. The Federal Government allows the use of CFCs for bear repellant and wasp and hornet sprays, yet the FDA wants to take away medicines for metered-dose inhalers because they have CFCs. Are killing bugs and chasing away bears really more important than the health of our children? I do not think so. Next session, Mr. Speaker, let us keep the FDA from banning these inhalers until safe and effective alternatives are developed.”