Steve Buyer: “I am coming to the floor deeply disappointed that the Rules Committee has denied two amendments that would have…”

“I am coming to the floor deeply disappointed that the Rules Committee has denied two amendments that would have protected veterans. We in the VA maintain a national formulary based on a system of deep discounts on prescription drugs through a system of price controls, and we maintain this national formulary. We're able to do that because we are able to purchase drugs at 76 percent of the non-Federal average manufacturing price. It is a price control. But what is happening? The onslaught of the Democrat majority against pharmaceutical manufacturers continues. They want now to extend the price controls, VA pricing, now into DOD. All I asked for was an amendment. The amendment would have asked for a certification from the Secretary of Defense to this Congress that their ambition to do this would not increase prices on our veterans. The more we extend these price controls, whether it goes into the DOD TRICARE pharmacy, they even want to extend it into Medicare. As you do that, we continue to cost shift. I am deeply disappointed that the Democrat majority would make this onslaught, not just against pharmaceutical manufacturers, but in the meantime they are going to smack veterans right in the face. It is very disappointing.”