Gilbert Gutknecht

I would like to calm things down for a minute. This Capitol is filled with great quotations on the walls, but in this great Chamber, this is only one quotation. It is right up here, and I would like to read it. It says, ``Let us develop…

First of all, I just want to make it clear to all Members the word ``appears'' is what is in the statute today. We are using exactly the same standard. If Members would like a copy, we certainly can get it to you. Ultimately, it comes…

I want to show a couple of charts, because we are going to have several debates. This amendment is somewhat broader than the one that I have drafted, but it really revolves around a couple of important points. One is the issue of price. I…

here is another chart that basically says we have to do something to bring our prices into line. Last year the average senior in the United States, well, seniors in the United States got a cost of living adjustment in Social Security of…

Ultimately, if we open up the markets and we allow American consumers to have access to prescription drugs at world market prices, I believe that this simple little amendment, once fully implemented, could save American consumers $30…

One can die. In fact, I had a friend who got salmonella. He was virtually blinded. He can still see, and I do not know what his vision level is, but he almost died, and he ended up with a severe loss of vision from salmonella. I did not…

No. It just says they cannot spend the money chasing law-abiding citizens. Go after the people who really are the problem. More importantly, I would love to see the FDA do a better job of policing the fruits and vegetables, and the pork…

None of the amounts made available in this act to the Food and Drug Administration may be used under Section 801 of the Food and Drug and Cosmetic Act to prevent an individual who is not in the business of importing prescription drugs…

No. We have made it clear to the FDA, as we did last year, you tell us what you need to do this job, and we will see that you get the funding. They asked for $23 million. We appropriated $23 million. Then after we had appropriated the $23…

No, it just simply says you cannot use the money to pursue law-abiding citizens who have a legal prescription.

And the FDA refused to use it, and that is why we need this amendment this year, is to clarify what we said last year, stop chasing law-abiding citizens with legal drugs and legal prescriptions. Let me just suggest this: I do not know how…

I think Members understand this issue, and it really is a choice between are you going to stand with your seniors who are having a difficult time affording their prescription drugs, or are you going to defend the FDA bureaucracy and the…

Absolutely. The counterfeit drugs that some of these people are talking, or adulterated drugs, first of all, I want to make it clear, my amendment does not make them legal. We are only talking about drugs that are otherwise legal in the…

The problem with the FDA is not that they do not have the power to inspect; it is that they spend all of their time chasing legal drugs and law-abiding citizens. They are focusing on the wrong end. Last year, for example, instead of…

There again, the FDA holds that, yes, we have that law. Now, last year in Congress we passed legislation by overwhelming votes, it was something like 376 to 25 here in the House, it was 90- some to 3, I think, in the Senate, essentially…

That is a correct statement based on all of the evidence and research that I have received from independent agencies. That is correct. In fact, we even have an independent study of Canada, where they do have price controls, but they are…

That is absolutely correct. As I say, these are not my numbers. This was an Independent Life Extension Foundation study done just recently between the United States and countries in the European Union. Let me point out, and the gentleman…

I do not support price controls. I think the best way to break the backs of price controls is to have open markets, because once the pharmaceutical industry and European countries realize that American consumers are going to be buying from…

I thought I would like to take a minute today to talk about what is happening to agriculture here in the United States and around the world. Because it is easy for some people to say the problem is the farm bill, the problem is freedom to…

I think if every American would think through the arguments about this, I would think every American would thank the President today. He did the right thing. He did the right thing for the environment. As was said earlier, this is not a…

We have not had a very coordinated energy policy in this country for the last 10 years. It really is time that we have one. According to the numbers we have from the United States Department of Energy, the U.S. imported more than 8.9…

It is a happy coincidence where good policy comes together, when we are talking about energy policy, we are talking about environmental policy, and ultimately also talking about what is good for American agriculture. All three of those…

Well, I thank my colleague, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Kennedy), because, as I say, very quickly the gentleman has picked up and made this one of his top issues. It is important to the gentleman's district. It is important to rural…

What most of our farmers want is not a bigger check from the Federal government. What they want is an opportunity and more markets so they can earn a decent living from the market itself. By opening up new markets like the ethanol market…

I think the gentleman said it exactly right. This is a person who says what he means, means what he says, and is doing exactly what he said he was going to do, on virtually every front, whether it was education policy, tax policy, the…