Norvell Emerson: “today we may be voting on a measure to open American markets to the reimportation of prescription drugs. I say we may be…”

“today we may be voting on a measure to open American markets to the reimportation of prescription drugs. I say we may be voting because, as a Member of this House, I have never seen an issue so important to me, to our colleagues, and to the American people treated so unfairly. Access to affordable prescription drugs is too important an issue to only be debated on the House Floor for 1 hour. Under the rule formulated for the debate on reimportation, the Speaker may pull this bill at any time. If that happens, Americans may remain under the thumb of the pharmaceutical industry for the foreseeable future. In America, breast cancer kills over 40,000 people, especially women, each year. Mr. Speaker, a bottle of Tamoxifen used to fight breast cancer costs $360 in the United States. It costs $60 in Germany. How long will American women who cannot afford Tamoxifen continue to subsidize those in Europe who can? And if the drug companies have their way in this debate, Mr. Speaker, the sorry status quo will persist. Lives will be shortened, lives will be lost. This is bad process, bad form, and a bad rule. Our seniors deserve better.”