G. K. Butterfield: “First, let me thank Mr. Waxman for yielding time and thank him for his extraordinary leadership on our committee. Let me…”

“First, let me thank Mr. Waxman for yielding time and thank him for his extraordinary leadership on our committee. Let me also thank Mr. Latta and Mr. Matheson for working together to try to get this legislation to the floor today. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1919 and urge its passage. Since the Prescription Drug Marketing Act was signed into law some 25 years ago, a patchwork of varying State pedigree laws has evolved, leaving our drug supply chain very vulnerable. Resources should focus on up-to-date and adaptable technology using global serialization standards. In the past 25 years, industry stakeholders have been unable to agree on a uniform Federal solution, but today I'm happy to report that it does exist. The fact that so many members of the industry have finally come together to embrace new, commonsense regulations speaks to the importance of getting this done soon. If we fail to enact drug distribution safety legislation soon, my fear is, Mr. Speaker, that we will miss the opportunity to significantly enhance patient safety for all Americans. The House bill has improved since its introduction. And while I strongly support some of the provisions in the Senate companion bill, including a date certain to reach unit-level tracking, the House bill represents a good step forward and advances the ball toward one ultimate goal. Hopefully, some of these concerns can be addressed in conference.…”