Orrin Hatch: “I would feel much more confident in the distinguished Senator from Arkansas's comments if he were willing to turn back…”

“I would feel much more confident in the distinguished Senator from Arkansas's comments if he were willing to turn back all of the GATT blessings that Arkansas received. I have a list here which gives some of the examples of extensions made under GATT and the number of days. Here are 25 Arkansas companies which received extensions, one of which had its patent extended as by 713 days, another by 667 days, another by 665. The Jacuzzi Brothers had a patent extended by 218 days. None of their competitors has come to us and complained that they are being cheated. I might ask why we aren't suggesting that all those companies give back the extensions they received? Because there were winners and losers in the GATT. Unfortunately, the distinguished Senator from Arkansas does not happen to agree with some of the winners. Mr. President, what you have heard this afternoon from our colleague, Senator Pryor, admittedly is a compelling populist argument that will have a great deal of surface appeal to some people. Who among us would not want to lower the price of drugs used by the elderly? Who would not want to correct a mistake? Who would not want to level the playing field to promote fairness between two very important segments of a very important industry? Unfortunately, none of these arguments are accurate. All of them are built on a foundation of sand.”