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[Pages S4906-S4907]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS
The following petition or memorial was laid before the Senate and was
referred or ordered to lie on the table as indicated:
POM-117. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of
the State of Maine urging the President of the United States
and the United States Congress to enact legislation to allow
the importation of safe, affordable prescription medications
from Canada and other Organization for Economic Cooperation
and Development nations; to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions.
House Paper No. 1184
Whereas, Maine residents have a high median age and a low
median income and are especially vulnerable to high
prescription drug costs; and
Whereas, in Canada, within walking distance of Maine's
border, the same medications used by Maine residents,
manufactured by the same companies in the same factories, are
available for a fraction of the price charged in the United
States; and
Whereas, Maine has previously allowed the personal
importation of safe prescription medications, which saved
residents and businesses as much as half the cost of their
medications, significantly decreasing their health care and
insurance costs; and
Whereas, Maine's ability to import such medications has
since been blocked by federal law, thus inserting the Federal
Government between Maine people and potentially lifesaving
medications while also preventing free-market competition
from working to benefit consumers; and
Whereas, in 2014, Americans spent $1,112 per person on
prescription drugs while Canadians spent $772 and Danes spent
$325, and nearly one in three Americans have been unable to
afford the medicine they were prescribed at some point in
their lives; and
Whereas, multiple members of Congress from both major
political parties, including Maine's delegation, have
introduced legislation to allow wholesalers, pharmacies and
individuals to import qualifying prescription drugs from
licensed sellers in Canada and other member nations of the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, using
standards for the approval and sale of such medications
comparable to those in the United States, that are purchased
from an entity certified by the United States Food and Drug
Administration and that have the same active ingredient,
strength and route of administration as drugs approved in the
United States; and
[[Page S4907]]
Whereas, the President's health care proposal prior to his
election read as follows: ``Congress will need the courage to
step away from the special interests and do what is right for
Americans . . . Allowing consumers access to imported, safe
and dependable drugs from overseas will bring more options to
consumers''; Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That We, your Memorialists, on behalf of the
people we represent, take this opportunity to respectfully
request that the President of the United States and the
United States Congress enact legislation to allow the
importation of safe, affordable prescription medications from
Canada and other Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development nations; and be it further
Resolved, That suitable copies of this resolution, duly
authenticated by the Secretary of State, be transmitted to
the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President of the United
States; the President of the United States Senate; the
Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States;
and each Member of the Maine Congressional Delegation.
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