WASHINGTON — The Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA) today applauded two critical pieces of legislation reintroduced by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) that seek to combat U.S. dependence on foreign pharmaceutical supply chains and boost domestic U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturing. CPA has long called for restoring domestic capability to manufacture essential generic drugs, personal protective equipment (PPE), and other critical health care products necessary for the country’s public health and survival.
The Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Defense and Enhancement Act, cosponsored by Senator Tina Smith (D-MN), would reinvigorate U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity and end the nation’s reliance on foreign countries for critical drugs used by millions of Americans. The U.S. Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Review Act, a second bill reintroduced by Warren and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), requires the federal government to conduct a study on the United States’ overreliance on foreign countries and the impact of foreign direct investment on the U.S. pharmaceutical industry.
“On behalf of CPA and our members — including our domestic pharmaceutical manufacturers — we thank Senators Warren, Rubio, and Smith for introducing these two critical pieces of legislation,” said Michael Stumo, CEO of CPA. “America’s dependence on foreign medical supply chains poses a severe risk to U.S. economic and national security — especially in times of a medical crisis. We urge Congress and the Biden administration to support these two bills as they continue to take steps to reshore critical industries and supply chains.”
Last year, CPA released a report that found reshoring U.S. pharmaceutical production could create 800,000 U.S. jobs and add $200 billion to gross domestic product. An additional CPA report found that reshoring U.S. medical supply chain production could create 302,000 U.S. jobs and add $54 billion to gross domestic product.
“The COVID-19 pandemic revealed serious vulnerabilities in U.S. supply chains and made clear that we must combat America’s dependence on foreign nations for essential generic drugs, antibiotics, vaccines, PPE, and other critical health care products,” said Rosemary Gibson, author of China Rx and Chairwoman of the CPA Healthcare Committee. “These two pieces of legislation are the exact kinds of policies we need from Washington to address this serious vulnerability and reshore essential medicine production.”
Last year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a massive list of essential medicines and critical inputs in response to an Executive Order from former President Trump that sought to ensure essential medicines, medical countermeasures, and critical inputs are made in the United States.
Media Contact:
Nick Iacovella, Communications Director
nick@prosperousamerica.org
(202) 688-5145 ext. 0
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