Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said he is introducing legislation designed to curtail drug manufacturing in China and other nations and bring it back to the United States.
Roy made his comments on television’s “Fox & Friends” during a Wednesday interview. He said as a result of the coronavirus, Americans are realizing the importance of U.S.-based production of medical supplies.
“China, I think something like 97 percent of our antibiotics come either directly from China or have significant materials that are coming through China," Roy said. "But, it's not just China by the way, right? India -- I think 40% of our generics come from India.”
He added: "We have got a piece of legislation we are introducing -- I think this week --- we're calling the 'Beat China Act,' but it will help us with all countries maintaining our ability to produce drugs here in the United States or at least in our territories and protectorates.”
He noted the U.S. used to manufacture drugs in Puerto Rico, but production stopped as a result of a tax change.
“And so, we have got legislation that would just simply fix that tax code so that you are treated equally in Puerto Rico as you are even in the domestic and continental United States," Roy said. "And, if we do that, we can bring back a lot of the pharmaceutical manufacturing that left Puerto Rico...and went offshore to China.
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., have also introduced a bill aimed at ending the U.S. being dependence on Chinese drugs.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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