Rep. Bill Posey Calls on HHS Secretary to Grow National Stockpile of Important Pharmaceuticals

By  //  August 1, 2021

U.S. Representative Bill Posey (R-Rockledge) and U.S. Representative David Trone (D-MD) led a letter, along with several of their House colleagues, calling on HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra to leverage domestic manufacturing capabilities and new technologies to protect American patients and stave off over-dependence on China and other foreign powers for important pharmaceuticals.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Last week, U.S. Representative Bill Posey (R-Rockledge) and U.S. Representative David Trone (D-MD) led a letter, along with several of their House colleagues, calling on HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra to leverage domestic manufacturing capabilities and new technologies to protect American patients and stave off over-dependence on China and other foreign powers for important pharmaceuticals.

This effort is the latest in a series of initiatives lead by Rep. Posey to reduce our reliance on China for critical goods and products, including his bipartisan Critical Supply Chain Commission Act introduced earlier this year with Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH), which establishes a nonpartisan commission to study, identify, and help Congress mitigate supply chain vulnerabilities presented by foreign dependencies.

“The coronavirus pandemic exposed serious vulnerabilities in our critical supply chain of lifesaving medications,” said Rep. Bill Posey. “With a majority of key pharmaceuticals imported to the United Sates from China, a supply disruption of any origin, whether by design or mistake, could put American patients in danger.”

“All Americans are at risk when our country is dependent on foreign powers to produce lifesaving drugs and pharmaceutical ingredients,” said Rep. David Trone. “We must ensure that everyday Americans can access essential medication, especially during a global health crisis.”

“We simply cannot outsource our public safety and national security to foreign nations. We must reconstitute our healthcare and public safety supply chain back to the United States,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “Medical products, protective equipment, pharmaceuticals, emergency response equipment, and all other critical items and materials needed to respond to a national emergency must be produced domestically for domestic consumption, especially during a critical, time-sensitive crisis.”

“This is about U.S. national security and the health and safety of our citizens, and we must take serious steps to ramp up American production, grow the national stockpile and put Americans first,” said Rep. Posey.