Fixing Global Freeloading Act
This bill establishes the position of Chief Pharmaceutical Negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. The Chief Pharmaceutical Negotiator must conduct trade negotiations and enforce trade agreements related to pharmaceutical products and services.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2209 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2209
To establish the position of Chief Pharmaceutical Negotiator in the
Office of the United States Trade Representative responsible for
conducting trade negotiations and enforcing trade agreements related to
acts, policies, and practices of foreign governments that fail to
appropriately reward United States innovation with respect to
pharmaceuticals, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 10, 2019
Mr. Meadows introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the position of Chief Pharmaceutical Negotiator in the
Office of the United States Trade Representative responsible for
conducting trade negotiations and enforcing trade agreements related to
acts, policies, and practices of foreign governments that fail to
appropriately reward United States innovation with respect to
pharmaceuticals, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Fixing Global Freeloading Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) International government price controls of
pharmaceutical products and services creates an unfair playing
field because the rest of the world relies on and benefits from
the biopharmaceutical innovation that takes place in the United
States, which supports 4.5 million jobs and amounts to $90
billion in research and development investment every year.
(2) The United States pays the cost of developing
innovative and life-saving prescription drugs while other
countries refuse to pay their fair share for their health care
needs.
(3) In fact, some of the United States trading partners are
ignoring obligations established under trade agreements and
setting up discriminatory rules to benefit local competitors
over United States companies.
(4) Between 2010 and 2011, 23 countries implemented 89
distinct measures to contain government spending on
prescription drugs. Most used their single-payer healthcare
systems to impose drug price controls alongside increased
copayments, value-added tax rates on prescription drugs, and
other measures.
(5) Studies have shown that government price controls
result in prices below actual market value and push the burden
of paying for innovative treatments on to United States
patients.
SEC. 3. CHIEF PHARMACEUTICAL NEGOTIATOR.
(a) In General.--Section 141 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C.
2171) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(2)--
(A) by striking ``and one Chief Innovation and
Intellectual Property Negotiator'' and inserting ``one
Chief Innovation and Intellectual Property Negotiator,
and one Chief Pharmaceutical Negotiator'';
(B) by striking ``or the Chief Innovation and
Intellectual Property Negotiator'' and inserting ``the
Chief Innovation and Intellectual Property Negotiator,
or the Chief Pharmaceutical Negotiator''; and
(C) by striking ``and the Chief Innovation and
Intellectual Property Negotiator'' and inserting ``the
Chief Innovation and Intellectual Property Negotiator,
and the Chief Pharmaceutical Negotiator''; and
(2) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the following
new paragraph:
``(7) The principal function of the Chief Pharmaceutical
Negotiator shall be to conduct trade negotiations and to
enforce trade agreements relating to United States
pharmaceutical products and services. The Chief Pharmaceutical
Negotiator shall be a vigorous advocate on behalf of United
States pharmaceutical interests. The Chief Pharmaceutical
Negotiator shall perform such other functions as the United
States Trade Representative may direct.''.
(b) Compensation.--Section 5314 of title 5, United States Code is
amended by striking ``Chief Innovation and Intellectual Property
Negotiator, Office of the United States Trade Representative.'' and
inserting the following:
``Chief Innovation and Intellectual Property Negotiator, Office of
the United States Trade Representative.
``Chief Pharmaceutical Negotiator, Office of the United States
Trade Representative.''.
(c) Report Required.--Not later than one year after the appointment
of the first Chief Pharmaceutical Negotiator pursuant to paragraph (2)
of section 141(b) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended by subsection
(a), and annually thereafter, the United States Trade Representative
shall submit to the Committee on Finance of the Senate and the
Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives a report
describing in detail--
(1) enforcement actions taken by the Trade Representative
during the one-year period preceding the submission of the
report to ensure the protection of United States pharmaceutical
products and services; and
(2) other actions taken by the Trade Representative to
advance United States pharmaceutical products and services.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.
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