WASHINGTON, D.C. –- (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, today released the following statement after the Energy and Commerce Committee voted to advance H.R. 2430, the FDA Reauthorization Act (FDARA) of 2017, by a 54 to 0 vote. H.R. 2430 updates and reauthorizes the FDA user-fee programs for prescription drugs, medical devices, generic drugs, and biosimilar biological products. Additionally, the committee approved 11 energy infrastructure and efficiency bills.
“Here in Southwest Michigan we have thousands of jobs that are affected by this legislation – whether on the device side at Stryker, the generics side at Perrigo, the manufacturing side at Pfizer, or the dozens of smaller biotech and manufacturing firms in our communities. Passing this legislation is vital to these good-paying, local jobs as well as to patients who will benefit from the new therapies it helps get to market. Without swift enactment, the FDA will be forced next month to start laying off up to 70 percent of their employees that approve drugs and devices. Now that our groundbreaking, bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act is law, reauthorizing these FDA user-fee programs is an important next step to ensuring these jobs stay here in Michigan and patients across the country benefit from improved, life-saving therapies.
“The 11 bipartisan energy bills we voted to advance today will significantly improve our infrastructure and grow our economy. I look forward to building on this momentum as we work to find other areas of bipartisan agreement to create jobs, rehabilitate our nation’s aging drinking-water systems, expand generation of renewable electricity from hydropower, and modernize our energy grid.”
To learn more about H.R. 2430, please click here.
Contact:
Lynn Turner/Tom Wilbur (202-225-3761/269-385-0039) |
