193
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.C.R. NO.            
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     HOUSE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION
  STRONGLY URGING THE PRESIDENT AND THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED
    STATES OF AMERICA TO LEAD THE NATION AND IMMEDIATELY
    ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF HIGH COST OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS FOR
    ALL AMERICANS.



 1        WHEREAS, medically necessary prescription drugs are
 2   unaffordable for many Americans, especially seniors, the
 3   disabled, and the uninsured; and
 4   
 5        WHEREAS, prescription drugs are a major factor in
 6   escalating health care cost inflation trends for private and
 7   public health insurance plans and state Medicaid programs; and
 8   
 9        WHEREAS, the United States virtually stands alone among
10   the major economies of the world in recognizing and protecting
11   the legitimate patent rights of companies that discover new
12   prescription drugs, but does not place any reciprocal
13   obligation on such companies to provide reasonable and
14   affordable access to those patented drugs; and
15   
16        WHEREAS, the Congress of the United States has enacted
17   legislation protecting its financial interests with respect to
18   prescription drug costs, such as through the Medicaid rebate
19   program and through the Federal Supply Schedule for the
20   veterans' health benefit plan; and
21   
22        WHEREAS, the Congress has refused to grant similar powers
23   to the states to allow them to protect their interests, and the
24   health and welfare interests of their citizens; and
25   
26        WHEREAS, while the states are aggressively pursuing
27   promising strategies to lower prescription drug costs, the
28   federal government can address the problem of high prescription
29   drug costs more easily than the states because of the multi-
30   state and international nature of the pharmaceutical industry,
31   and the complex marketplace for prescription drugs; and
32   
33        WHEREAS, the problem of high prescription drug costs is a
34   national problem calling for leadership at the national level;
35   and
36   

 
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                                  H.C.R. NO.            
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1        WHEREAS, the Vermont State Legislature has undertaken the
 2   effort to request each state legislature to adopt joint
 3   resolutions calling for federal leadership in addressing the
 4   problem of high prescription drug costs; and
 5   
 6        WHEREAS, the State of Vermont will represent all of the
 7   states and present the individually adopted resolutions to the
 8   President and Congress of the United States on July 4, 2000;
 9   now, therefore,
10   
11        BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
12   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
13   of 2000, the Senate concurring, that the President and Congress
14   of the United States of America are called upon to lead the
15   nation and immediately address the problem of high prescription
16   drug costs for all Americans; and
17   
18        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this Concurrent
19   Resolution be transmitted to the Hawaii Congressional
20   Delegation, the President of the Vermont State Senate, and the
21   Speaker of the Vermont State House of Representatives.
22 
23 
24 
25                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________