Emerson Radio Address: a Million a Day Keeps Good Policy at Bay

Statement

EMERSON RADIO ADDRESS: A Million a Day Keeps Good Policy at Bay

"In the political debate that sweeps our country over the next year, public figures from every quarter will weigh in on the influence wielded by lobbyists in our nation's capital.

Some organizations that employ lobbyists are good ones and they have good reasons for doing so. Often, a representative of a service organization, university system, or local government has a darn good reason for coming to Congress on behalf of hundreds, maybe thousands, of a member of Congress' constituents. They make good use of their right to petition lawmakers on their members' behalf. Organizations that advocate for heath care and awareness, groups that bring Missourians to Congress to talk about farming and rural issues, and associations that represent the interests of small businesses to our federal government are just a few examples.

Other groups have different motives, however, and the worst offenders interfere in legislation - stopping laws or ideas that could be of tremendous benefit to people in Southern Missouri.

Pharmaceutical lobbyists for the name-brand prescription drug companies, for example, aren't even allowed in my Washington office. And new facts about the scale and scope of their activities in Washington ought to serve as a cautionary tale to every citizen who looks to Congress to help control the cost of prescription drugs, to improve access to generic medications, and to impose regulatory fairness on a system that too often benefits Goliaths while Davids everywhere must cut their pills in half.

This army of lobbyists are the spoonful of sugar, and their agenda - to protect their industry's profits - is the bitter-tasting medicine they offer.

New data shows that the trade group for the name-brand pharmaceutical industry spent 25 percent more on its lobbying efforts in 2007 than it did in 2006. Ready for the number? $22.7 million. Four drug-makers joined their trade group among the top 20 spenders on lobbying in 2007, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Together they represent one of, if not the, biggest industry influence in Washington. Still, the millions they spend on lobbying seem insignificant compared to the billions in profits these lobbyists are protecting for their clients.

Combined, pharmaceutical lobbying comprised about $167 million in 2007 - or $1million for every day the U.S. House of Representatives was in session last year.

It doesn't matter who occupies the seats of power in our federal government, the pressure falls on representatives and bureaucrats on both sides of the aisle.

Standing up against the 300-some prescription drug lobbyists working in Washington, there are a few principled members of Congress. We're working to open access to affordable medications in Canada to consumers in the U.S. market, we're trying to reform the approval process for generic drugs, and we're fighting to remove barriers to access that force Americans (especially senior citizens) to choose between their medicines and the other necessities of life. We must also keep working to make health care in rural areas more affordable by promoting Rural Health Centers, ensuring fair reimbursements for doctors who treat Medicare patients, and giving the medical community new tools to be sure the most cost-effective medications are prescribed to the patients who must pay for them out of pocket.

One thing I will submit to the army of pharmaceutical lobbyists as I press my agenda in Congress: Americans who rely on their expensive products are with me. We're making progress and we won't rest until the medicines we need are offered at prices we can afford."

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