Crenshaw Statement on Updated USMCA Deal
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Dan Crenshaw released the following video and statement addressing Democrats’ key provision in the updated USMCA deal: removing the 10-year patent protection for American-made specialty drugs.
To view the video, click here or on the above image.
Crenshaw also released the following statement:
“I have supported USMCA and still do after the recent deal. But there is something you need to know.
“For a year, American workers, consumers and companies have waited patiently as Democrats searched for reasons to oppose USMCA. Today we finally learned what they ‘needed’ to change about the deal. They removed a crucial provision that protected American ingenuity and as a result Americans will pay more for specialty drugs.
“Americans put a premium on protecting intellectual property. That’s why we give 12 years of protection to life-changing treatments and cures. It’s why the President negotiated a deal that rightly stopped our trading partners from freeloading off American innovation. This provision, included in the original version of USMCA, would ensure that Canada and Mexico wait ten years before copying our American-made drugs.
“But Democrats lobbied to remove that provision. They actually consider this a ‘win,’ despite the fact that there’s no benefit to Americans. Why is it bad for America? Because when Canada and Mexico are allowed to copy & manufacture our new drugs, they no longer have to buy from the American company that spent billions in research and development. This increases prices for Americans because companies still have to make up their costs.
“I’m disappointed that Democrats were so hell-bent on altering the President’s trade deal that they gave a great win to Canada and Mexico at the expense of Americans’ wallets. However, I continue to support the USMCA. This deal is too important to jeopardize. It will have an overall positive impact on TX-02, where trade with Mexico and Canada accounts for more than 30,000 jobs and billions of dollars in exports each year.”
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