AMAC Action Attends Hearing on Preventing Drug Shortages
AMAC Action attended a Congressional Energy and Commerce Committee hearing in Washington, DC on the prevention of drug shortages. We were hopeful that the Committee would examine Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs), which are the primary source of problems within the hospital supply chain. Unfortunately, many of the stakeholders present at the hearing were associated with GPOs or were unaware of the GPOs’ role in the market.
GPOs have become monopolistic middlemen that can disrupt a hospital supply chain. They are not transparent. Their contracting tactics and pricing arrangements can make it difficult for healthcare providers and regulatory agencies to predict and address potential shortages proactively.
AMAC Action will continue our work educating Members of Congress on the anti-competitive business practices of Group Purchasing Organizations and advocating for transparency for this supply chain.
To read the full account click here. To watch the hearing please click here.
Legislative and Policy Support
H.R. 5378 – Lower Costs, More Transparency Act
The House of Representatives has developed bipartisan legislation to increase the transparency of healthcare pricing by hospitals, insurance companies, laboratories, and surgical centers along with increasing oversight of pharmacy benefit managers that increase the price of prescription drugs. Click here to see AMAC Action’s letter of support.
AMAC & NAAV Request Expansion of National Defense Authorization Act for Atomic Veterans
AMAC and the National Association of Atomic Veterans strongly support legislation to help Atomic Veterans adversely impacted by their participation in radiation contaminated clean-ups. Click here to see our letter of support.
Chapter Meetings
In North Carolina’s 2nd congressional district, the director of the Wake County Election Integrity team discussed the upcoming election. Current economic events and how to plan for your economic future was the topic of discussion in KS-04. Pastor Rick Stevens, Co-Founder and Director of Florida Citizens Alliance, spoke to AMAC members in FL-19 on improving Florida’s K-12 education through legislative action and community involvement. In FL-08, a community ambassador for Florida Freedom Keepers talked about elections and vaccines for children. Finally, in the last frontier of Alaska, at the Anchorage meeting, Patrick Martin, Outreach Director of Alaska Right to Life, gave members an overview of AK Right to Life’s work towards the safety and health of Alaska’s children.
American Conservatism: Concise Guide to Conservatism by Russell Kirk
Chapter 10 – Conservatives and Education
Russell Kirk states, “The school is not merely a custodial institution, to keep young people in a tolerable captivity while their parents are busy elsewhere. It is not merely a place where young people are taught how to make money in years to come. It is not merely a means for indoctrinating young people in certain approved social attitudes. No, it is something much more important: it is an institution for imparting a sound intellectual and moral discipline to the rising generation.”
The intelligent conservative believes the best course of action is to preserve but when needed, reform.
Centralization of the education system is dangerous and among other things, results in, according to Kirk, a “deadening influence of uniformity.” The thinking conservative knows that intellectual vitality and innovation arises out of variety. He also knows that the best judge of their own educational needs and interests are the private citizens of a local community and state. A return to state and local control of education is the path forward.
Kirk concludes, “One of the works of conservative reform most urgently needed is a return to right reason, a restoration of honorable disciplines in education. And the first step in this reform must be a recognition of the enduring principle that education is intended for the elevation of the mind and conscience of the individual person. It is not intended to be a toy for radical doctrinaires to play with.”
Next week: Chapter 11 – Permanence and Change
Quote of the Week
“At the heart of the American experiment is the belief that no matter how ordinary we human beings may be, we are able to accomplish extraordinary deeds when we take responsibility for ourselves, our families, and our communities. How do we learn to take responsibility? One vital way is through the education we receive as children and young adults. Education enables us not only to gain knowledge but also to develop sound character, to discover our God-given talents, to lead honorable lives, to become truly good parents, neighbors, and citizens.”
– Malcolm S. Forbes, Jr., President & CEO, Forbes Inc.; Editor – in-Chief, Forbes magazine
Training Minds and Hearts: Principle-Centered Education Reform
Fight to save the America we love! If you’d like to become a volunteer AMAC Action Advocate, please contact us at (855) 809-6976 or [email protected].
Tell your representatives that we need to work to move the production of pharmaceuticals back to the United States. It is a huge threat to have almost all of our medications and medical needs produced in China. It may be lovely for the investors to make lots of money from Chinese companies, however, China is the number one enemy of the U.S.A. If it is seen as being in China’s best interest, they can shut down our access to everything from asperin to pennicillin in a heartbeat. It is in our best interest to be self-sufficient, and it would provide jobs for Americans.
Drugs AREN’T being used to HEAL people, they’re being USED to CONTROL people and I believe it’s INTENTIONAL by the Medical Profession in COMPLIANCE with the Federal Government!