Legislation would incentivize American-based pharmaceutical companies to increase production

Nearly 80 percent of pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities are outside of the United States.

The RAPID Reserve Act would incentivize American-based manufacturers to increase reserves of critical pharmaceutical ingredients to prepare for future public health threats and supply chain challenges.

U.S. Reps. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, Angie Craig of Minnesota and Jefferson Van Drew of New Jersey introduced the bipartisan legislation Friday to strengthen domestic medication supply chains and reduce the U.S.’s reliance on China for critical medications.

The U.S. Senate companion to the RAPID Reserve Act was introduced earlier this year by Sens. Gary Peters of Michigan, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Sherrod Brown of Ohio.

“Americans should not have to rely on foreign adversaries for key medications or pharmaceutical ingredients — especially when homegrown manufacturers operate across our Commonwealth and our country,” Spanberger said. “With drug shortages on the rise, the United States’ reliance on the Chinese Communist Party poses both national security and health threats — as we saw during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. This bipartisan legislation would address vulnerabilities in our supply chain to boost domestic production, improve Americans’ access to essential medications, and make sure that manufacturers can build and maintain reserves of critical medications and their key ingredients.”