Chairman Rick Scott participated in a White House roundtable with senior Trump administration officials and industry leaders to discuss strengthening U.S. drug manufacturing, supporting American jobs, and ensuring the safety of families, according to a statement released on Mar. 27.
The discussion focused on reducing America's reliance on foreign drug manufacturers in India and China, which Scott said is necessary for safeguarding the availability and safety of medicines for American patients while promoting domestic job creation.
Scott highlighted the Senate Special Committee on Aging’s efforts to improve transparency in the drug supply chain. He referenced his bipartisan investigative report and the CLEAR LABELS Act, which would require country-of-origin labeling for prescription medicines and their ingredients so Americans know where their drugs are produced. "Chairman Scott also shared the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging’s work to increase transparency and accountability across America’s drug and medical supply chain, including his bipartisan investigative report and CLEAR LABELS Act, which would require country-of-origin labeling for prescription medicines and their ingredients, ensuring Americans know exactly where the drugs in their medicine cabinets are produced," he said.
The Senate Aging Committee examines issues affecting older Americans such as Social Security, Medicare, long-term care, retirement security, conducts hearings, issues reports according to its official website. The committee also provides resources like a fraud hotline to protect older Americans from fraud and financial exploitation according to its official website. Oversight by this committee extends nationwide across all aging-related federal programs according to its official website.
Rick Scott serves as chair of the committee while Kirsten Gillibrand is ranking member according to its official website. The committee maintains offices in both Dirksen (majority) and Hart (minority) Senate Office Buildings according to its official website.
The oversight responsibilities include regular hearings about Medicare, Social Security programs as well as elder abuse prevention through policy recommendations according to its official website.
Scott's recent activities included sending letters regarding pharmaceutical supply chains for veterans’ care; introducing bipartisan legislation with Senator Gillibrand; pressing pharmacies about foreign-made drugs; releasing an investigative report exposing overreliance on foreign generic drugs; holding hearings aimed at restoring U.S.-based essential medicine manufacturing; asking federal agencies about oversight of imported pharmaceuticals; requesting answers from regulators about forced labor ties in Chinese manufacturing; among other actions.
