Wenstrup releases draft legislation to secure domestic manufacturing of critical battlefield medicines, devices

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brad Wenstrup released a discussion draft of legislation to incentivize greater domestic manufacturing of critical battlefield medicines and devices in the U.S.
 
"Many of the name brand and generic medications millions of Americans rely on every day are being manufactured in China, or are sourced with materials from China. If you had told me when I was a surgeon serving in Iraq that the personal protective equipment I relied on to protect me, and the medications needed to serve our troops, had depended on China, I would have asked, 'How did we allow ourselves to get here as a country, especially our military?'" said Wenstrup. 

"This draft legislation would incentivize the domestic manufacturing of vital medical items critical to our health security and adds to the urgent conversation about how best to reduce our reliance on China."

This bill would:

• Lower the tax rate on the income from the domestic manufacturing and sales of essential drugs, biologics, medical devices, countermeasures, and active pharmaceutical ingredients.

• Provide an investment tax credit for new investments in advanced manufacturing equipment or machinery used in the U.S. to manufacture critical health products.

• Provide a credit for equipment needed to comply with EPA requirements, so that our manufacturers can meet high environmental standards while still remaining cost competitive with China.

These credits are only available for investments in producing essential medicines or devices, as defined by the FDA and DOD.