Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 56 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this concurrent resolution is to urge the President of the United States and Congress to repeal the ban against the government negotiating price reductions of prescription drugs.

The Hawaii Government Employees Association, Hawaii Alliance for Retired Americans, and Policy Advisory Board for Elder Affairs supported this concurrent resolution.

Your Committee finds that the prohibition against the federal government negotiating reduced prices for prescription drugs does not benefit taxpayers, and precludes the government from taking advantage of the purchasing power of millions of Medicare beneficiaries. Therefore, this measure exhorts the President and Congress to repeal the prohibition.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 56 and recommends its adoption.