Washington D.C. – Congressman Brad Wenstrup is calling for a renewed focus on domestic manufacturing of critical medical supplies for both civilian and military use. On Tuesday, he released a draft bill designed to incentivize companies to bring production back to the US, reducing reliance on foreign sources, particularly China.
“Many essential medications used by Americans rely on Chinese manufacturing or materials,” said Wenstrup, a former combat surgeon. “This dependence poses risks to our health security and national security. This bill aims to change that.”
The draft legislation outlines several steps to achieve this goal:
- Tax Breaks: Lowering the tax rate on income generated from domestic production and sales of essential drugs, medical devices, and key ingredients.
- Investment Incentives: Offering tax credits for investments in advanced manufacturing equipment used for domestic production of critical health products.
- Environmental Support: Providing credits to aid manufacturers in complying with environmental regulations, ensuring competitiveness with China while maintaining high standards.
These incentives are specifically targeted towards the production of items deemed “essential” by the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Defense.
“This is just the beginning of a crucial conversation,” Wenstrup emphasized. “Reducing our dependence on China for vital medical supplies is not just an economic issue, it’s a matter of national security and public health.”
The draft bill marks the latest effort in a growing discussion about strengthening domestic supply chains for critical goods. Whether it will gain traction among lawmakers remains to be seen, but it highlights the increasing concerns about foreign dependence in key sectors.
