August 30, 2004

The Honorable Byron L. Dorgan

United States Senate

Washington, DC  20510

Dear Senator Dorgan:

The National Retiree Legislative Network, Inc. (NRLN) enthusiastically supports your efforts to make prescription drug medications more affordable.  We have some 2 million retiree advocates in the NRLN, who mostly live on fixed incomes, who need all the relief they can muster to help offset the unprecedented and unexpected costs of prescription drugs.

Retirees all over America have suffered and continue to suffer repeated “take aways” of benefits, including prescription drugs, that were promised and earned while actively employed.  Now in retirement they are being told that their former employers can no longer “afford” to continue paying for their necessary medications.  We consider the actions by these formally prestigious companies a national disgrace.  Imagine, referring to your retirees as “a legacy liability”.

Your legislation would allow U.S. licensed pharmacies, drug wholesalers and American consumers to take advantage of the global marketplace by importing safe, FDA-approved prescription drugs from Canada and Europe for lower prices.  American citizens shouldn’t have to travel to Canada to get affordable medicines, and your bill would allow them to stay at home by forcing a lowering of prescription drug prices here in the United States.

We commend you and the other cosponsors of S. 2328 for introducing this legislation and look forward to working with you to secure passage of this important legislation this year.

Respectfully,

A.J. (Jim) Norby