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Hartzler Sponsors Bill To Lessen U.S. Military's Dependence On Chinese Medication

Fort Leonard Wood
Scott Harvey
/
KSMU

A Congresswoman from the Ozarks is working on a bill that would encourage the federal government to buy military medications from American drug manufacturers.

Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler sees it as a matter of national security.

Hartzler, who's sponsoring a bill along with Representative John Garamendi, says the U.S. military is too dependent on China for sustainable and quality medicine.

Garamendi said most general medications American service members take are supplied by Chinese companies, which makes the U.S. vulnerable. 

In a conference call with reporters this week, Hartzler said the bill has been brought into the spotlight with the recent outbreak of the novel strain of Coronavirus.

“China could win a war with our country without firing a shot, if they, unbeknownst to us, sent us tainted medicine to our soldiers and we would administer that or the vaccines,” Hartzler said.

Hartzler represents Missouri's fourth Congressional district, which includes Fort Leonard Wood and Whiteman Air Force Base.