image description

image description

For immediate release: September 12, 2025

Contact: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])


** E&C Subcommittee Chair Griffith Reflects on State of American Politics, Nation’s Health Care
------------------------------------------------------------


** “It doesn't matter whether you're on the right or the left, trying to stop free discourse of ideas in the United States – it's just plain wrong, particularly when you use violence to do so.”
------------------------------------------------------------

WASHINGTON, DC – Twenty four years after 9/11 and less than 24 hours after the political assassination of conservative media personality and author Charlie Kirk, The Ripon Society hosted a breakfast discussion with U.S. House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee Chairman Morgan Griffith ([link removed]) (VA-09), who shared his thoughts on the state of American politics as well as our nation’s health care.

“America is based on ideals, and the very core ideal is that there are certain unalienable rights granted by the Almighty,” Chairman Griffith stated solemnly in his opening remarks. “That ideal, whether it be from the left or the right, whether it be foreign or domestic, is constantly under attack. We saw that on 9/11 from foreign terrorists. We saw that yesterday from an unknown terrorist in the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

“It doesn't matter whether you're on the right or the left, trying to stop free discourse of ideas in the United States – it's just plain wrong, particularly when you use violence to do so.”

Griffith – who was appointed ([link removed]) to the Chairmanship in July – then discussed his Subcommittee priorities.

“Drug shortages and domestic manufacturing – I don't think there's any question, we have to bring back manufacturing, particularly of medicines and the active pharmaceutical ingredients in those medicines, we have to bring them back to the United States.”

“The reason I believe that,” he continued, “is that if we have the capability of doing it, then should the Chinese and/or the Indians decide to close this off – and they're the biggest producers of that – because of some kind of international dispute, we have the capability very quickly of ramping up because we have somebody here that's already making that active pharmaceutical ingredient.

“Should we find ourselves in some kind of a cold war or hot war, or just a trade dispute, we need to be prepared to ramp up American production of whatever it is we're going to need, and basic medical supplies is and ought to be at the top of the list.”

Griffith then shared that he represents a hot spot for ALS and urged the FDA to authorize more treatments for diseases without cures.

“I do think the FDA has done a fabulous job. I do believe, and this is one that I do feel strongly about, that they have operated under the shadow of the thalidomide ([link removed]) problem, which was legitimate. And they changed everything, as they should have. But today we're looking at so many rare diseases where we might have possibilities, and there isn't any real cure or there isn't any real treatment out there.”

“If we're going to meet the gold standard that was put in place because of the nausea medicine, we're never going to get these problems solved.”

Griffith then discussed the behemoth agency charged with conducting and supporting publicly-funded medical research – the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

“We have to have a few reforms. I believe when you have large agencies that go without aggressive oversight for long periods of time, and they don't examine themselves closely, that things will happen, and it's our job as Members of Congress to try to solve it.”

Griffith – who represents a very rural part of the Commonwealth of Virginia – also discussed the issues facing rural pharmacies including PBMs.

“I’ve got pharmacies in rural areas dropping like flies. Part of it is because of what PBMs are doing, but PBMs have a place, they have a role. I want more information from PBMs. I want them to be more transparent about when the medicine comes in and when the medicine goes out and what the various discounts are for different insurance companies.”

To view the remarks of Chairman Griffith before The Ripon Society Thursday morning, please click the link below:
[link removed]

The Ripon Society is a public policy organization that was founded in 1962 and takes its name from the town where the Republican Party was born in 1854 –Ripon, Wisconsin. One of the main goals of The Ripon Society is to promote the ideas and principles that have made America great and contributed to the GOP’s success. These ideas include keeping our nation secure, keeping taxes low and having a federal government that is smaller, smarter and more accountable to the people.

For more information on The Ripon Society, please visit www.riponsociety.org ([link removed]) .

–###–
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]

The Ripon Society is a non-profit corporation organized under the laws of the District of Columbia. It is exempt from federal income taxation pursuant to section 501 (c) (4) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Ripon Society does not make contributions or expenditures to influence elections. In addition, The Ripon Society does not engage in other election activities, including voter registration, voter identification, get-out-the-vote activity, or generic campaign activity, collectively referred to as "federal election activity" in the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002. Donations from corporations, organizations or individuals are accepted.

View email in browser ([link removed])
The Ripon Society . 1155 15th St NW Ste 550 . Washington, DC xxxxxx-2713 . USA
update your preferences ([link removed]) or unsubscribe ([link removed])