Enhancing Domestic Drug Manufacturing Competitiveness Act

# Enhancing Domestic Drug Manufacturing Competitiveness Act (HR 1405) **What it would do:** This bill directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO)—Congress's independent watchdog agency—to investigate what regulatory rules are making it harder for pharmaceutical companies to build or expand drug manufacturing facilities in the United States. The GAO would study environmental regulations, permitting processes, and other rules that might be slowing down or increasing costs for these facilities, and would compare U.S. regulations to those in other countries.

The agency would then recommend ways to streamline these rules without eliminating safety protections. **Who it affects:** The bill primarily affects pharmaceutical manufacturers considering where to locate production facilities, as well as federal regulatory agencies that oversee drug manufacturing. Consumers could be indirectly affected if the changes lead to more domestic drug production or lower costs, though the bill itself is just a study—not a direct policy change. **Key provisions:** The GAO must assess how environmental and other regulations delay construction, examine whether regulations threaten the resilience of U.S. drug supply chains, and provide specific recommendations for regulators to remove identified barriers. **Current status:** The bill is currently in committee and has not been voted on by the full House of Representatives.