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Cathy McMorris Rodgers is continuing her work on Middle East affairs after leaving Capitol Hill.
The former congresswoman recently spoke with Fox News Digital about her decision to join the U.S. Israel Education Association (USIEA) as a senior fellow to help cultivate the group’s leadership in the pharmaceutical space.
“I’m really excited to be helping advise the U.S. Israel Education Association, both as a former member of Congress, but also someone who is very supportive and believes that the U.S.-Israel relationship must be a priority,” Rodgers told Fox News Digital. “I’m advising them specifically on an initiative around friendshoring pharmaceutical supply chains into the Abraham Accord region.”
As co-founder of the Abraham Accords Caucus, Rodgers is familiar with the complex relationships the first Trump administration was able to form in the Middle East, bringing Israel and Arab nations closer together.
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Then-Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., speaks during a House Subcommittee on Energy, Climate and Grid Security hearing in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024. (Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“I understand how vulnerable we have become because our pharmaceutical supply chain, so many of them are controlled by China. So, this initiative aligns with some of the priorities that I had while I was serving in Congress,” Rodgers added.
The Trump administration has made bringing manufacturing back to the U.S. a top priority. However, when domestic production is not possible, friendshoring could be the solution, relying on close relationships to get critical supplies.
When it comes to pharmaceuticals, China dominates the current market, particularly when it comes to the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and generic drugs, Rodgers said. In July, the Brookings Institution released a report in which it estimated that Chinese APIs were included in approximately one-quarter of drug volume sold in the U.S.
Donald Trump says 600,000 Chinese students could be allowed into the U.S. to study at its colleges pending a potential trade agreement with China. (Fox News)
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“We see because of President Trump’s tariffs against China, many pharmaceutical companies are onshoring. So, they’re bringing back manufacturing to America. However, with the generics, which are 92% of the prescriptions in our nation, as well as the raw materials, the business reality is extremely difficult because of the cost of operation in the United States driven by regulations and labor costs. So, a region like the Abraham Accords, where Israel, UAE [United Arab Emirates], Bahrain and others, we could both source the raw material and these countries are investing a lot in research and in development and in manufacturing,” Rodgers said.
The former congresswoman emphasized the importance of the Abraham Accords and diplomatic initiatives started under President Donald Trump in 2020. She said that the initiative has succeeded in creating “government-to-government” ties, and now the USIEA is looking to expand on economic relationships between Abraham Accords nations.
Rodgers did not seem concerned about instability in the region impacting pharmaceutical supplies. She told Fox News Digital that other Abraham Accords Nations are interested in working with the U.S. on this initiative.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Donald Trump, Foreign Affairs Minister of Bahrain Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani and Foreign Affairs Minister of the United Arab Emirates Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan wave from the Truman Balcony of the White House on Sept. 15, 2020. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
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“They want to diversify from what historically has been more energy, oil dominated,” Rodgers said. “It’s an idea whose time has come, I believe and it would. Serve both the purpose of ensuring our national security and preventing our dependence on foreign adversarial nations like China for these supply chains, but also building upon the Abraham Accords countries and the important relationship there.”
While she is no longer on Capitol Hill, Rodgers believes her former colleagues have a significant role to play in the initiative. She said that a top priority is getting an FDA office established in the region, something she hopes will get done this year.