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WASHINGTON - Gov. Jeb Bush met with U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials Wednesday to discuss Scripps Research Institute's arrival in Florida and how it can quickly get new drugs on the market.
The Florida Legislature approved a $369-million package to pay for the San Diego-based biotechnology giant's planned expansion to Palm Beach County.
"I just briefed them on what we're doing with Scripps and how I believe the underlying business strategy is for this facility to be engaged in the development of new medicines and drugs," Bush said after the closed meeting.
Once the products are developed, Bush said, he wants to know the best ways to get equipment, drugs and biologics on the market quickly so U.S. companies can stay competitive.
Bush also met with Social Security Administration officials in hopes of obtaining a waiver that will let developmentally disabled Floridians work and still receive Medicaid benefits.
"The most important thing is to create work opportunities so people can have the dignity of a job," Bush said.
But working puts their benefits at risk. "In order to receive the benefits you have to accept the income limitations. And that gets us in this vicious cycle - because you're working and over the income limitation you can't receive the benefits."
The Social Security Administration supported the idea, Bush said. "They have the same desire to get people to work, so it was a great meeting. I'm confident we'll get the waiver."
At a dinner Wednesday night for the Center for Education Reform, Bush touted his education plan, which uses the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test to grade schools, sets a standard for high school graduation and determines whether poor-scoring third-graders should be retained. He said rising test scores have disproved those who criticized the plan when he announced it four years ago.
"The catalyst of having accountability based at the school level has created a renaissance in our state," Bush said.
"In 1999 you should have seen the tire marks on my forehead when we implemented this plan. This world was going to come to an end in Florida because we implemented this plan, and the exact opposite has happened."