Mark DeSaulnier

In fact, the cancer drug that keeps me alive, which I take for my chronic lymphocytic leukemia that is chronic, but is treatable--thank goodness--costs $500 a day.

Robert from my district reached out to my office just recently when the monthly cost of his HIV medication that keeps him alive went from $130 to $960 a month.

We are here today to discuss the cost of prescription medication and how lowering drug prices would support workers and strengthen the American economy.

I'm grateful obviously, for this drug, but I wonder why in Australia the same diagnosis provides the exact same prescription drug for less than $30 a month.

The first step is enforcing the laws we have already passed. We should all be able to agree that this is a step worth taking to ensure that all Americans have access to the care that they need, and we all benefit from.

One of our basic responsibilities as elected officials is to care for the well-being of our constituents, and that means providing--means ensuring people have sufficient access to affordable behavioral and mental health care.

I have been working on an energy transition initiative to ensure America's fossil fuel workforce is not left behind.

California needs high-speed rail, but it has got to be done in a way that it invests in the corridors where we need it most.

We need a world-class passenger rail system that is fueled from well to wheel by alternative and renewable fuels.

So getting those good jobs to follow this energy source and infrastructure is important.

The California waiver is so important to the transportation sector if we are going to transition.

I served on the California Air Resources Board for a decade. I was appointed by two Republican Governors and a Democratic Governor.

I will tell you, this is the most coherent testimony I have ever heard from a graduate of Harvard or at least that I could comprehend.

We actually in this moment need clear structural and institutional changes to make sure that we can build a more equitable and fair economy.

The only way for us to fix this is to acknowledge that, and then pursue policies that other countries have that put them at a competitive advantage over us.

We are really far behind. In fact, when we think about our care policies, the U.S. spends less than one percent of its GDP on family and care policies.

I really appreciate it and look forward to continuing the conversation. I do want to mention legislation that was passed last session that was spearheaded by our former chair Elijah Cummings to help facilitate with the coordination.

I think it is really great and I want to thank the panelists, too, that we are having this discussion.

I hope the people in the Department of Justice and at the state level continue to pursue justice.

There's too much damage that's happened, and justice has to be met.

For all the damage that has been done, it's even bigger than this issue. It's--part of what's wrong with this country is that people think that they can ask for forgiveness but not ask for permission and not think about the consequences of…

It's supposed to relieve pain, and it does, but it's also been abused. And the marketing has been at the crux of this.

As bad as this has been--and I would like to remind people that Purdue Pharma is a privately held company, owned by the Sackler family, largely created by the Sackler family, through multiple generations.

There are a lot of Americans in this country who are in jail right now, most of them people of color.

It's been said in the Bible, in Luke, that to those who much is given, much is required.