I do not know if anybody else on the panel would be interested in doing this, but what about the idea of convening a teleconference call to just continue this conversation, because, between the three of you, you can help us make some real…

One of the things I heard from a couple of you today--I think we have heard from a couple of you today--is that there is still a need for CMS to conduct stronger outreach and education.

So we may want to think about realigning the incentives just a little bit.

we want to make sure that the improper payments that are being paid continue to be reduced.

Somebody needs to put on the hat of the taxpayers, because they have a stake in this as well.

One of the things they do for us is, about every other year they come up with something called a high-risk list.

we need to help figure out how we could, each of us, do our jobs a little bit better.

To put this in context, our budget deficit is down.

However, we simply have to do a better job in overseeing the Medicare Prescription Drug Program.

the President actually seems to be lined up behind it now, and my hope is that we can before the end of this fiscal year actually do that or do something very close to that.

We have to figure out how to save some money in this program.

What we have to do is to look for every bit of money that is just wasted.

if we are going to be serious on deficit reduction, it has to include Medicare, not in a thoughtless way, not in a way that savages older people or poor people, but in a way that actually saves some money.

I do believe further legislation may be needed to curb controlled substance abuse.

drug dealers in white lab jackets.

The biggest piece of our deficit... is health care costs.

I supported the Medicare Prescription Drug Program. I voted for it.

Star city of the South?

The government cannot just do it all. We have to be a partner, but they have to be a partner as well.

Don't we have that in Medicaid? Don't we have that in most States in Medicaid?

We do not have the money to be wasting, whether it is $31 million, $131 million, or $231 million.

I suggest the absence of a quorum. The assistant legislative clerk read as follows: The Senator from Louisiana [Mr. Vitter] proposes an amendment numbered 1507 to amendment No. 1183. The amendment is as follows: (Purpose: To ensure that…

if the Senator will yield, that was wonderful. I am sorry more of us weren't hear to hear those words. The Senator holds the seat once held for many, many year by Robert Byrd, who until maybe this month was the longest serving person in…

The fact is that West Virginia sort of separated itself from Virginia, and about 237 years ago this past Saturday, the State of Delaware gave Pennsylvania its independence. It is quite common to talk about what is Delaware and what is not…

I wish to say thank you to Senator Manchin, former Governor Manchin, for his willingness to let me slip ahead of him for a few minutes. He is going to talk about the birthday of the State in which both of us were born, West Virginia. I am…