Cord Byrd: “As lobbyists for the pharmaceutical and health industry swarm all corners of the Capitol, the Congress is on a mad dash…”

“As lobbyists for the pharmaceutical and health industry swarm all corners of the Capitol, the Congress is on a mad dash to pass this bill before Thanksgiving, regardless of its contents or its flaws, so long as it can be called prescription drug coverage. Unfortunately, when it comes to their health care security, it appears our Nation's senior citizens will find that they have little for which to be thankful. I have heard some Senators argue that something is better than nothing. Is that what we are being given? Something rather than nothing? Nothing? They try to rationalize a bad bill by claiming that this may be our last chance and you had better take it; something is better than nothing. They argue that we should vote for this now and fix the bill's problems down the road. I have been down that road. I have seen that and heard that many times in my 51 years in Congress. This conference report is a pill that is too bitter to swallow.”