Karen Thurman: “I do just want to say, we had a hearing in the Committee on Ways and Means on prescription drugs, and I will tell you if…”

“I do just want to say, we had a hearing in the Committee on Ways and Means on prescription drugs, and I will tell you if people are watching this tonight, maybe they will turn on C-SPAN when this hearing is replayed, because it gave us some very interesting new information or at least information that has been around that was kind of reiterated. I think one of the big issues that I heard today is just on the whole issue of the R&D and what is happening. One of the things that they pointed out, if I can find it here, was something done by Merrill Lynch who actually said that, and under your bill, basically said the toughest proposal on the table in Washington, because it is the best benefit, because it gives seniors about a 40 percent break in their costs, said assumed would provide a 40 percent price break for all Medicare beneficiaries, would reduce drug industry sales revenue by 3.3 percent, because of the volume prices. I think what the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) will tell you, if he will just give me some time back and forth, I will yield, you are going to hear why from our constituents. These are such compelling stories. This is not a partisan debate.”