On the recordDecember 18, 2019
Madam President, Senator Wyden and I received a letter from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. Their letter endorsed our bipartisan Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act, which tries to respond to what we are hearing from our constituents about the public outrage over the big increases in prescription drugs. Now, it happens with Parkinson's disease that about 1 million Americans have it, and it seems like up to now there is no way to stop it or cure it, but thanks to modern medicine, the symptoms can be treated to help patients live a much better life. Ninety percent of all individuals diagnosed with Parkinson's disease are on Medicare. Our bill, the bill to reduce prescription drug prices, would help these seniors afford their medicine with a cap on out-of- pocket expenses. In other words, they would know at the beginning of the year that they only have to spend x number of dollars on drugs, no more. Of course, this brings me to what Congress should be doing. Congress needs to act, not only for those with Parkinson's disease, but for all Americans who need our help. I yield the floor. I suggest the absence of a quorum. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll. The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
