On the recordMay 23, 2012
I will speak on the time available for the amendments. Amendment No. 2125 First of all, amendment No. 2125 will help ensure that health care providers, patients, and payers better understand the benefits and risks associated with drugs, especially with respect to those drugs by underrepresented subpopulations. I believe this is an important and noncontroversial amendment. I hope we can support this amendment. Amendment No. 2141 On the other amendment, No. 2141, which is the small business report, I think it is important FDA give small businesses a helping hand. I understand each FDA center has a small business office and that each of FDA's five regional offices has a small business representative. This report the FDA would have to submit on the basis of the amendment offered by Senator Cardin would provide Congress with more information about how FDA uses its resources for small businesses to help encourage small companies. Again, I think this is another valuable addition to our bill and, hopefully, we can support that amendment also. So I thank the Senator from Maryland for his offering these two amendments and for what I consider to be improvements to the underlying bill. I thank him very much for that. Mr. President, again, I would say to the Members who may be in their offices that we still have some extra time before we will be adjourning this evening. Again, I would advise Senators that by at least 2 p.m.…
