John Bel Edwards: “Let me address why I respectfully disagree with the gentleman and why I think it is true. I am the ranking member, as…”

“Let me address why I respectfully disagree with the gentleman and why I think it is true. I am the ranking member, as the gentleman knows, of the Military Quality of Life and Veterans' Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee in the House. Because of the budget limitations and the cost of Department of Defense and TRICARE programs this year, the House passed a bill that cuts about $730 million out of the President's request for DOD and TRICARE health care programs. We have to make up that hole somehow. By saving $250 million this year through this motion, if the House and Senate conferees agree to it, we help plug a large part of that huge hole. If we don't plug that hole, we are going to have to cut health care services for military retirees and possibly, I hope we would not, but possibly even active duty service men and women. So this does help the military retirees. It helps us maintain the present level of health care services under TRICARE and gives them access to their local pharmacist, which many military retirees prefer. They trust their local pharmacist. They would prefer to go to that person and get advice and buy the discounted drugs under TRICARE. It helps us have a chance to get rid of the 100 percent increase in copays for military retirees. I think this motion, if adopted into the bill, would help military retirees very significantly. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.”