Ed Markey: “I thank the Senator from Connecticut, and we intend on continuing this battle right through this entire confirmation…”

“I thank the Senator from Connecticut, and we intend on continuing this battle right through this entire confirmation process and beyond. Unless we stop it now, FDA is not going to stand for ``Food and Drug Administration,'' it is going to stand for ``fostering drug addiction.'' That is what it has been doing. It has to change the way it does business. It has to respond to this addiction and abuse crisis in our country. It has to be the cop on the beat. It has to understand its responsibility to not allow this flood of drugs to go into our society, and we have to begin the battle now. I urge all Members to vote no on this nomination. This is not directed personally at Dr. Califf but directed at an agency which has allowed this flood of drugs into our society without putting the proper protections in place. I now yield to the great Senator from West Virginia, who has dedicated his career as Governor and as Senator to leading on this issue. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Coats). The Senator from West Virginia.”