Richard Burr: “I thank Chairman Enzi and Ranking Member Kennedy for an incredible amount of work, not just within our committee but in…”

“I thank Chairman Enzi and Ranking Member Kennedy for an incredible amount of work, not just within our committee but in a bicameral way with the House. Seldom do we get the opportunity to come to the floor of the Senate fully knowing that the House is on board to every word that is in a bill, which means even with the 2 days that the chairman has suggested we have before this bill adversely affects thousands in this country, we could actually have it on the President's desk and signed. But we are tonight, at almost 9 o'clock, with four Senators on the floor, finding absent the Senators who object to us bringing up this bill. Why would they object? Senator Dayton said because they owe it to their States to get as much money as they possibly can and to not be equitable under a distribution formula. I tell you that could be the reason. But I think the reason they are not here is because their position is indefensible; to allow us to bring this bill to the floor one would challenge them on why they take the position that they do. Their position is indefensible because this formula is run on numbers. It is very simple. The chairman stated it to the Senator from Minnesota very clearly. For every patient you have you get dollars to make sure that you provide the services and the pharmaceuticals that are needed. If you don't have the people, if you don't have the infected patients, you should not get the money. What is the fear?…”