Frank Pallone: “Well, I am hoping, and I am trying not to be so cynical, but the gentleman does point out that there is a real…”

“Well, I am hoping, and I am trying not to be so cynical, but the gentleman does point out that there is a real possibility that the Republicans may not even allow us to bring up our proposal and have a vote on it. I hope that is not true. But the best thing, or one of the most important things about the Democratic proposal is that because we are putting this program under Medicare, now the Secretary who administers Medicare, the Health and Human Services Secretary, now will have these 30 or 40 million seniors that fall under Medicare. We have a mandate in the Democratic bill that he has to negotiate prices down, and he will have the power to do so because he has the 30 or 40 million seniors in Medicare that he now represents. I have no doubt that that will lead to a price reduction of maybe 30 percent because of his negotiating power. The Republicans have nothing like that in there. The only thing President Bush has talked about is the drug discount cards, which are essentially a farce because they are already available. The cards are available. I am not saying the cards are a farce, but for him to suggest that somehow the Federal Government would lend its name to it is meaningless. The cards are out there. You can buy them any day. Most seniors are aware of them. They do provide some discount, but the Federal Government is not doing anything. I guess the only thing President Bush is saying is just promote the cards, go out and buy one, which I think is meaningless.”