Frank Pallone

I think this draft is a good starting point. Obviously we still have a lot of work to do, but we have had a very good process so far, and I look forward to continuing to work with the chairman and Mr. Tonko.

I think these are all very important points, and I recognize that the draft is not as comprehensive as some past proposals, but I think it would move the ball forward on chemical regulation and improve current law.

I just hope that we can make changes to ensure that EPA has the resources as we move forward.

I would like to focus briefly on some of the things I think this draft gets right.

The testimony we hear today will be essential as we work to move this draft forward.

Improving the Federal Government's ability to identify and manage risks from the chemicals manufactured and processed in this country is critical.

This bill reflects robust bipartisan outreach, which I hope to continue in the coming weeks.

Chairman Shimkus' new discussion draft, the TSCA Modernization Act of 2015, is a thoughtful and innovative approach that has the potential to move chemical regulation forward.

We must work together - at the local, state, and federal levels - to expand effective prevention and treatment efforts for opioid abuse.

Prescription drug abuse is an epidemic in the United States. We see its effects throughout the country in all of our districts.

According to the CBO, the House Republican budget's cuts to SNAP would drive the poorest working families deeper into poverty and would increase hunger in our communities. The Republican budget would cut as many as 60 million people from…

In order to protect consumers, there has to be strong security and privacy protections built into these products.

Yet, along with these innovations come new vulnerabilities--vulnerabilities that we in Congress have a responsibility to protect consumers against.

The Internet of Things has great potential for growing the American economy and offering consumers new technology that will enrich their lives.

I believe that while we encourage innovation through these new technologies, we also have to be innovative in how we protect the consumer.

Today's hearing gives us an opportunity to look at a new and evolving technological development.

The auditing practices HRSA has undertaken over the past couple of years have gone a long way towards improving program integrity.

Congressional history states that the 340B Drug Pricing Program was created to help designated healthcare providers stretch scarce resources to provide more comprehensive care to more patients.

Proper oversight of 340B is of paramount importance.

Congress' intention when this program was created was to help covered entities expand their capacity to serve their patients.

The 340B Program has made the difference between patients getting access to life-saving healthcare services and drugs or going without.

I would like to thank the chairman for calling this hearing on the 340B Program.

In 1992, a bipartisan Congress established the 340B Program to expand access to affordable healthcare by limiting the cost of outpatient drugs.

I actually introduced today the Small Business Access to Spectrum Act to update the FCC's rules.

I just think this agency is too important to play these types of games with its funding.