Frank Pallone

Seniors and individuals with disabilities rely on Medicare to access needed health services.

Medicare spending growth is down and is projected to continue to have slower growth than the overall economy for the next several years.

If we don't take the root problem that our payment system is causing us to have a growth in health care that does not equal value or outcomes, then we are not going to have a quick fix that increased flexibility.

Those dollars would be saved on the backs of the most vulnerable members of our communities.

Thank you. Dr. Woodcock, your testimony mentions the various court challenges that the compounding industry has brought over the years regarding FDA's authority over compounding pharmacies.

So this seems to me to be all that we as Members of Congress need to see to understand the dire need for clarifying the FDA's authorities here.

I am glad today's hearing is dedicated to data collection, because it underpins our ability to properly manage our Nation's fisheries.

At this time I'd like to yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Van Hollen), the ranking member of our Budget Committee.

I believe the other side has more time, and so at this time I reserve the balance of my time.

At this time I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Castor).

I now yield 3 minutes to our Democratic whip, Mr. Hoyer from Maryland. (Mr. HOYER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

I regret that the House Republicans felt the need to sway so far from the good work that so many Members have put into this issue throughout the last year.

The draft just doesn't reflect where we landed at the end of those discussions.

I have a lot of concerns with the Republican bill.

I just wanted to follow up on Mr. Pitts' question going down the line, a yes or no because I have other questions.

I am deeply concerned about preempting not only California's law but the other States' laws that clearly provide a benefit today.

I think that is the wrong policy.

I just can't say there is a phase I and hope for the best.

If we all agree that our goal should be an electronic interoperable unit-level system, we need to spell that out.

I think we do need to set requirements or it will never happen.

Dr. Woodcock, your written testimony lays out a disturbing series of cases illustrating the risk to our drug supply chain posed by counterfeit and stolen or diverted products.

I am hoping that we on a bipartisan basis, Mr. Chairman, can address that because I do think that is one thing where Democrats and Republicans can come together to avoid that cut.

I think it is highly unlikely that the House Republicans are going to give you this money for outreach that you are asking for, but again, they can't come back here and criticize if the outreach doesn't occur if they are not funding it.

It is a little crazy to come here and say we should repeal the ACA, we should defund the ACA.

The Republican leadership on the committee as well as in the House just rabidly attacks the ACA every day.