Frank Pallone

It's long past time for Congress to take decisive action to protect patients from the unreasonable and unacceptable practice of surprise billing.

We should instead focus on policy solutions that protect consumers.

We have all heard stories about patients being billed for hospital fees.

So in anaesthesia it's a little unique because it's time based.

Our charges are based on an aggregate cost of what it costs us to deliver service.

Enforcement now is the weakest it's been in 20 years.

I am worried about the fact that there seems to be, you know, industry communications in a way that's not made public.

I am worried that they are limiting science to disallow the Agency from looking at some of the best science available.

We are not going to stop climate change. But we need to know what we can do to slow it down.

More than ever our communities, families, and planet need a robust EPA that is fully committed to protecting human health and the environment.

Now, fortunately, Congress, on a bipartisan basis, has not accepted those cuts.

We have also seen the Trump administration propose extreme cuts, in my opinion, to the EPA's budget, which would eliminate key Agency programs.

The Trump administration has also moved to weaken successful automobile efficiency standards, a decision that 17 of the world's largest automakers just last week threatened to cut.

We have seen the Trump EPA roll back commonsense limits on pollution from power plants, attack protections which keep American families safe from mercury and other toxic pollution.

For nearly 70 years, television has been a unifying thread in American society.

So I introduced a bill that will hopefully close this gap for seniors who are falling through and it is called the BENES Act.

I am glad my colleague from New Jersey, Representative Mikie Sherrill, has taken a leadership role introducing the bill to reauthorize this vital program.

I appreciate that. And I would add too--I have to go to the next question---but, you know, a lot of these are very small, too, and I think when you talk about small Community Health Centers, which many are including in my district--it is…

I strongly believe that all these programs are very worthy of a long-term extension to bring stability to centers.

I'm committed to working with all of my colleagues to advance all of these important programs before the September 30th deadline.

I commend Representative Engel for his efforts to permanently eliminate these harmful cuts.

I'm grateful to my colleagues Representatives Clyburn and O'Halleran for their leadership in providing robust funding for both Community Health Centers and the National Health Service Corps.

A strong health workforce is the foundation of a strong health system.

It's critical that we come to bipartisan agreement on these bills because without Congressional action many of these programs will expire on September 30th.

I thank Representatives Matsui and Mullin for their work to extend and expand this important program.