Charles Rangel: “I would like to say that I wish that we had had more time to have gone into the details of this proposal, but I want to…”

“I would like to say that I wish that we had had more time to have gone into the details of this proposal, but I want to point out that we have an opportunity to allow the administration to decide how we can best reduce the price of drugs for all people and to give him the discretion to use every tool that we have in the Congress. Now, some people on the other side have indicated that this is price control and the free marketplace should work its will. It appears to me that common sense and judgment would say that the Secretary should have every available tool that he or she thinks is necessary in order to reach this common goal that we want to reach. Just saying that the power to negotiate prices, which you have to admit sounds like it makes good sense, would be restricted and prohibited by the person responsible for reaching the goal of lower prices makes no sense at all. If indeed some of the objections that have been raised by those who don't have the responsibility that the Secretary has, if they truly believe this is an impediment to reach that goal, then I think that all of us in the Congress have the responsibility to change the law and to do whatever is necessary in order to reach that goal. To say that someone is prohibited from participating in the reduction of that price, the price of the drugs when they can buy in quantity defies common sense and reason.”