David Thomas: “Our bill provides that competition in negotiation, and the only thing I am really pleased about with Governor George W.…”

“Our bill provides that competition in negotiation, and the only thing I am really pleased about with Governor George W. Bush's plan is he gets it, he understands the need for that competition in negotiation to provide a better product, flexibility and choice, but ultimately at a cheaper price. My only hope is that as we continue this very important debate, my druthers would be that we do not debate, we show action. We took that action in our hands, we passed a bill off the floor of the House, we would like to deal with legislation moving forward, but if it is apparently the way that the Democrats have chosen to be rhetoric, to talk about the needs, then I think, at the very minimum, what we would hope is that the Vice President, the Democrats' nominee for President, would not play fast and loose with the facts that, in fact, the debate be a truthful one. This is a serious matter. It is not just partisan rhetoric. It is whether or not a senior gets the kind of lifesaving drugs they deserve at a price they can afford. The bipartisan Republican plan that passed the House does that. We do not want rhetoric. We do not want debate. We want action. We have taken action. It is now up to the President and others.”