Louise Slaughter: “Mr. Speaker, this House has sometimes risen to the occasion on matters of great national importance; the first Gulf War…”

“Mr. Speaker, this House has sometimes risen to the occasion on matters of great national importance; the first Gulf War, September 11, when we came together to bind the Nation's wounds and provide for the national security of the Nation. Unfortunately, this legislation does not rise to the occasion. It does not deliver an adequate prescription drug benefit or hold down the cost of drugs. What it does do is open the door to the privatization of Medicare. It turns it over to the HMOs, to the private insurance market which has dropped over half of the Medicare enrollees in my State of Connecticut over the last 4 years. And seniors have not forgotten. This bill does nothing to contain costs. It prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from even engaging in negotiations with the drug companies to lower prices. As a result, many seniors will pay more than they do now and their premiums will rise as the cost of drugs rises. Throughout my time in Congress, the single most common concern I have heard from seniors at the local stop-and-shops where I meet with them every weekend is how expensive their prescription drug bills are. Seniors know that they are being taken advantage of. They know they can get drugs cheaper in Canada and overseas.”