Marcy Kaptur: “here it is in Washington, nearly 10 o'clock at night and the Republican leadership of this institution does not even…”

“here it is in Washington, nearly 10 o'clock at night and the Republican leadership of this institution does not even have a prescription drug bill ready for us to read as homework tonight. They tell us that we are going to debate this tomorrow, maybe 2 hours at the most, one of the most important changes in our country's history in terms of health care for our seniors. They tell us maybe after midnight tonight we might be able to go up to the Rules Committee to offer our amendments and to have them considered. They will deny most of those amendments, but the interesting thing about going to the Rules Committee after midnight, no press is there. Nobody will know, in one of the most significant pieces of legislation that will be considered in this 21st century. So the American people will not know. The press will not know. I am here tonight to say I intend to offer an amendment before the Rules Committee that is likely to be rejected, but it is a very important amendment. This amendment says that whatever prescription drug plan is considered here tomorrow, under their very restrictive rules, should do exactly what we do in the Department of Veterans Affairs and exactly what we do at the Department of Defense and that is have negotiated pricing for the drugs that our seniors will buy. Why? You get the best price. Everybody knows when you buy in quantity, you get a cheaper price. It is a very simple concept.…”