Bob Casey

I'm really honored to be part of this hearing. I'm really grateful. This is a rare privilege for a senator to appear at a House hearing.

I introduced the ABLE Act to provide people with disabilities the opportunity to build wealth without risking the loss of their Federal disability benefits.

Our State Treasurer, Stacey Garrity and her team have work to promote ABLE accounts all over the State.

I introduced a bill, the ABLE Age Adjustment Act. It is Senate Bill 331, and this bill would increase the age of eligibility to own an ABLE account to age 46 instead of 26.

We would not ask someone using a wheelchair to walk up the courthouse steps, but in a real sense we are doing something similar when we ask people with disabilities to use Federal websites.

A long list of Federal agencies, and even the White House, have settled lawsuits in recent years alleging their websites and technology are not accessible.

Bipartisan oversight that I have led shows the U.S. Government is falling short on digital accessibility.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a long-term shift in delivering government services using virtual front doors instead of physical front doors.

Fewer than 10 percent of its websites were fully accessible as of last Fall and the Department's plans to fix them were, in a word, inadequate.

140,000 new orphans in our country.

They are among our Nation's unsung heroes. They are, in so many ways, a light in the darkness.

I think Congress has a responsibility to respond to this part of the larger tragedy of the pandemic.

We cannot let any grandfamily fall through the cracks. We must ensure that every grandparent and kinship caregiver across the country has the resources and support they need to care for their children, regardless of their background.

As Senator Casey mentions, our student students with disabilities.

As Senator Casey highlighted, you have responded to our disability community.

The pandemic has had a devastating impact on students across the board.

I want to wish you a speedy recovery, as well as congratulate you on the naming of the science complex at Holy Cross College in your honor.

Well, I would say in conclusion, doctor, there is no question that you should have that authority and companies should be responsive to you, just like they should be responsive to this Committee.

It is totally inadequate, especially, especially in light of the findings that you have in your testimony on page two about the evidence of contamination.

The FDA needs to be held accountable for that, among other things, for that.

She is stable this week, but we live in fear--live in fear, not knowing if we will have enough of the right formula next week or every week.

Ranking Member Tim Scott and I are introducing a bipartisan resolution, the very first of its kind, to raise awareness about the impact of mental health conditions and substance use disorder on older adults.

We are grateful for the work you have done to bring that level of insight and expertise to the hearing today.

I am grateful to this Committee for considering including access to care related to Medicare policies, coordination of care for older adults with complex health issues, and the critical need for expanding the behavioral health workforce…

Both Congress, House and Senate, and the Biden Administration are focused on this issue, and that is good news but we have got to get a lot more done.