Joe Barton: “We do have a serious issue here, Mr. Speaker. We have known for several years that we needed to fix the current system…”

“We do have a serious issue here, Mr. Speaker. We have known for several years that we needed to fix the current system for physician reimbursement. We also have known that in some of the other issues that have been put into this bill, that there are areas of reform that need to be implemented. One of the things that I have worked on for over 12 years is a competitive bidding process for durable medical equipment which is supposed to go into effect July 1 of this year. The pending bill has a moratorium on that implementation I believe for 18 months, which I think is ill-advised. But I do think that when each of us gets elected to this body, when we go out and campaign and ask for Members and voters to support us, we don't say: If you vote for me, I will go to Washington and I will make sure that I have no input into major issues, and when they are put up at the last minute I will go vote ``yes'' on the suspension calendar. That is not what we say. This is a serious issue. There are serious issues that need to be addressed in this bill. I am not sure this bill is even a House bill. My understanding is that it is a failed version of a Senate bill that has been patched together for purposes of a vote today just in case there is not a bipartisan compromise later in the week, as Congressman McCrery spoke about earlier. Process does count.…”