Michael Burgess

I do want to convey the message to members of the administration that when this committee calls, you respond.

If we did not do something to address the crisis coming in entitlements, in 20 years' time there likely could be an intergenerational conflict.

There is going to be a very, very serious price to be paid.

The status quo will allow these benefits to be paid in perpetuity with no negative consequence to the benefits paid.

It is important that we be careful; it is important that we be prudent in providing the Federal Government any additional authority.

The threats are real. It is time to move the legislation forward.

I appreciate the fact that we are having a legislative hearing, and certainly I hope the committee will move expeditiously on all three.

I was always disturbed in my practice and I was never reimbursed for helping someone with smoking cessation.

I certainly want to thank Congressman Rogers from Michigan for his hard work on this legislation.

My understanding is that Janet Napolitano just today released information that was gathered in the Osama bin Laden compound about al-Qaeda's desiring to infiltrate nuclear power plants in this country and reek some sort of damage.

Proposals are to weaken the standards, spend less money on the FDA.

They need the right people. You are not going to get good, competent people to work for the government if you underpay them.

I think the Republicans are proposing to reduce FDA by $250 million, which would make them less able to approve drugs and devices.

Now, the FDA is not interactive, it is unpredictable and discourages innovation, and this ultimately hurts patients.

I demand a recorded vote. The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to clause 6 of rule XVIII, further proceedings on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Texas will be postponed. Amendment No. 80 Offered by Mr. Cravaack

Abraham Lincoln said even if you did everything right and events prove you wrong, a thousand angels swearing you were right won't make a difference.

This thing was not about healthcare, never was. It is a tax bill, but bottom line, it is about control.

I would say the time is now to repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board.

The fee-for-service system is the culprit. But really the culprit is the administrative pricing brought to us by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services

And not the IPAB and the provider.

I recognize one size fits all doesn't work and that is one of the reasons I have got some concerns about what we have done, what Congress has done with the Affordable Care Act.

And I would just submit the obstacle so far has been CMS. They haven't been a facilitator; they have been an obstacle.

But, sir, that is not new information. You said you have been working on this for 30 years. Where is the beef?

Something magic happens when people spend their own money.

The point he wanted to make was that drugs cost too much.