I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. Decline of the Middle Class

the American people must make some very fundamental decisions in the coming years, and the most important of them is whether we continue the status quo of American society, and that is in terms of our economics and our politics which…

let me begin by thanking Senator Tester not only for being on the floor today but for working on the issue of making sure that in 50 States in this country--in rural America and in urban America--we continue to have a Postal Service of…

Thank you very much.

There is no question in my mind that if we end up spending billions of dollars on this one particular drug, it is going to make it difficult for the VA to provide care in other areas where veterans need it.

This is a huge issue, which obviously, as I think you indicated, Mr. Rother, goes well beyond Sovaldi.

I recall speaking to physicians on this issue who talk about the absurdity of them writing out prescriptions that are not filled

you have a monopoly situation where the person who has a pill that is desperately needed... can charge anything they want for it?

Gilead is making this drug available to countries like Egypt, which have very, very serious problems with Hepatitis C.

The good news is that for the very first time, there is now available on the market an effective, fast working, and life-saving drug to treat a very, very serious illness in this country.

We could do that in one way, which would be to say, we are just going to give Gilead as much money as we anticipate the company will make by the virtue of its patent monopoly.

The truth is, this hearing could be held in any number of committees, because it goes well beyond Sovaldi...

If we could snap our fingers today, how many folks are out there who could be treated with this new drug, if you would guess?

the nature of a patent monopoly is the monopoly seller chooses the price.

Medical tourism has actually been a phenomenon for a while, but this is an extreme situation.

We need not seek a solution just for Sovaldi, but, really, systemic solutions.

We have to do better, and we can.

My apologies to everybody. There were some votes that were announced yesterday that Senators had to be at.

Therefore, if we can get cost-effective treatment to people with Hepatitis C and prevent these very, very costly procedures, in the end VA, Medicare, Medicaid, and the American people save substantial sums of money.

It is a moral issue--how many people in this country will suffer, and how many will die very painful deaths because they can not access the drugs they need because of the excessive costs.

How come it is not $386 or $240? How did you come up to $540?

that is unacceptable, particularly in the circumstances where we are talking about a life-saving drug and the rationing is entirely avoidable.

I think it is important that people get it at a price they can afford it, but Americans should get it at a price they can afford as well.

this is a choice we are making. It is not determined by any objective reason, and to me, I think that is just unacceptable.

What we are looking at is very clearly a very, very excessive profit and a lot of that profit is going to be paid for by the taxpayers of this country.