Political Quotes

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. We have done in our committee some bipartisan work that attacks patent abuse and will help bring down the costs of drugs, but there is a question. It is not a partisan question. It is really a judgment. Can we stop pharma from what has been relentless price increases--I would call it price gouging--without the government intervening on behalf of the consumer? We are the only country where the government sits on its hands while pharma boosts the prices. President Trump told Elijah that is a rip-off. That is what the President told Elijah, and the President said he would be okay with bringing in safe drugs from abroad for price negotiation, or as the President called it, getting a better deal. The President's idea, which is a good one and incorporated in the bill, was to have an international reference price so we don't pay four, five, six times what they pay in Europe. That is a good idea. But bottom line, the question is, will pharma stop killing us if we don't step up with governmental authority for consumers? That is not partisan. That is a judgment. It won't happen without us asserting that authority, as is done in this bill. Then, the benefits are extended to employers who are struggling to pay health insurance for their folks and can't give them a raise, to seniors, and to every individual.”