But what I have seen is, in particular in the drug industry, an abuse by patent holders of that period of exclusivity.

And where you have a patent system that can be abused by the patent holders, and they go beyond the period of exclusivity, it is brutal on the cost of healthcare for American employers.

What is the ability and the commitment of the Patent Office to stop the extension of that period of exclusivity and monopoly power that has been so consistently abused by the drug companies to rip off American taxpayers, American…

It is really important, your responsibility, to have patents issued timely, appropriately, for innovators.

I don't get it where you get a patent, let's say for 20 years and it goes on for 30 years or 35 years.

my colleague the Senator from Arizona speaks and spoke with the authority of a person who committed his life, before he came to the U.S. Senate, to the service of our country in the military. I do not speak with that authority. I speak…

They have extended the patent all the way through 2023--it is now almost $3,200.

It is really important, your responsibility, to have patents issued timely, appropriately, for innovators.

But what I have seen is, in particular in the drug industry, an abuse by patent holders of that period of exclusivity.

There are no two stronger champions of the intellectual property rights of innovators and patent holders than the two leaders of this Committee, Senator Coons, Senator Tillis, and I support your efforts in that respect.

I don't get it where you get a patent, let's say for 20 years and it goes on for 30 years or 35 years.

What is the ability and the commitment of the Patent Office to stop the extension of that period of exclusivity and monopoly power that has been so consistently abused by the drug companies to rip off American taxpayers, American…

It is a timely hearing because there is a lot of vulnerability in a lot of our water and septic systems, especially in rural America, all around the country.

It is a timely hearing because there is a lot of vulnerability in a lot of our water and septic systems, especially in rural America, all around the country.

These weather events, with climate change are getting more and more frequent, and it is more and more urgent that we try to make our systems resilient.

It is a real argument, I think, for resilience going forward, anticipating the scope of storms that we may have to contend with.

Do we need to make any changes to give USDA more flexibility to upgrade the resilience factors to accommodate the reality of the more extreme weather events that are occurring?

These weather events, with climate change are getting more and more frequent, and it is more and more urgent that we try to make our systems resilient.

I want to thank you for having me here to speak to what I believe is, in my mind, the most important thing out there--water, safe drinking water.

we have made it a major priority about broadband in rural America for this Committee to focus on

As our country is facing these wild weather events, climate change, more severe and frequent storms, we have got to make sure that the water in our communities is safe and available.

I want to thank you for having me here to speak to what I believe is, in my mind, the most important thing out there--water, safe drinking water.

It is a real argument, I think, for resilience going forward, anticipating the scope of storms that we may have to contend with.

We need to look at USDA as one of the ways to help our water systems understand how to do stuff in a proactive manner.

Do we need to make any changes to give USDA more flexibility to upgrade the resilience factors to accommodate the reality of the more extreme weather events that are occurring?