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NOW ON C-SPAN2.
SENATE WILL COME TO ORDER.
THE CHAPLAIN DR. BARRY BLACK
WILL LEAD THE SENATE IN PRAYER.
LET US PRAY.
CREATOR AND SUSTAINER
OF OUR WORLD,
EVERY GOOD AND PERFECT GIFT
COMES FROM YOU.
GIVE OUR LAWMAKERS THE WISDOM
GIFTS
FOR THE GLORY OF YOUR NAME.
MAY THIS PROPER USE OF YOUR
BOUNTY PROVIDE THEM WITH THE
KNOWLEDGE THEY NEED TO SOLVE THE
PROBLEMS OF OUR TIME, AS THEY
REMEMBER THAT WITHOUT YOU, THEY
CAN DO NOTHING.
AS YOU HAVE BLESSED US
IN THE PAST
WE TRUST YOU FOR OUR FUTURE.
GIVE ALL WHO LABOR FOR FREEDOM A
DEEPER INSIGHT AND LOFTIER
COURAGE THAT WILL EMPOWER THEM
TO WORK FOR THE COMING DAY OF
YOUR KINGDOM.
WE PRAY IN YOUR SACRED NAME.
AMEN.
JOIN ME IN RECITING THE PLEDGE
OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE
TO THE FLAG
OF AMERICA,
AND TO THE REPUBLIC
FOR WHICH IT STANDS,
ONE NATION
UNDER GOD,
INDIVISIBLE,
WITH LIBERTY
AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
CLERK WILL READ A COMMUNICATION
TO THE SENATE.
WASHINGTON, D.C.,
OCTOBER 31, 2011.
TO THE SENATE:
UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF
OF THE STANDING RULES
OF THE SENATE,
I HEREBY APPOINT THE HONORABLE
CHRISTOPHER ***,
THE STATE OF DELAWARE,
TO PERFORM THE DUTIES
OF THE CHAIR.
SIGNED: DANIEL K. INOUYE,
PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE.
THE
LEADER.
BE GRANTED FLOOR
PRIVILEGES FOR THE DURATION OF
TODAY'S SESSION OF THE SENATE.
OBJECTION, SO ORDERED.
FOLLOWING LEAD REFRESH
REMARKS THE IT?
WILL BE IN A PERIOD OF MORNING
BUSINESS UNTIL 4:30 TODAY.
AT 4:30 THE SENATE WILL PROCEED
TO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSIDER
THE NOMINATION OF STEPHEN
HIGGINSON TO BE UNITED STATES
DISTRICT JUDGE FOR THE FIFTH
CIRCUIT.
AT 5:30 THERE WILL BE A ROLL
CALL VOTE ON THE VON FIRMATION
OF STEPHEN HIGGINSON.
TODAY I JOIN MILLIONS OF
NEVADANS IN COMMEMORATINGTHE DAY
147 YEARS AGO THAT NEVADA JOINED
THE UNION.
GRANTED STATEHOOD DURING THE
BITTER YEARS OF THE CIVIL WAR IN
THE VERY BEGINNING.
TODAY OUR STATE IS ONCE AGAIN
TESTED.
TOO MANY NEVADANS ARE OUT OF
WORK, UPPED WATER IN THEIR
AND THIS IS DURING THESE
ROUGH TIMES, IT'S ALL OVER THE
STATE OF NEVADA.
BUT I KNOW BY FACING OUR
CHALLENGES TOGETHER, WE'LL ONCE
AGAIN DEMONSTRATE THE COLLECTIVE
STRENGTH THAT COMES FROM OUR
STATE'S MOTTO, "BATTLE BORN."
MR. PRESIDENT, THIS CHART HERE
APPEARED IN LAST WEEK'S "NEW
YORKER" MAGAZINE.
I THINK IT'S PRETTY EVIDENT WHAT
IT SHOWS.
I'VE GOT MINE, CHANGE MANGE,
LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE, KEEP
THINGS PRECISELY AS THEY ARE,
I'M GOOD, THANKS.
AN THE PICTURES PORTRAYED HERE
OF COURSE ARE OBVIOUSLY
CARICATURES OF VERY RICH PEOPLE.
TOP HATS, VESTS, CIGARS, BUT,
FOR ME, THIS
DOES NOT PORTRAY PEOPLE WHO ARE
AS RICH AS MUCH AS WHAT'S GOING
ON WITH OUR REPUBLICAN
COLLEAGUES.
WE KNOW ALL THAT'S BEEN SAID
ABOUT THE 1%, HOW WELL THEY'RE
DOING.
SEA BILL REPORTED LAST WEEK IN
THE LAST 25 YEARS THEIR
PERCENTAGE OF THE WEALTH IN
AMERICA HAS GONE UP ALMOST 300%.
SO THERE WILL BE A LOT OF
ATTENTION FOCUSED ON THE RICH AS
IT SHOULD BE.
BUT ALSO, MR. PRESIDENT, I
THINK IT SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO
THE REPUBLICANS HERE IN THE
SENATE.
NOT TO REPUBLICANS AROUND THE
COUNTRY, BUT IN THE SENATE.
BECAUSE REPUBLICANS AROUND THE
COUNTRY DON'T AGREE.
THEY DON'T AGREE THINGS ARE JUST
THEY DON'T AGREE THAT WE SHOULD
LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE.
THEY DON'T AGREE THAT JUST
BECAUSE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE
RICH THAT THINGS ARE OKAY
PRECISELY THE WAY THEY ARE.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF AMERICANS
DISFREE WITH THAT.
MR. PRESIDENT, COULD THE STAFF
KEEP THEIR VOICE DOWN?
IT'S REALLY DISTRACTING.
PLEASE TALK SO I DON'T HAVE TO
LISTEN TO YOU, PLEASE.
OKAY?
MR. PRESIDENT, IT'S TRUE THAT
FOR A FEW LUCKY AMERICANS,
THINGS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE GOING
JUST FINE.
THE HAVES HAVE NEVER HAD MORE.
AND MY COLLEAGUES IN THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY HERE IN THE
SENATE ARE SINGULARLY FOCUSED ON
MAKING SURE IT STAYS THAT WAY.
EVERYTHING ON THIS CHART APPLIES
TO WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE IN THE
SENATE THE LAST 10, 11 MONTHS.
A GAP BETWEEN THE HAVES AND
HAVE-NOTES HAS NEVER BEEN BIGGER
AND THE MIDDLE CLASS IS FALLING
FARTHER AND FARTHER BEHIND.
THAT'S WHY WHILE REPUBLICANS
ADVOCATE FOR MILLIONAIRES AND
BILLIONAIRES, DEMOCRATS ARE
LOOKING OUT FOR WORKING
AMERICANS.
WE'VE NOT FORGOTTEN THAT
14 MILLION PEOPLE STIRL OUT OF
WORK, OR THAT MILLIONS MORE ARE
STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
WE'VE NOT STOPPED FIGHTING TO
JOBS.
THAT'S WHY DEMOCRATS WILL
INTRODUCE THE REBUILD AMERICAN
JOBS ACT TONIGHT.
LEGISLATION THAT WILL CREATE
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF JOBS BY
INVESTING IN OUR CRUMBLING
INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT WOULD PUTMEN MEN AND WOMEN
ACROSS THIS COUNTRY TO WORK,
FOR EXAMPLE UPGRADING
150,000 MILES OF OUR HIGHWAYS
AND ROADS.
LAYING 4,000 MILES OF TRAIN
TRACKS.
RESTORING 150 MILES OF AIRPORT
RUNWAYS.
AND INSTALLING A MODERN AIR
TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM THAT NO
LONGER RELIES ON WORLD WAR II
ERA TECHNOLOGY.
OF COURSE WE'LL REDUCE TRAVEL
TIME AND DELAYS.
SINCE THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN
BEGAN, MORE THAN TWO MILLION
CONSTRUCTION WORKERS HAVE LOST
THEIR JOBS, TWO MILLION.
THAT'S HAPPENED, MR. PRESIDENT,
ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
THIS LEGISLATION WILL SEND
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF THOSE
WORKERS BACK TO WOULD BE JIETS
TO BUILD $27 BILLION WORTH OF
ROADS, BRIDGES, AND OTHER
IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF OUR
INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE PLAN WOULD FUND $250 MILLION
WORTH OF PROJECTS IN MY STATE.
AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS IN THE STATE OF
WHERE THE DEFICIT REDUCTION
INDUSTRY IN DELAWARE AND THE
UNITED STATES, EVERY STATE IN
THE UNION, BUT ESPECIALLY
NEVADA, IT WOULD SUPPORT ABOUT
3,300 BADLY NEEDED JOBS IN
NEVADA.
OVERALL THE REBUILD AMERICA JOBS
ACT WOULD INVEST $50 BILLION,
TAKING OUR CITIZENS OFF THE
UNEMPLOYMENT ROLLS, PUTTING
THEM BACK TO WORK AND ENSURING
OUR NATION HAS TOPNOTCH
INFRASTRUCTURE ONCE BETWEEN
AGAIN.
IT WILL INVEST $10 BILLION TO
CREATE A INFRASTRUCTURE BANK TO
FUND A WIDE RANGE OF LONG
DELAYED PROJECTS AND WILL DO ALL
THIS WITHOUT ADDING A PENNY TO
INSTEAD IT WOULD REQUIRE
MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES TO
CONTRIBUTE THEIR FAIR SHARE.
INCOMES NETTING OVER A MILLION
DOLLARS, THEY WOULD BE ASKED TO
PAY A SURCHARGE OF LESS THAN
1%, .7% TO BE EXACT.
TO GET THIS NATION'S ECONOMY
BACK ON TRACK.
AMERICANS OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORT
DEMOCRATS' PLAN TO INVEST IN
ROADWAYS, RUNWAYS, RAILWAYS,
72% OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
AGREE.
MR. PRESIDENT, I DON'T KNOW IF
I'VE BEEN TO JONESBORO,
I DON'T KNOW.
I'VE HAD A NUMBER OF TIMES I'VE
BEEN THERE, I HAD A CASE THAT
TOOK ME QUITE A BIT ALL OVER THE
STATE ON ONE OCCASION.
BUT A MAN IN JONESBORO,
ARKANSAS IS QUOTED IN "TIME"
MAGAZINE, LAST WEEK'S "TIME"
SILENT MAJORITY.
DREW RAMY
QUALIFIES FOR THAT.
THIS IS WHAT HE TOLD "TIME"
MAGAZINE.
I USED TO THINK I WAS A
LIBERTARIAN.
BUT I LIKE MY ROADS NOW.
EYE LIKE MY PUBLIC SERVICES.
DREW RAMIE, I USED TO THINK I
WAS A LIBERTARIAN, BUT I LIKE
SERVICES.
THAT SAYS IT ALL, MR. PRESIDENT.
THIS IS DREW RAMY OF JONESBORO,
ARKANSAS BUT HE SPEAKS FOR
MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF
AMERICANS.
AMERICANS OF ALL POLITICAL
PERSUASIONS, EVEN 54% OF
REPUBLICANS BELIEVE A
WORLD-CLASS ECONOMY SHOULD HAVE
WORLD-CLASS ROADS AND BRIDGES.
THEY AGREE WITH WHAT WE TRYING
TO DO.
THE U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND
LABOR UNIONS, AFGHANISTAN
AFGHANISTAN SO SO RARELY --
ALF/CIO RARELY AGREE ON ANYTHING
BUT THEY AGREE ON THIS.
WE SHOULD IMPROVE THE HE
WOULDFUL STATE OF AMERICA'S
IT'S NOT ONLY LABOR AND BUSINESS
GROUPS, IT'S TRANSIT
OFFICIALS, MAYORS AND 3/4 OF
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, ACTUALLY
76%, MR. PRESIDENT.
SENATE REPUBLICANS HAVE
SUPPORTED BIG ASPECTS OF THIS IN
THE PAST.
I COULD QUOTE A DOZEN OF MY
SENATE REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES WHO
HAVE SPOKEN OUT IN SUPPORTING
THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS.
ONE VERY RECENTLY.
SO WHY AREN'T THEY LINING UP TO
SUPPORT OUR PROPOSAL TODAY?
TWO BASIC REASONS.
ONE, REPUBLICANS ARE DETERMINED
TO SEE PRESIDENT OBAMA FAIL,
EVEN IF IT MEANS AMERICANS FAIL
WITH HIM.
SAD BUT TRUE.
MY COLLEAGUE, THE REPUBLICAN
LEADER, HAS SAID HIS NUMBER-ONE
GOAL IN THIS CONGRESS IS TO
DEFEAT PRESIDENT OBAMA.
THEY WOULD RATHER SEE THE
AMERICANS THAT ARE STRUGGLING SO
TOGETHER.
THEY WOULD RATHER SEE THE
AMERICANS CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE
AS I'VE OUTLINED HOW MANY PEOPLE
ARE STRUGGLE, THEY WOULD RATHER
DO THAT THAN WORK TOGETHER WITH
THE PRESIDENT AND WITH US.
SECOND, REPUBLICANS ARE MORE
CONCERNED WITH PROTECTING
MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES.
THAN THEY ARE WILLING TO WORK
WITH US IN PUTTING 1 MILLION
PEOPLE BACK TO -- 14 MILLION
PEOPLE BACK TO WORK.
I HEARD ON THE RADIO THIS
MORNING, THE NATIONAL
BROADCASTING SYSTEM, PUBLIC
RADIO, THAT DURING THE BUSH
YEARS WE LOST 8.6 MILLION JOBS.
WE'VE ONLY GOTTEN A LITTLE OVER
TWO MILLION OF THOSE BACK.
BUT -- ABOUT TWO AND A HALF
MILLION, FRANKLY.
IT WASN'T LONG AGO THAT A
PRESIDENT WAS IN OFFICE FOR
EIGHT YEARS COULD BOAST IF HE
WANTED TO DO THAT, ABOUT
CREATING 23 MILLION JOBS.
THAT'S WHAT REPUBLICANS HAVE
GIVEN US.
THEY REFUSE TO ASK TO RICH TO
CONTRIBUTE A TINY FRACTION MORE
TO SECURE OUR ECONOMIC FUTURE,
EVEN IF IT COSTS MORE JOBS.
IN RECENT DAYS REPUBLICANS
SHOWED NEW INTEREST IN THE GULF
BETWEEN RICH AND POOR THAT HAS
MOAT SLATED THOUSANDS TO OCCUPY
PARKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND
MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD.
APPARENTLY THEY BELIEVE THE
STAGGERING INCOME INEQUALITY
MAKES A GOOD TALKING POINT.
WHILE DEMOCRATS FIGHT FOR JOBS
FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS REPUBLICANS
FIGHT FOR TAX BREAKS FOR THE 1%
OF AMERICANS WHO DON'T NEED OUR
HELP.
I'LL BET IF YOU COULD ASK THESE
VERY, VERY RICH PEOPLE WOULD YOU
BE WILLING TO GIVE .7% MORE TO
CREATE MILLIONS OF JOBS, I
THINK MOST OF THEM WOULD SAY
YES.
WHERE ARE MY REPUBLICAN
COLLEAGUES SUPPORTING THIS
SIMPLE COMMONSENSE LEGISLATION?
SO I SAY TO MY REPUBLICAN
COLLEAGUES, I WOULD HOPE THAT
THEY WOULD MOVE HERE AND WORK
WITH US.
WE WANT TO WORK WITH THEM.
IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING GOOD,
MR. PRESIDENT, THERE'S A LOT OF
GOODWILL TO GO AROUND.
BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE SPEECHES WE'VE HEARD FROM
SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES ABOUT
CREATING JOBS REALLY AMOUNTS TO
DOING -- DOING SOMETHING ABOUT
IT.
BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET.
WOULD THE CHAIR ANNOUNCE THE
BUSINESSOR THE TODAY.
PREVIOUS ORDER THE LEADERSHIP
TIME IS RESERVED AND UNDER THE
PREVIOUS ORDER THERE WILL BE A
PERIOD OF MORNING BUSINESS UNTIL
4:30 P.M. WITH SENATORS
PERMITTED TO SPEAK THEREIN FOR
UP TO TEN MINUTES EACH.
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM HAWAII.
MR. PRESIDENT, I --
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM HAWAII.
MR. PRESIDENT, I RISE
TODAY TO INTRODUCE THE STAND
AGAINST VIOLENCE AND EMPOWER
NATIVE WOMEN, SAVE NATIVE WOMEN
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE QUOA
SPONSORS OF MY -- THE COSPONSORS
OF MY BILL, MY GOOD FRIENDS,
INOUYE, MURRAY, UDALL
OF NEW MEXICO, BEGICH, FRANKEN,
JOHNSON OF SOUTH DAKOTA, BAUCUS,
TESTER, AND BINGAMAN.
MR. PRESIDENT, NATIVE WOMEN
ACROSS THE COUNTRY SUFFER FROM
SEVERE THREATS TO THEIR SAFETY.
ACCORDING TO A SAFETY STUDY BY
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, TWO
IN FIVE GIRLS AND WOMEN IN
NATIVE COMMUNITIES WILL SUFFER
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AND ONE IN
THREE WILL BE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED
IN THEIR LIFETIME.
CAN YOU IMAGINE LOOKING THROUGH
THE LOVING EYES OF YOUR
DAUGHTER, SISTER OR MOTHER AND
ONE OF THEM WILL
PROBABLY BE ABUSED IN THEIR
LIFETIME?
THIS IS THE TERRIBLE REALITY OF
LIFE FOR NATIVE WOMEN AND THEIR
FAMILIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
IT IS AN EPIDEMIC.
IT IS UNACCEPTABLE.
AND WE MUST STAND AGAINST IT.
THIS IS WHY I'M INTRODUCING THE
SAVE NATIVE WOMEN ACT.
MOST OF THOSE WHO COMMIT THESE
TERRIBLE CRIMES AGAINST NATIVE
WOMEN ARE NOT NATIVE THEMSELVES.
YET CURRENTLY TRIBES HAVE NO
ABILITY -- NO ABILITY -- TO
PROSECUTE NONNATIVES FOR
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ***
ASSAULT IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES
COMMUNITIES.
THIS HAS RESULTED IN A SENSE OF
LAWLESSNESS AND LEAVES NATIVE
WOMEN WITH FEW PLACES TO TURN.
MY BILL STRENGTHENS TRIBAL
JURISDICTION OVER DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE AND *** ASSAULT SO
THAT ALL OFFENDERS, NATIVE AND
NONNATIVE, CAN BE BROUGHT TO
JUSTICE.
MY BILL ALSO STRENGTHENS
EXISTING PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT
NATIVE VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE AND *** ASSAULT.
IN MANY COMMUNITIES, THESE
PROGRAMS OFFER ONLY SAFETY AND
SUPPORT AVAILABLE FOR NATIVE
WOMEN AND YET THESE PROGRAMS ARE
GREATLY STRAINED.
THIS BILL PROVIDES PROGRAMS WITH
TOOLS TO
ADDRESS THEIR MOST CRITICAL
NEEDS.
FINALLY, MY BILL ADDRESSES THE
DISTURBING TREND OF SENSE
TRAFFICKING IN MANY NATIVE
COMMUNITIES.
I HAVE INCLUDED PROVISIONS THAT
IMPROVE DATA GATHERING AND
STRENGTHEN PROGRAMS TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND AND RESPOND TO SEX
TRAFFICKING OF NATIVE WOMEN.
I HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH
TRIBES, TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS AND
FEDERAL AGENCIES TO DEVELOP THIS
BILL.
WE SHOULD NOT LET THE NEXT
GENERATION OF YOUNG NATIVE WOMEN
GROW UP AS THEIR MOTHERS HAVE IN
UNBEARABLE SITUATIONS THAT
THREATEN THEIR SECURITY,
STABILITY AND EVEN THEIR LIVES.
AND MY
COSPONSORS TO STAND AGAINST
VIOLENCE AND SUPPORT PASSAGE OF
THE SAVE NATIVE WOMEN ACT.
MR. PRESIDENT, I ASK UNANIMOUS
CONSENT THAT THE TEXT OF MY BILL
BE PRINTED IN THE RECORD.
WITHOUT
OBJECTION.
I YIELD THE TIME.
THANK YOU.
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
REPUBLICAN LEADER.
IT'S NO SECRET
CONGRESS ISN'T WINNING ANY
POPULARITY CONTESTS THESE DAYS.
AMERICANS ARE FED UP WITH LAW
MAKERS WHO ARE EITHER FOCUSED ON
THE WRONG THING OR DETERMINED TO
BLOCK ANY SERIOUS REFORMS THAT
WOULD ACTUALLY GET AT THE ROOT
OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE FACE.
AND THAT'S WHY REPUBLICANS HAVE
BEEN FOCUSED NOT ONLY ON
LEGISLATION THAT WE THINK HAS A
GOOD CHANCE OF JUMP STARTING
PRIVATE-SECTOR JOB CREATION IN
THIS COUNTRY BUT WHICH ALSO HAS
A GOOD SHOT AT ACTUALLY BECOMING
LAW.
PUT ANOTHER WAY, SINCE TAKING
BACK THE MAJORITY THIS YEAR,
REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES HAVE FOCUSED NOT
ONLY ON LEGISLATION THAT AVOIDS
THE ECONOMIC MISSTEPS OF THE
PREVIOUS 2 1/2 YEARS OF
DEMOCRATIC CONTROL BUT WHICH
ALSO HAS A GOOD SHOT OF MAKING
IT THROUGH A DEMOCRATIC-LED
SENATE.
YOU'D NEVER KNOW IT FROM
LISTENING TO THE PRESIDENT, BUT
THERE'S ACTUALLY BEEN A
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF BIPARTISAN
WORK THAT'S BEEN GOING ON ON
CAPITOL HILL THESE DAYS.
HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE PASSED
BILL AFTER BILL, MANY OF THEM
WITH SOLID BIPARTISAN SUPPORT,
WHICH WOULD HELP SPUR
PRIVATE-SECTOR JOB CREATION AND
WOULD HELP GET THIS ECONOMY
MOVING AGAIN.
BUT THE DEMOCRATS WHO WHO'VE RUN THE
SENATE FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS
IT.
SENATE DEMOCRATS HAVE DECIDED IT
ISN'T IN THE INTEREST OF THEIR
PARTY FOR CONGRESS TO GET
ANYTHING DONE RIGHT NOW.
THEY'VE ADOPTED A STRICT
STRATEGY OF INACTION.
THEY SIMPLY WON'T TAKE "YES" FOR
AN ANSWER.
SO THE CONTRAST BETWEEN
REPUBLICANS WHO RUN THE HOUSE
AND DEMOCRATS WHO RUN THE SENATE
COULDN'T BE STARKER.
SINCE TAKING OVER THE HOUSE THIS
YEAR, HOUSE REPUBLICANS HAVE
SEARCHED FOR AREAS OF COMMON
GROUND AND THEN INVITED
DEMOCRATS WHO RUN THE SENATE TO
TAKE THEM UP, PASS THEM AND SEND
THEM ON DOWN TO THE PRESIDENT
FOR A SIGNATURE.
AND ALMOST EVERY SINGLE TIME,
SENATE DEMOCRATS HAVE SAID NO.
HOUSE REPUBLICANS NOW COUNT MORE
THAN 15 PIECES OF LEGISLATION
THAT WOULD HELP US CHART A VERY
DIFFERENT PATH FROM THE ONE THE
PRESIDENT AND HIS
DEMOCRATIC-CONTROLLED CONGRESS
HAVE CHARTED OVER THE PAST FEW
YEARS.
THIS IS LEGISLATION THAT WOULD
UNLOCK AMERICA'S ENERGY
RESOURCES, CUT BACK ON EXCESSIVE
REGULATIONS THAT ARE HOLDING
BACK JOB CREATION, AND ENABLE
BUSINESSES LIKE BOEING TO MAKE
THEIR OWN DECISIONS ABOUT HOW
AND WHERE TO EXPAND.
JUST LAST WEEK, THE HOUSE PASSED
A BILL TO GET RID OF AN I.R.S.
WITHHOLDING TAX ON BUSINESSES
THAT DO WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT.
MORE THAN 400 MEMBERS OF THE
HOUSE VOTED FOR THIS BILL,
INCLUDING 170 DEMOCRATS.
HERE'S HOW ONE PROMINENT
DEMOCRAT DESCRIBED THIS BILL.
THE REPEAL OF THIS REQUIREMENT,
HE SAID, "WILL FREE UP SMALL
BUSINESS CASH FLOW, INCREASING
THEIR ABILITY TO ADD JOBS AND TO
BID ON NEW PROJECTS."
REPUBLICANS SUPPORT THIS
DEMOCRATS SUPPORT THIS
LEGISLATION.
THE PRESIDENT INCLUDED THIS
LEGISLATION IN HIS OWN JOBS BILL
AND HE SUPPORTS THE BILL THAT
PASSED THE HOUSE LAST WEEK.
THERE'S NO REASON THE SENATE
SHOULDN'T TAKE IT UP RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS ONE SMALL THING WE CAN
DO RIGHT NOW TO REDUCE THE
COUNTRY.
WE CAME TOGETHER TO HELP THEM
EARLIER THIS MONTH BY PASSING
FREE TRADE BILLS.
LET'S BUILD ON THAT SUCCESS AND
PASS THIS BILL THAT JOB CREATORS
ARE SELLING US WILL HELP PROTECT
AND CREATE JOBS.
LIKE SENATE DEMOCRATS, THE
PRESIDENT MAY THINK HE BENEFITS
FROM THE APPEARANCE OF INACTION
IN CONGRESS.
THAT'S WHY HE'S RUNNING AROUND
THE COUNTRY REMINDING PEOPLE HOW
BAD THE ECONOMY IS INSTEAD OF
URGING DEMOCRATS WHO RUN THE
SENATE TO WORK WITH REPUBLICANS
WHO RUN THE HOUSE.
BUT, MR. PRESIDENT, WITH ALL DUE
RESPECT, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
ALREADY KNOW THE ECONOMY'S IN
BAD SHAPE.
THAT'S NOT NEWS TO ANYBODY.
THEY DON'T NEED THE PRESIDENT TO
TELL THEM THAT.
WHAT THEY NEED IS FOR THE
PRESIDENT TO GET HIS PARTY TO
AGREE TO SOMETHING THAT HELPS.
I KNOW THAT DEMOCRATS WILL ARGUE
THAT OUR PROPOSALS FOR JOB
CREATION WOULDN'T BE THEIR FIRST
MY RESPONSE IS THAT THE
DEMOCRATS HAD THREE YEARS TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT JOBS AND THE
ECONOMY.
THE PRESIDENT'S SIGNATURE JOBS
BILL COSTS NEARLY A TRILLION
DOLLARS.
TWO AND A HALF YEARS LATER,
THERE ARE 1.5 MILLION FEWER JOBS
IN THIS COUNTRY THAN ON THE DAY
THAT LEGISLATION WAS SIGNED.
SO WHY DON'T WE TRY A DIFFERENT
APPROACH?
LET'S TRY AN APPROACH THAT
ACTUALLY TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE
CONCERNS OF THE STRUGGLING
BUSINESS OWNERS WHO ARE
ULTIMATELY GOING TO LIFT US OUT
OF THIS JOBS CRISIS.
THEY'VE TOLD US WHAT THEY WANT.
IT'S NOT A MYSTERY WHAT WE NEED
TO DO TO HELP THESE FOLKS CREATE
JOBS.
TEMPORARY FIXES AND MORE
STIMULUS BILLS ISN'T IT.
SO OUR MESSAGE IS THIS.
THE DEMOCRATS IN WASHINGTON NEED
TO START TAKING "YES" FOR AN
REPUBLICANS HAVE PUT FORWARD
MORE THAN A DOZEN CONCRETE
PROPOSALS TO SPUR JOB CREATION
IN THIS COUNTRY THAT AVOID THE
ECONOMIC MISTAKES THE DEMOCRATS
MADE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
WE'VE DONE THE HARD WORK OF
LEGISLATING AND LOOKING FOR
AREAS WHERE THE PARTIES OVERLAP
ON THE ISSUES.
IT'S TIME FOR THE PRESIDENT TO
SIGNAL TO DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS
IT'S OKAY TO WORK WITH US.
EVERYONE KNOWS THE ECONOMY'S IN
BAD SHAPE.
WHAT REPUBLICANS ARE SAYING IS
THAT HIGHER TAXES AND MORE
GOVERNMENT SPENDING ISN'T THE
WAY TO HELP IT.
EVERYONE KNOWS THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT IN WASHINGTON IS
SPENDING WAY TOO MUCH MONEY,
MONEY IT DOESN'T HAVE.
WHAT REPUBLICANS ARE SAYING IS
THE SOLUTION ISN'T TO SPEND EVEN
EVERYONE KNOWS THAT IF THE TWO
PARTIES ARE GOING TO COME
TOGETHER AND ACT, YOU NEED TO
DESIGN LEGISLATION THAT APPEALS
TO BOTH SIDES.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT
REPUBLICANS ARE DOING.
SO IT'S TIME TO PUT THE
POLITICAL PLAYBOOK ASIDE AND
ACTUALLY TAKE ACTION.
REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE ARE
DOING THEIR JOB.
IT'S TIME FOR THE PRESIDENT AND
SENATE DEMOCRATS TO DO THEIRS.
MR. PRESIDENT, I YIELD THE
FLOOR.
MR. PRESIDENT?
THE
SENATOR FROM ALABAMA.
I THANK THE
REPUBLICAN LEADER FOR HIS
COMMENTS AND WOULD JUST SAY THAT
THE TIME THAT WE CAN BORROW
TO -- FROM THE FUTURE TO SPEND
TODAY TO CREATE SOME SORT OF
SUGAR HIGH TO CREATE JOBS HAS
WE'VE TRIED THAT.
THE DEBT HAS NOW REACHED A LEVEL
THAT THE DEBT ITSELF IS A THREAT
TO OUR ECONOMY.
IT'S A CLOUD OVER OUR ECONOMY.
IT IS SLOWING THE GROWTH AND JOB
THAT WE NEED TO MOVE
OUT OF THE DIFFICULT FINANCIAL
TIMES THAT WE'RE IN.
I TRULY BELIEVE THAT.
I THINK THE DEBT ITSELF NOW IS A
THREAT TO US.
SO I WANT TO SPEAK,
MR. PRESIDENT, ABOUT THE
MINI-BUS APPROPRIATIONS BILL
THAT'S BEFORE US, ITS EFFECT ON
THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE AND
THAT'S BEFORE THE BODY.
AS THE RANKING REPUBLICAN ON THE
BUDGET COMMITTEE, I DO BELIEVE
IT'S MY COMMITTEE
TO PRESENT, AS I AM ABLE, A
STRAIGHTFORWARD, HONEST FIGURES
ABOUT THE SPENDING BILLS THAT
COME BEFORE OUR SENATE.
H.R. 2112 IS THE FIRST OF
SEVERAL MINI-BUS BILLS THAT
APPARENTLY WILL BE USED IN LIEU
PROCESS.
THIS MINI-BUS IS SO NAMED
IT CONTAINS THREE
APPROPRIATION BILLS PUT IN ONE,
NOT ONE AS WE NORMALLY SEE
BEFORE THE SENATE.
THE AGRICULTURE BILL,
COMMERCE-JUSTICE-SCIENCE, AND
THE TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING
BILL ALL COBBLED TOGETHER IN
THE DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY CONTENDS
THAT THIS PACKAGE WILL SAVE
TAXPAYERS MONEY, BUT THIS IS
JUST MORE WASHINGTON ACCOUNTING.
WE'VE CRUNCHED THE NUMBERS AND
DISCOVERED THAT THESE BILLS WILL
NOT CUT SPENDING BUT WILL
ACTUALLY INCREASE SPENDING BY
$10 BILLION OVER LAST YEAR.
SO I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO
EXPLAIN, BECAUSE IT IS VERY,
VERY IMPORTANT.
WE HAD AN AGREEMENT THAT WE
WOULD BEGIN THE MOST
SIMULTANEOUSLYSMALLEST OFREDUCTIONS THIS YEAR -- NOT
NEARLY ENOUGH -- BUT WE REACHED
THAT AGREEMENT, AND WE SHOULD
HONOR THAT AT LEAST.
SO THIS IS THE FIRST
APPROPRIATIONS BILL THE SENATE
HAS CONSIDERED AFTER
DISCRETIONARY SPENDING CAPS WERE
ESTABLISHED AS PART OF THE
RECENT DEBT LIMIT NEGOTIATIONS.
THE BUDGET CONTROL ACT, WHICH
YOU REMEMBER WAS PASSED TO RAISE
THE DEBT CEILING, AND AS
EXCHANGE FOR AGREEING TO RAISE
THE DEBT CEILING, AS PRESIDENT
OBAMA ASKED, CONGRESS INSISTED
THAT THERE BE SOME CURTAILMENT
OF SPENDING.
SO WE WOULDN'T HIT THE DEBT
CEILING AGAIN SO SOON.
SO THE BUDGET CREEL ACT, AS THE
BILL WAS PRETENTIOUSLY NAMED IN
AUGUST -- REQUIRES THAT
DISCRETIONARY SPENDING BE
BROUGHT DOWN THIS YEAR FROM $1
$1,050,000,000,000 TO
$1,043,000,000,000 IN FISCAL
YEAR 2012.
AN ALLEGED TOTAL SPENDING
REDUCTION OF A PALTRY $7 BILLION
OVER -- THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE
YEAR.
PRESUMABLY THE OTHER $6 BILLION
THAT WAS REQUIRED TO BE SAVED
UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE
SAVED IN OTHER BILLS THAT COME
BEFORE THE CONGRESS.
PRESUMABLY.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN THEM YET.
SO DOES THE BILL, THAT'S BEFORE
US, MOVE US TOWARD EVEN THIS
THAT'S THE QUESTION.
THE MAJORITY PARTY SAYS IT DOES.
THEY CONTEND THAT THE BILL, THE
MINI BUS, SPENDS $128 BILLION,
WHICH IS $1 BILLION LESS THAN
LAST YEAR WHEN IT WAS $129
BILLION.
A REDUCTION OF LESS THAN 10%.
THEY'RE VERY PROUD OF THIS.
BUT, REMEMBER -- JUST REMEMBER,
AS AN ASIDE, THAT NON-DEFENSE
DISCRETIONARY SPENDING ALONE IN
FIRST TWO YEARS OF PRESIDENT
OBAMA'S PRESIDENCY WENT UP 24%.
SO TO TAKE A $1 BILLION
REDUCTION IS BASICALLY TO HOLD
IN PLACE THIS SURGE IN SPENDING
AT A TIME WHEN THIS NATION HAS
NEVER, EVER FACED SUCH A SEVERE
DEBT THREAT TO ITS FUTURE.
AND LET'S THINK -- GOING THROUGH
THE BILL AND THINKING IT
THROUGH, THE BUDGET CONTROL ACT
ALSO CREATED A NEW CATEGORY OF
SPENDING PLACED IN THE BUDGET
CONTROL ACT.
IF YOU REMEMBER, COBBLED
TOGETHER IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT,
BROUGHT UP ON THE FLOOR ON THE
EVE OF A FINANCIAL CRISIS AND
DEMANDING THAT IT BE PASSED AND
HARDLY ANYONE HAD A CHANCE TO
READ IT.
UNKNOWN TO MOST OF US IT ALLOWED
THE
$1,043,000,000,000 LIMIT.
THE DEBT LIMIT DEAL PROVIDED FOR
AN ALLOWANCE FOR DISASTER
SPENDING EQUAL TO THE AVERAGE OF
THE 10 PRIOR YEARS OF DISASTER
WHICH CAN BE ASSESSED OR SPENT
SIMPLY BY PROVIDING THE PROPER
WORDS IN THE APPROPRIATIONS
BILLS THAT COME FORWARD ACROSS
THE FLOOR, AS THESE THREE DO.
BUT, THE MAJORITY CONTENDS THAT
THIS MONEY SHOULD MAGICALLY NOT
BE COUNTED WHEN YOU DECIDE HOW
MUCH IS SPENT BY THE BILL.
WHY?
WELL, IT'S A DISASTER, AND
DISASTER SPENDING DOESN'T COUNT;
YOU DON'T KNOW?
AS AMENDED ON THE SENATE FLOOR
TWO WEEKS AGO, THE BILL CONTAINS
NOW $3.2 BILLION IN NEW SPENDING
ABOVE THE CAPS FOR DISASTER
RELIEF, A FURTHER INCREASE OF
DISASTER ASSISTANCE.
TWO ADDITIONAL AMENDMENTS WERE
ADOPTED JUST LAST WEEK ADDING TO
THE AMOUNT THAT THE COMMITTEES
HAD PRODUCED AS DISASTER
ASSISTANCE.
AND WHILE THERE ARE ARGUMENTS
THAT THE $3.2 BILLION SHOULD NOT
BE COUNTED AS AN EXPENDITURE,
YOU COULD ARGUE THAT, THE C.B.O.
-- THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET
OFFICE, OUR OFFICIAL SCOREKEEPER
SCOREKEEPER,
EXPENDITURE.
IT IS INCLUDED AS AN EXPENDITURE
IN THE C.B.O. SCORE.
$3.2 BILLION.
NO ONE HAS CHALLENGED THEM
BECAUSE IT APPEARS THEY ARE
PLAINLY CORRECT TO COUNT THE
$2.2 BILLION AS SPENDING.
ONLY IN WASHINGTON CAN IT BE
ASSERTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT CAN
SPEND $3.2 BILLION AND IT NOT
COUNT.
CONTEND THAT
THE DISCRETIONARY SPENDING
PORTION OF THE BILL, AS I
INDICATED, HAS GONE DOWN FROM
$129 BILLION TO $128 BILLION.
BUT C.B.O. SAYS IT WENT UP TO
$131 BILLION.
THE DISASTER FUNDING REPRESENTS
A 2% DISCRETIONARY INCREASE AT A
TIME WHEN SPENDING IS SUPPOSED
TO BE GOING DOWN.
FURTHER, THE BILL'S SPONSORS SAY
YOU SHOULD NOT COUNT THE
MANDATORY SPENDING IN IT.
MANDATORY PROGRAMS THAT ARE
CONTAINED IN THE BILL.
THEY INSIST THAT MANDATORY
SPENDING IS NOT UNDER THE
CONTROL OF THE APPROPRIATORS.
AGAIN, THIS IS LOGIC THAT ONLY
EXISTS IN WASHINGTON.
IN TRUTH, IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR
THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE TO
TAKE ACTIONS THAT IMPACT
MANDATORY PROGRAMS, AND IT CAN
BE DONE.
BUT, OF COURSE, IT WAS NOT IN
THIS BILL.
FOR EXAMPLE, FOOD STAMPS, THE
LARGEST MANDATORY PROGRAM BY FAR
IN THIS BILL -- ACTUALLY, IT'S
LARGER THAN ANY OTHER PROGRAM IN
THE WHOLE BILL; IT AMOUNTS TO
75% OF TOTAL AGRICULTURE
APPROPRIATIONS SPENDING, 75%.
MOST PEOPLE THINK AGRICULTURE
PROGRAMS ARE BAILING OUT
FARMERS.
THOSE BENEFITS TO THE FARMERS
HAVE BEEN REDUCED STEADILY OVER
THE YEARS.
NOW 75% OF THE AGRICULTURE BILL
IS A MANDATORY PROGRAM, FOOD
STAMPS BEING THE LARGEST.
AND THIS PROGRAM UNDER THE
LEGISLATION THAT'S BEFORE US
TODAY IS SET TO INCREASE BY 14%
NEXT YEAR, $10 BILLION MORE THAN
JUST LAST YEAR.
BILLION INCREASE IN THE
FOOD STAMP PROGRAM.
TBHAW DOESN'T COUNT -- BUT THAT
DOESN'T COUNT, IT'S CONTENDED.
THIS SPENDING INCREASE RESULTS
IN A DOUBLING OF THE FOOD STAMP
BUDGET OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS
-- DOUBLING THE BUDGET IN THREE
YEARS.
AND A QUADRUPLING OF IT -- FOUR
TIMES -- OVER THE LAST TEN
YEARS.
WE HAVE GOLT TO GOT TO LOOK UNDER THE
HOOD OF THIS PROGRAM AND FIND
OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING TO IT.
BUT NOTHING IS SERIOUSLY BEING
DONE.
LIKE WELFARE REFORM.
RESPONSIBLE CHANGES TO THE WAY
THE GOVERNMENT OPERATES THIS
PROGRAM WILL IMPROVE OUTCOMES,
HELP MORE NEEDY PEOPLE ACHIEVE
THE GOAL OF FINANCIAL
INDEPENDENCE -- NOT DEPENDENCE
-- AND STOP FRAUD.
WHICH MOST AMERICANS KNOW IS
PRETTY COMMON IN THE FOOD STAMP
PROGRAM.
WHEN I OFFERED AN AMENDMENT
TO SAVE A MODEST $10 BILLION
OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS, A
REFORM THAT WOULD NOT HAVE
REDUCED ELIGIBILITY FOR ANY OF
THE NEEDY BUT ONLY REQUIRE
SIMENTS -- THAT THE RECIPIENTS RECIPIENTS
MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS OF
THE PROGRAM -- ACTUALLY BE NEEDY
-- AND QUALIFY FOR THE PROGRAM
BY REDUCING FRAUD AND ABUSE, THE
AMENDMENT WAS DEFEATED.
RIGHT HERE ON THE FLOOR OF THE
SENATE, WE SAVED $10 BILLION,
ACCORDING TO THE CONGRESSIONAL
BUDGET OFFICE, BY MAKING SURE
THAT PEOPLE MAKE ACTUAL FORMAL
APPLICATIONS FOR THEIR FOOD
STAMPS AND SIGN A DOCUMENT
SAYING THAT THEY ACTUALLY
IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK?
SENATOR STABENOW, THE
AGRICULTURE AUTHORIZING
COMMITTEE CHAIR, ROSE TO EXPLAIN
THAT WE'RE NOT TO WORRY BECAUSE,
WHILE WE'RE INCREASING FOOD
STAMP FUNDING NOW AT, AT SOME TIME
HER COMMITTEE WILL RECOMMEND A
BILL THAT WILL DECREASE BY $23
BILLION.
BUT IF THAT WERE TO BE
FULFILLED, THE EFFECT ON THE
FISCAL -- FY2012 BUDGET WOULD BE
THAT FOOD STAMP PROGRAM WOULD
HAVE A 10% INCREASE RATHER THAN
A 14% INCREASE.
THE PROGRAM HAS INDEED DOUBLED
SINCE 2008.
BUT NOW WE'RE HEARING IN REPORTS
THAT THIS $23 BILLION IN SPAISKS
IS NOT EVEN IN THE FOOD STAMP
PROGRAM, OR MOST OF IT IS NOT.
WE'RE HEARING THAT 19% OF IT IS
A FURTHER REDUCTION OF AID TO
FARMERS AND ONLY $4 BILLION OF
IN SAVINGS WOULD
BE FROM FOOD STAMPS.
SO HERE'S THE BOTTOM LINE:
WHEN DISCRETIONARY AND MANDATORY
SPENDING ARE SCORED IN THIS
BILL, THE OVERALL SPENDING
COMPARED TO LAST YEAR WENT UP BY
$10 BILLION OR 4% INCREASE, NOT
A CUT.
RELATIVE TO THE AMOUNTS SENATORS
APPROVED FOR THESE THREE BILLS
LAST YEAR, WE'RE BEING ASKED TO
INCREASE SPENDING, NOT DECREASE
SPENDING.
I BELIEVE THAT'S FAIR A FAIR AND
HONEST ANALYSIS OF THE BILL
THAT'S BEFORE US.
AND IF YOU WERE TO EXCLUDE THE
MANDATORY SPENDING, JUST IGNORE
THAT HUGE INCREASE IN THE FOOD
STAMP PRARNLG THE PROGRAM, THE SNAP PROGRAM,
AND EVEN SAY THAT DISASTER
ASSISTANCE SHOULD BE IGNORED,
THE REDUCTION WOULD BE A PALTRY
TH 1 BILLION.
SO IT IS TIME TO GET SERIOUS.
DENIAL IN THIS CONGRESS MUST
END.
YOU CAN'T BORROW YOUR WAY OUT OF
WE ARE SPENDING MONEY WE DO NOT
HAVE.
40 CENTS OF EVERY DOLLAR WE
SPEND IS BORROWED.
-- ON WHICH WE PAY INTEREST
EVERY YEAR.
IT IS DIGGING US DEEPER IN A
HOLE.
IT JUST CANNOT BE CONTENDED THAT
THIS IS SERIOUS WORK TOWARD
REDUCING OUR DEFICIT.
IT JUST CANNOT BE.
OUR DEFICIT IN FISCAL YEAR 2011
-- LAST YEAR, JUST SENDED JUST SENDED -- JUST ENDED
SEPTEMBER 30, WAS JUST SHOULD I
OF 1,300,000,000,000.
A SPENDING CUT OF $7 BILLION FOR
THIS YEAR IS A MERE PITTANCE IN
COMPARISON.
IN NO WAY IS IT EVEN CLOSE TO A
SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF THE
PROJECTED DEFICIT WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHICH
BEGAN OCTOBER 1.
WE'RE NOW AT HALLOWEEN.
WE STILL HAVEN'T PASSED THE
APPROPRIATIONS BILL FOR THE YEAR
WE'RE IN.
CONGRESS IS NOT PERFORMING
RESPONSIBLY.
IT JUST IS NOT.
WE HAVEN'T HAD A BUDGET P IN BUDGET IN OVER
THE MAJORITY LEADER, SENATOR
REID, SAID IT WOULD BE FOOLISH
TO HAVE A BUDGET.
NO WONDER THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
ARE UNHAPPY WITH US.
HOW CAN THIS BE?
WE ARE RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE.
WE'RE PROPOSING TO SPEND NEXT
YEAR $1,043,000,000,000 AND ACT
AS IF WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE
3W-8 $-- BY
$7 BILLION WHEN WE'RE HAVE OVER
YEAR.
THE BILL ALSO CONTAINS A NUMBER
OF WASHINGTON ACCOUNTING TRICKS
TO SWEEP NEW SPENDING UNDER THE
RUG.
IT'S FULL OF THE TYPICAL
GIMMICKS USED TO SHOVE MORE
SPENDING INTO A BILL THAT'S
ALREADY REACHED ITS SPENDING
LIMIT.
WE'VE REACHED OUR LIMIT.
I REMAIN AMAZED AT THE
CREATIVITY USED BY SPENDING TO
DEFEAT BUDGET LIMITS.
WOULD THAT THEY WOULD USE SUCH
CREATIVITY TO CONTROL SPENDING?
WOULD WE NOT BE SO MUCH BETTER
OFF?
I'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE
NEW AUTHORITY GRANTED BY THE
BUDGET CONTROL ACT TO DESIGNATE
AN ITEM AS A DISASTER, OUTSIDE
AND ABOVE THE BUDGET.
IT DOESN'T COUNT IF YOU CALL IT
DISASTER, AND TO SPEND THE MONEY
VOTE BY THE
SENATE TO DECLARE IT A DISASTER.
INDEED, UNTIL THE BUDGET CONTROL
ACT PASSED, YOU HAD TO HAVE 60
VOTES TO DECLARE SOMETHING A
DISASTER, TO GO ABOVE THE
THAT'S BEEN ELIMINATED.
THAT WAS CHANGED IN THIS BUDGET
CONTROL ACT THAT REDUCED CONTROL
OVER BUDGET.
IT REDUCED THE POWER OF THE
BUDGET TO CONTAIN SPENDING BY
ELIMINATING THIS END RUN, AT
LEAST USED TO HAVE TO HAVE 60
VOTES TO SPEND ABOVE THE BUDGET,
BY CALLING IT A DISASTER.
NOW YOU DON'T.
WHEN THEY FIRST FLOATED THIS
IDEA THAT THEY WERE GOING TO PUT
DISASTER SPENDING IN THE BILL
AND IN THE BUDGET, IT WAS GOING
TO BE AVERAGED OUT WHAT WE
NORMALLY SPEND, I THOUGHT THAT
WAS A GOOD IDEA.
THAT, WELL, WE KNOW ON AVERAGE
WE'VE BEEN SPENDING THIS MUCH
FOR DISASTERS.
LET'S PUT IT IN THE BUDGET AND
ONLY HAVE 60 VOTES, AND ONLY
SPEND ABOVE THAT IF IT MET THAT
STANDARD THAT WE TRADITIONALLY
THE IDEA WAS TO ARRANGE THE
AMOUNT OF DISASTER SPENDING AND
PUT IT IN THE BUDGET.
BUT IN THE SHELL GAME -- THAT'S
WASHINGTON -- THAT IS NOT WHAT
THE FINE PRINT DID.
THE BUDGET CONTROL ACT
ESTABLISHES IN EFFECT NOW A
SLUSH FUND TO SPEND MONEY ABOVE
THE BUDGET LIMITS, ELIMINATING
THE 60-VOTE REQUIREMENT FOR
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION.
THERE IS $3.2 BILLION IN
SPENDING UNDER THIS NEW
AUTHORITY THAT'S IN THIS BILL,
THE FIRST OF THE MULTIPLE MINI
AT THE RATE WE'RE GOING THE
SPENDING OF $11.3 BILLION FOR
DISASTER ESTABLISHED UNDER THE
BUDGET CONTROL ACT WILL BE
EXHAUSTED AND MORE EMERGENCY
SPENDING WILL BE NEEDED TO
FURTHER ADDRESS LEGITIMATE
DISASTER NEEDS.
BUT THERE WILL BE NO NEED FOR 60
VOTES TO DO SO.
THAT VOTE HAS BEEN ELIMINATED.
IN ADDITION, THE BILL USES
ANOTHER GIMMICK TO RESCIND
DISCRETIONARY APPROPRIATIONS
PROVIDED IN PRIOR YEARS THAT FOR
ONE REASON OR ANOTHER CAN NO
LONGER BE SPENT FOR THEIR
THAT IS THE BILL RESCINDS BUDGET
AUTHORITY THAT C.B.O. ESTIMATES
WILL NOT RESULT IN ANY CASH
SAVINGS OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS.
RATHER THAN LETTING THE
APPROPRIATIONS LAPSE AND SAVING
THIS MONEY AND BEING THANKFUL WE
GOT THE PROJECT DONE AT LESS
THAN NORMAL, LESS THAN THE
PROJECTED COST, THIS BILL, AS
HAS BEEN DONE BEFORE, PRETENDS
TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND RESCINDS
WHICH IS THEN USED TO
PAY FOR THE SPENDING THAT WILL
IN FACT RESULT IN CASH
EXPENDITURES FROM THE TREASURY.
SO THIS ONE GIMMICK IN THIS BILL
WOULD ADD $131 MILLION IN
OFF-THE-BOOK SPENDING.
FINALLY, THE BILL FINDS SAVINGS
IN MANDATORY PROGRAMS THAT GAME
THE GOVERNMENT'S CASH FLOW AND
SCORE AS SAVINGS FOR THIS BILL,
BUT DON'T ACTUALLY REDUCE THE
COST TO THE TAXPAYERS.
THESE SO-CALLED CHANGES IN
MANDATORY PROGRAM SPENDING,
CHIMPS, TOTAL $8.5 BILLION IN
THIS BILL.
OF THAT AMOUNT AN ASTONISHING
BILLION RESULT IN NO
YEARS.
SOME OF THESE CHIMPS HAVING
GOING ON YEAR AFTER YEAR.
ONE EXAMPLE IS THE CRIME VICTIMS
FUND.
EVERY YEAR CONGRESS SAYS THAT
THE CRIME VICTIMS WILL GET THE
FUNDS THEY ARE DUE UNDER THE LAW
NEXT YEAR, WHICH, UNFORTUNATELY
FOR THE CRIME VICTIMS FUND, HAS
NOT YET ARRIVED SINCE THE ANNUAL
DEFERRAL BEGAN IN FISCAL YEAR
YEAR.
AND THERE SEEMS TO BE NO
PROSPECT THAT THIS RAID WILL
CONTINUE.
MEANWHILE, APPROPRIATORS GET TO
SPEND THE AMOUNT DEFERRED OVER
AND OVER AGAIN ENABLING EVER
SPENDING.
IT WOULD BE LIKE A FAMILY
DELAYING A SINGLE $500 HOME
REPAIR FOR TEN YEARS AND THEN
IN
SAVINGS, $500 EVERY YEAR THE
REPAIR DIDN'T TAKE PLACE.
IN THIS CASE, OVER THE PAST
THREE YEARS THE GIMMICK USED IN
THIS BILL HAS ENABLED $14
BILLION IN HIGHER SPENDING.
THE
SENATOR IS INFORMED WE'RE IN A
PERIOD OF MORNING BUSINESS FOR
T-PLTS ALLOTTED PER -- TEN
MINUTES ALLOTTED PER SENATOR HAS
I ASK FOR ONE
ADDITIONAL MINUTE TO CLOSE UP.
OBJECTION.
I'M UNABLE TO
SUPPORT THIS BILL BY ITS OWN
STANDARDS, IT FAILS.
IT REPRESENTS EVERYTHING THAT'S
WRONG WITH WASHINGTON TODAY.
IT CRAMS THREE BILLS INTO ONE
THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED
INDIVIDUALLY, CREATING A PROCESS
THAT CURTAILS DEBATE ON SPENDING
AT A TIME WHEN WE NEED MORE
DEBATE, NOT LESS.
FURTHER, IT DOES VIRTUALLY
NOTHING TO ADDRESS THE FISCAL
CRISIS THREATENING THIS COUNTRY.
IT TREATS SPENDING CAPS
ESTABLISHED EARLIER THIS SUMMER
MOST THAT CAN BE SAVED,
NOT AS THE STARTING POINT FOR
SAVING, AND THEN USES GIMMICKS
TO SPEND OVER AND ABOVE THAT
ADVERTISED LIMIT.
IT'S NOT A SERIOUS RESPONSE TO
THE EXPLOSIVE GROWTH IN FEDERAL
IT FALLS SHORT OF THE COMMITMENT
WE MUST MAKE TO HANDLE THE
TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS HONESTLY AND
RESPONSIBLY.
IT'S BUSINESS AS USUAL.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DESERVE
I THANK THE CHAIR AND YIELD THE
FLOOR.
MR. PRESIDENT?
SENATOR FROM MINNESOTA.
I RISE TODAY TO
TALK ABOUT A SERIOUS PUBLIC
HEALTH CRISIS FACING OUR NATION
AND TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE
IMPORTANT PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE
MADE TODAY.
WE ARE CURRENTLY KOPBL FRONTING
UNPRESS -- WE ARE CURRENTLY
CONFRONTING SHORTAGES OF
CRITICAL MEDICATIONS.
THESE DRUG SHORTAGES IMPACTED
PEOPLE ACROSS OUR COUNTRY
FORCING SOME PATIENTS TO DELAY
THEIR LIFESAVING TREATMENTS OR
USE UNPROVEN, LESS EFFECTIVE
CASES DRUG SHORTAGES
HAVE RESULTED IN PATIENTS NOT
BEING ABLE TO GET THE KIND OF
TREATMENT THAT THEY'VE GOTTEN IN
GIVING SLOW IN GETTING THEIR
TREATMENT AND GETTING LEFT
I'VE BEEN WORKING TO ADDRESS
THIS PROBLEM FOR OVER A YEAR
SINCE I FIRST HEARD FROM
HOSPITALS, PHARMACISTS AND
PATIENTS IN MINNESOTA THAT THEY
WERE FACING SHORTAGES OF
ESSENTIAL MEDICATIONS,
PARTICULARLY CHEMOTHERAPY DRUGS.
THEIR URGENCY LED ME TO SEND A
LETTER TO F.D.A. COMMISSION
HAMBURG TO TAKE ACTIONS TO
ADDRESS THIS PUBLIC CRISIS.
OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS I
CONTINUED TO RECEIVE CALLS AND
VISITS FROM CONSTITUENTS ASKING
HELP TO FIND MEDICATIONS IN
SHORT SUPPLY.
I WORKED WITH MANUFACTURERS,
STAKEHOLDERS AND THE F.D.A. TO
TRY TO FIND AN APPROPRIATE
SOLUTION TO ENSURE THAT PATIENTS
CONTINUED TO RECEIVE THE CARE
THAT THEY DESERVE AND THEY NEED.
I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT WHILE IN
SEVERAL CASES THE CRISIS WAS
AVERTED, THIS TOOK HOURS AND
INDIVIDUAL PHARMACISTS'
TIME.
AND AT A TIME WHEN WE ARE TRYING
TO BE AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE
IN OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, THE
LAST THING WE NEED IS TO HAVE A
DOCTOR OR A NURSE OR A
PHARMACIST SPENDING HALF A DAY
JUST LOOKING FOR MEDICATION
BECAUSE THERE IS A SHORTAGE.
IN FEBRUARY, I INTRODUCED THE
PRESERVING ACCESS TO LIFESAVING
MEDICATIONS ACT WITH SENATOR
THIS LEGISLATION, WHICH HAS
BIPARTISAN SUPPORT AND A TOTAL
OF 17 COSPONSORS, WOULD GIVE THE
FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION THE
ABILITY TO REQUIRE EARLY
NOTIFICATION FROM PHARMACEUTICAL
COMPANIES WHEN A FACTOR ARISES
THAT MAY RESULT IN A SHORTAGE.
AND TODAY THE PRESIDENT ISSUED
AN EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT ADOPTS
THIS FRAMEWORK FOR AN EARLY
NOTIFICATION SYSTEM.
THIS.
IT WILL PUSH DRUG COMPANIES TO
NOTIFY THE F.D.A. OF ANY
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.
IT WILL EXPAND THE F.D.A.'S
EFFORTS TO EXPEDITE REVIEW OF
MANUFACTURING SITES, DRUG
SUPPLIERS AND MANUFACTURING
CHANGES.
AND IT WILL DIRECT THE F.D.A. TO
WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE TO EXAMINE WHETHER DRUG
COMPANIES RESPONDED TO POTENTIAL
DRUG SHORTAGES OR OTHER THIRD
PARTIES HAVE ENGAGED IN
HOARDING MEDICATIONS OR RAISING
PRICES TO GOUGE CONSUMERS.
THIS ACTION WILL HELP FURTHER
REDUCE AND PREVENT DRUG
SHORTAGES, PROTECT CONSUMERS,
AND PREVENT PRICE GOUGING.
THIS STEP ENHANCES ACTIONS THAT
HAVE ALREADY BEEN TAKEN BY THE
F.D.A. AND IT PUTS IN PLACE
SHORTAGES.
MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS SOMETHING
YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T EVEN HEAR
ABOUT A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT THIS
YEAR WE'VE LEARNED THAT DRUG
SHORTAGES ARE HAVING A DIRECT
TOLL ON FAMILIES ACROSS AMERICA.
JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO I
MET A YOUNG BOY NAMED AXLE
ZERBES.
HE IS A CUTE FOUR-YEAR-OLD BOY
SMILE.
HE HAPPENS TO HAVE NO HAIR ON
HIS HEAD BECAUSE AXLE IS BEING
TREATED FOR LIEU *** I CAN'T.
HE WAS -- LEUKEMIA.
WHEN HE WAS SLATEED TO STA
CHEMOTHERAPY, HIS PARENTS
LEARNED A POTENTIAL DRUG MIGHT
NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR THEIR SON.
THEY ARE THROWN INTO A PANIC AND
DESPERATELY LOOKED FOR ANY
THEY EVEN PREPARED TO TAKE AXEL
TO CANADA WHERE CYTARIBEN IS
STILL READILY AVAILABLE.
IMAGINE YOU'RE PARENTS TO A
FOUR-YEAR-OLD, FIND OUT HE HAS
LEUKEMIA, CAN'T GET A DRUG WHICH
IS COMMONPLACE AND YOU'RE
STARTING TO PREPARE TO FLY
CANADA BECAUSE OUR OWN COUNTRY
HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH THE SUPPLY
OF THIS DRUG.
FORTUNATELY HE NEVER HAD TO GO
TO CANADA.
AT THE LAST MINUTE THE HOSPITAL
WAS ABLE TO SECURE THE
MEDICATION FROM A PHARMACY THAT
STILL HAD A SUPPLY.
BUT AXEL AND HIS PARENTS SADLY
ARE NOT ALONE.
THERE WERE 178 DRUG SHORTAGES
REPORTED IN 2010.
KEEP IN MIND, MR. PRESIDENT,
THESE ARE NOT INDIVIDUAL STORIES
LIKE AXEL'S.
THESE ARE ACTUAL DRUGS, 178
DIFFERENT DRUGS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY BASICALLY AFFECTING
MILLIONS OF PATIENTS THAT HAD
DRUG SHORTAGES IN 2010.
THAT IS A DRAMATIC INCREASE FROM
JUST FIVE YEARS AGO.
55 SHORTAGES JUST FIVE YEARS
AGO.
THINK OF THAT INCREASE.
FOR SOME OF THESE DRUGS, NO
SUBSTITUTE DRUGS ARE AVAILABLE.
OR IF THEY ARE, THEY ARE LESS
EFFECTIVE AND THEY MAY INVOLVE
GREATER RISKS OF ADVERSE SIDE
THE CHANCE OF MEDICAL ERRORS
ALSO RISES AS PROVIDERS ARE
FORCED TO USE DRUGS THEY ARE NOT
FAMILIAR WITH.
A SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE
AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
SHOWED THAT NEARLY 100% OF THEIR
HOSPITALS EXPERIENCED A SHORTAGE
IN THE PAST YEAR.
ANOTHER SURVEY CONDUCTED BY
PREMIER HEALTH SYSTEM SHOWED
THAT 89% OF ITS HOSPITALS AND
PHARMACISTS EXPERIENCE SHORTAGES
HAVE CAUSED MEDICATION
SAFETY ISSUE OR AN ERROR IN
PATIENT CARE.
WE WANT TO BE DOING THE
OPPOSITE, MR. PRESIDENT.
WE WANT TO BE REDUCING ERRORS.
WE WANT TO BE GETTING PATIENTS
THE HELP THAT THEY NEED.
IT IS CLEAR THAT THERE ARE A
LARGE NUMBER OF OVERLAPPING
FACTORS THAT ARE RESULTING IN
UNPRECEDENTED SHORTAGES.
EXPERTS CITE A NUMBER OF FACTORS
THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE.
THESE INCLUDE MARKET CON
PROBLEMS AND PRODUCTION DELAYS,
UNEXPECTED INCREASES IN DEMAND
FOR A DRUG, INABILITY TO PROCURE
RAW MATERIALS AND EVEN THE
INFLUENCE OF THE GRAY MARKET,
WHERE PEOPLE ARE BASICALLY
HOARDING THESE DRUGS WHEN THEY
FIND OUT THAT THERE COULD BE A
SHORTAGE AND THEN UPPING THE
PRICES AS IF THINGS WEREN'T BAD
FINANCIAL DECISIONS IN THE
PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY ARE ALSO
A MAJOR FACTOR.
MANY OF THESE MEDICATIONS ARE IN
SHORT SUPPLY BECAUSE COMPANIES
HAVE SIMPLY STOPPED PRODUCTION.
THEY DECIDED IT WASN'T
PROFITABLE ENOUGH TO KEEP
PRODUCING THEM.
INSTEAD OF THE LOWER-PRICED AND
LOWER-PROFIT GENERIC DRUGS,
COMPANIES ARE LOOKING AT MORE
EXPENSIVE BRAND NAME DRUGS.
MERGES IN THE DRUG INDUSTRY
NARROWED THE FOCUS OF PRODUCT
AS A RESULT, SOME PRODUCTS ARE
DISCONTINUED OR PRODUCTION IS
MOVED TO DIFFERENT SITES,
WHEN DRUGS ARE MADE BY ONLY A
FEW COMPANIES, MR. PRESIDENT, A
DECISION BY ONE DRUG COMPANY CAN
HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON THE
MARKET.
TO HELP CORRECT A POOR MARKET
ENVIRONMENT OR TO PREVENT GRAY
MARKET DRUGS FROM CONTAMINATING
OUR MEDICATION SUPPLY CHAIN, WE
MUST ADDRESS THE DRUG SHORTAGE
PROBLEM AT ITS ROOT.
THE EARLY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM
THAT WOULD BE ESTABLISHED UNDER
THE PRESERVING ACCESS TO
LIFESAVING MEDICATIONS ACT AND
THE PRESIDENT'S EXECUTIVE ORDER
THAT IS ADVANCED TODAY WILL HELP
THE F.D.A. TAKE THE LEAD IN
WORKING WITH PHARMACY GROUPS,
DRUG MANUFACTURERS, AND HEALTH
CARE PROVIDERS TO BETTER MANAGE
FOR IMPENDING SHORTAGES MORE
EFFECTIVELY MANAGE SHORTAGES
WHEN THEY OCCUR AND MINIMIZE THE
IMPACT ON PATIENT CARE.
WHAT DOES THIS REALLY MEAN?
JUST SO YOU KNOW, THE F.D.A.
ALREADY DOES THIS WITH ORPHAN
DRUGS WHEN THERE IS JUST ONE
DRUG AND THE DRUG MANUFACTURER
THINKS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO RUN
OUT OF THE DRUG.
THEY DO TELL THE F.D.A.
SO THE F.D.A. CAN STEP IN AND
MAYBE LOOK INTERNATIONALLY FOR
ANOTHER DRUG.
VIRUS.
THEY ARE ALLOWED TO DO THAT NOW
BUT MANUFACTURERS ARE NOT
REQUIRED TO DO THAT IN SOME OF
THE SITUATIONS WHERE WE'RE
SHORTAGE.
THAT'S WHAT OUR AMENDMENT DOES.
IT SAYS IF YOU SEE A DRUG
SHORTAGE COMING DOWN THE PIKE,
YOU HAVE TO LET THE F.D.A. NOW.
YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH THE F.D.A.
BECAUSE THEY HAVE SUCCESSFULLY
AVERTED DOZENS OF DRUG SHORTAGES
THIS YEAR.
SO WE DON'T PRETEND THIS IS
GOING TO SOLVE EVERYTHING,
MR. PRESIDENT, BUT IT'S AT LEAST
SOMETHING WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW
WHICH WILL GIVE THE F.D.A. THE
POWER TO GO IN THERE AND WORK
WITH THE DRUG MANUFACTURERS AND
TRY TO FIND OTHER SOURCES SO THE
PERSON ISN'T DOING THAT IS THE
PARENT OF A FOUR-YEAR-OLD KID
WITH LEUKEMIA OR A PHARMACIST
WHO IS TRYING TO SERVE CUSTOMERS
AT HIS PHARMACY OR A DOCTOR WHO
IS TRYING TO TREAT PATIENTS AND
SHE HAS TO GET ON THE PHONE AND
CALL A BUNCH OF HOSPITALS TO TRY
TO FIND A DRUG.
THIS SIMPLY DOESN'T MAKE ANY
THIS IS A NATIONAL PROBLEM, NOT
A PROBLEM FOR A 4-YEAR-OLD BOY.
OUR LEGISLATION WOULD ALSO
DIRECT THE F.D.A. TO PROVIDE UP
TO DATE PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF
ANY ACTUAL SHORTAGE SITUATIONS
AND THE ACTIONS THE AGENCY WOULD
TAKE TO ADDRESS IT.
ADDITIONALLY, THE BILL REQUIRES
THE F.D.A. TO DEVELOP AN
EVIDENCE-BASED LIST OF DRUGS
VULNERABLE TO SHORTAGES AND TO
WORK WITH THE MANUFACTURERS TO
COME UP WITH A CONTINUITY OF
OPERATIONS PLAN TO ADDRESS
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS THAT MAY
RESULT IN A SHORTAGE, AND THE
BILL WOULD ALSO DIRECT THE
F.D.A. TO ESTABLISH AN EXPEDITED
REINSPECTION PROCESS FOR
SHORTAGE.
THIS WOULD ALLOW THEM TO GET
INSPECTED SOONER SO WE COULD GET
THE DRUGS TO MARKET.
WITH MANUFACTURERS PROVIDING
EARLY NOTIFICATION, THE F.D.A.'S
DRUG SHORTAGE TEAM WHICH ALREADY
EXISTS CAN THEN APPROPRIATELY
USE THEIR TOOLS TO PREVENT
SHORTAGES FROM HAPPENING.
AS I MENTIONED, IN THE LAST TWO
YEARS, THE F.D.A. WITH EARLY
NOTIFICATION AND MORE
INFORMATION HAS SUCCESSFULLY
PREVENTED 137 DRUG SHORTAGES, SO
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ACTUALLY
WORKS.
WHILE THE PRESIDENT'S EXECUTIVE
ORDER TAKES STEPS TOWARD
ADVANCING THESE GOALS, HE HAS
MADE CLEAR THAT WE MUST PASS
THIS BILL IN ORDER TO PROTECT
PATIENTS AND ENSURE CONSUMERS
THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THE
LIFE-SAVING MEDICATIONS THAT
THEY NEED AND DESERVE.
SO THE EXECUTIVE ORDER HELPS,
BUT WE STILL NEED TO PASS THIS
I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS MAY BE A
SHORT-TERM SOLUTION TO A
THAT'S WHY I HAVE ALSO BEEN
WORKING WITH SEVERAL OF MY
COLLEAGUES ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS
TO COME UP WITH A BROAD,
SOLUTION, ONE THAT
INCLUDES METHODS TO ADDRESS THE
ROOT CAUSES OF DRUG SHORTAGES.
THIS INCLUDES SENATOR McCAIN
AND SENATOR CORKER, AND IT
INCLUDES SENATOR BURR, AND I
ALSO SEE SENATOR BLUMENTHAL HERE
WHO HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS
WE HAVE BASICALLY SENATORS
INCLUDING SENATOR CASEY AND
OTHERS WORKING WITH THE HEALTH
COMMITTEE WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING
TO GET THIS DONE.
AT THE URGING OF THIS BIPARTISAN
WORKING GROUP, THE F.D.A. HELD A
PUBLIC WORKSHOP IN SEPTEMBER
THAT BROUGHT TOGETHER PATIENT
ADVOCATES, CONSUMER GROUPS,
HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS AND
RESEARCHERS TO DISCUSS THE
CAUSES AND THE IMPACT OF DRUG
SHORTAGES AND POSSIBLE
STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTING OR
MITIGATING FUTURE SHORTAGES.
IN ADDITION TO THE WORK GROUP, I
HAVE BEEN SPEAKING WITH A BROAD
RANGE OF STAKEHOLDERS TO TRY TO
DISCOVER WHY WE HAVE SEEN SUCH A
LARGE NUMBER OF DRUG SHORTAGES
THAT WE HAVE NOT SEEN IN THE
THE FACTS DON'T LIE, THE NUMBERS
HAS BEEN AN ENORMOUS
INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DRUG
SHORTAGES.
THIS CURRENT EXPLOSION OF
SHORTAGES APPEARS TO BE A
CONSEQUENCE OF A LACK OF SUPPLY
OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS TO KEEP UP
WITH A SUBSTANTIAL EXPANSION IN
THE SCOPE AND DEMAND FOR THESE
PRODUCTS.
DUE TO THE COMPLEX NATURE OF
THESE DRUG SHORTAGES, THERE IS
NO SINGLE OR SIMPLE SOLUTION
THAT WILL SOLVE ALL PROBLEMS.
A SOLUTION WILL REQUIRE EVERYONE
INVOLVED TO PLAY A ROLE IN
SHORTAGES.
WE MUST ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE
MANUFACTURING CAPABILITIES TO
KEEP UP WITH DEMAND.
ONE SOLUTION MAY BE TO PROVIDE
TAX INCENTIVES TO INCENTIVIZE
MANUFACTURERS TO CONTINUE TO
MAKE DRUGS THAT ARE ON THE
SHORTAGE LIST OR TO PROVIDE
OTHER MARKET INCENTIVES SUCH AS
INCLUDING EXCLUSIVITY PRICING
SIMILAR TO THOSE THAT WE GIVE TO
MANUFACTURERS WHO MAKE ORPHAN
DRUGS.
IN ADDITION, I HAVE URGED THE
F.D.A. TO IMPROVE THEIR
PROVIDERS.
THIS WILL ENSURE THAT PATIENTS
AND DOCTORS ARE NOT THE LAST TO
IS A SHORTAGE.
I ALSO FAVOR PERMANENT
REIMPORTATION OF DRUGS FROM SAFE
COUNTRIES LIKE CANADA.
NOT EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS
ISSUE THINKS THAT IS A GOOD
IDEA, BUT I CAN TELL YOU IF WE
WERE TO ALLOW THAT, THAT LITTLE
4-YEAR-OLD BOY WOULDN'T HAVE HAD
TO START LOOKING AT FLIGHTS TO
CANADA.
ONE THING IS CLEAR -- THIS IS A
NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS
THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED.
THE PRESIDENT'S ACTIONS TODAY
WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TOOLS TO
ADDRESS DRUG SHORTAGES, BUT MORE
MUST BE DONE.
I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH MY
COLLEAGUES IN THE BIPARTISAN
WORKING GROUP FOR A BROAD,
I WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO WORK
WITH SENATOR CASEY, WITH YOU,
MR. PRESIDING OFFICER, AND WITH
ALL OF THE OTHER SENATORS
INVOLVED IN THIS INCLUDING
SENATOR SUSAN COLORADO INTENSE
GET OUR LEGISLATION PASSED.
IT IS COMMON SENSE, IT IS NOT
OVER THE TOP, IT SIMPLY TAKES A
TOOL THAT'S USED NOW TO AVERT
DRUG SHORTAGES FOR ORPHAN DRUGS
AND EXPANDS IT SO THAT OTHER
DRUG MANUFACTURERS WHEN THEY
HAVE DRUGS THAT ARE GOING TO
EXPERIENCE A SHORTAGE ARE
REQUIRED TO NOTIFY THE F.D.A.,
AND IT JUST GIVES THE F.D.A. A
LITTLE EXTRA TIME, WHETHER IT'S
ONE MONTH, WHETHER IT'S SIX
MONTHS, WHETHER IT'S A YEAR, TO
LOOK FOR THE DRUG IN OTHER
LOCATIONS.
AND I THINK I ALSO -- IT ALSO
WOULD GIVE US SOME INSIGHT INTO
WHAT ACTUALLY IS GOING ON HERE
SO WE CAN FIX THIS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
I YIELD THE FLOOR.
THE
SENATOR FROM NEBRASKA.
MR. PRESIDENT, I
RISE TODAY TO HONOR A FALLEN