[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 81 (Friday, June 23, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S5719]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    THE MEDICARE OUTPATIENT DRUG ACT

  Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, as many of you know, I joined Senators 
Graham, Robb, Bryan, and others in introducing S. 2758, the Medicare 
Outpatient Drug Act of 2000 this past Tuesday.
  While I strongly support S. 2758 and urge my colleagues to support 
it, I was very troubled by the process in this Chamber last night. We 
talk a good game about wanting to pass legislation on a bipartisan 
basis. In fact, at a Centrist Coalition meeting earlier this week, many 
Senators from both sides of the aisle--led by the minority leader--were 
talking about how the two parties should be working together to produce 
a prescription drug bill for our Nation's seniors.
  However, the prescription drug amendment that we debated and voted on 
last night proved otherwise. It suggested that all the talk about 
bipartisanship is merely a facade. It was clear from the procedural 
wrangling that led to the vote on the Robb amendment that there is no 
intention by the Democratic leadership to work together to fashion a 
bipartisan compromise on a Medicare prescription drug bill.
  In fact, it is my understanding that minority leader told others not 
to let me--one of the author's of this bill--know about this motion 
ahead of time. That doesn't sound very bipartisan to me.
  Sadly, the amendment last night really undermines our ability to work 
toward a compromise to add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare. If 
we were really interested in producing a bipartisan bill that could be 
signed into law, we would be working together on a proposal rather than 
filing motions such as the one last night, which was destined to go 
down to partisan defeat.
  I had high hopes when I stood with Senators Graham, Robb, Bryan, and 
others on Tuesday and we announced the introduction of our Medicare 
Outpatient Drug Act. I had hopes that we would be able to work this 
bill through the legislative process, give this bill an airing at the 
Finance Committee, and work with Republicans and Democrats alike to 
fine-tune it into a product that the President could sign into law.
  I think most of us here would agree it is time to update the Medicare 
program to include a prescription drug benefit. I hear about this issue 
back in Rhode Island more than any other issue. The senior population 
in Rhode Island is the second largest in the Nation--second only to 
Florida. The seniors in my State constantly approach me about the high 
cost of their prescription drug bills. I expect most of us hear more 
about this issue from our constituents than any other.
  However, filing procedural motions that are doomed to failure is not 
the way to achieve this important goal. I am afraid that some on the 
opposite side of the aisle aren't really interested in passing a 
Medicare prescription drug bill this year--they would rather that we do 
nothing and use this issue to try to defeat some of us in the fall.
  Let's not hold the 39 million Medicare recipients in this country 
hostage to partisan politics.
  I believe the legislation I introduced with Senators Graham, Robb, 
Bryan, and others is one of the most responsible and comprehensive drug 
bills in Congress. And, more important, it would help relieve seniors 
of the growing burden of high prescription drug bills.
  However, while I support this legislation and regretfully voted in 
support of the Robb amendment last night because I am committed to 
passing a good prescription drug bill to help our Nation's seniors, I 
do not believe the exercise last night was constructive. Sadly, it was 
quite the opposite.
  I thank the Chair.
  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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