[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 130 (Tuesday, October 17, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1805]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                   TRIBUTE TO CONGRESSMAN TOM BLILEY

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. FORTNEY PETE STARK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 12, 2000

  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I am going to miss Tom Bliley. He has been 
wonderful to work with--always a man of his word, always a gentleman, 
consistent and honorable in his philosophical approach to government.
  We worked together as Chairman and Ranking Member of the old House 
District of Columbia Committee on a bipartisan basis, reflecting the 
joint agreement among liberal and the conservative ideas that there 
should be minimal interference in the internal, local affairs of a 
group of U.S. citizens who do not have all the rights and privileges of 
the rest of the nation.
  This year, we have worked together to expose the outrageous behavior 
of some of the nation's largest pharmaceutical manufacturers in abusing 
Medicare, Medicaid, private insurers, and patients through falsified 
pricing data. The drug companies are huge contributors to both parties, 
but Chairman Bliley has subpoenaed and exposed internal company 
documents that describe a conspiracy against the American people by 
companies like Glaxo, Pharmacia, and others. I know there was 
tremendous pressure not to expose these documents, but Chairman Bliley 
did the right thing.
  The Nation will miss, I will miss Chairman Bliley's courtly, quiet 
presence, and I hope he will stay in contact with us in the years 
ahead.

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