[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 7 (Friday, January 12, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H492]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        STANDING UP FOR SENIORS

  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the body that we stand in is 
the people's House. It is our obligation to address the grievances of 
the people who petition us. Thank goodness today, by reforming the 
prescription drug benefit part D, H.R. 4 addressed the grievances of 
millions and millions of seniors and small pharmaceutical companies or 
pharmacies.
  Seventy-five percent of the drug program is paid by taxpayers. Thank 
goodness that we worked today on behalf of seniors who have suffered 
for years facing that terrible doughnut hole. Thank goodness we are 
negotiating a cheaper price. Thank goodness we are doing like the 
veterans hospitals are doing for veterans. Thank goodness we have 
corrected that 6-hour open vote of sheer despair, of pressuring all of 
the Members of Congress to vote the way our Republican friends wanted 
them to do, which is vote the worst prescription drug benefit program 
we have ever had in America. We did a disservice to Medicare. Today we 
fixed it.
  I am glad for seniors we stood up so they could be heard.

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