[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 195 (Wednesday, December 19, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S15962]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                PREVENTION THROUGH AFFORDABLE ACCESS ACT

  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I thank my colleague from North Dakota 
for his graciousness. It is my understanding that there will be an 
objection to this unanimous consent request. At this point there is not 
someone on the floor to object, so I will briefly talk about what I am 
asking that we do, and then, as a courtesy to our colleagues on the 
other side, if we do not have someone here I will postpone the actual 
motion. But let me just say, because I want to make sure I am only 
taking a moment--I know Senator Dorgan has some important words--let me 
just say I will be asking unanimous consent that S. 2347, the 
Prevention Through Affordable Access Act, be discharged and the Senate 
proceed to its consideration and pass it.
  Due to an unfortunate drafting mistake in last year's Deficit 
Reduction Act, some safety net providers, such as family planning 
clinics and other health centers, cannot receive contraception from 
drugmakers at nominal drug prices without violating Medicaid's best 
price rule. These are drugs that in fact are donated. Since this law 
became effective in January, the provision has been a tremendous 
hardship for women across America and has driven up the cost of 
contraception, family planning, by some 400 percent in some cases.
  Because of this, many women cannot afford their prescriptions, and 
clinics are being forced to close because they can no longer receive 
the donations they have traditionally received. This is sure to result 
in an unintended series of pregnancies among low-income women and 
students. This is very serious for women and families across America.
  Hundreds of articles have been published documenting the impact of 
this mistake. We understand our Republican colleagues have indicated 
this was a mistake. This has affected low-income women and families on 
college campuses nationwide. Some clinics stocked up early, but their 
supplies are running out. For too many clinics, especially in rural 
areas and on college campuses, they simply do not have enough resources 
to overcome this provision which, it was indicated, in fact was a 
technical drafting error. According to one family planning 
organization, over 200 clinics across 34 States serving half a million 
patients are at imminent risk of closing, and therefore women and their 
families lose these important health care facilities.
  In my own State, women in rural parts of Michigan will have limited 
or no access to contraception. I have already heard from rural health 
clinics, as well as universities, student clinics, how this provision, 
passed last year, is hurting women and potentially causing these 
centers to close. Again, this is essential health care for women that 
is at risk.
  I rise today to express my strong support for the Prevention Through 
Affordable Access Act. This bipartisan bill, introduced by Senator 
Obama and myself and nearly 30 other Senators, is a commonsense 
solution to a major problem affecting our Nation's family planning 
providers. Historically, Congress has expanded access to affordable 
prescription drugs for vulnerable populations in America by permitting 
pharmaceutical companies to offer what is called nominally priced 
drugs, drugs that are either donated or provided at dramatically 
reduced prices, to certain health care providers.
  What we are asking for today is merely a technical correction, to do 
the right thing. The Prevention Through Affordable Access Act will not 
cost the Government anything and merely will allow pharmaceutical 
companies that are willing to continue to donate drugs to safety net 
family planning clinics to do that.
  This is invaluable in terms of women's health care. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in doing the responsible thing by passing S. 2347 
now.
  Congress must act responsibly now to ensure that family planning 
services and birth control pricing are restored this year. For too many 
families across America, this is an urgent situation. Women cannot wait 
until next session to have this mistake corrected and affordable birth 
control returned.
  At this point we do not have someone, I understand, on the floor to 
address this from the other side, so I will delay actually asking for 
the unanimous consent until a later point. I do intend to do so. It 
would be my hope that, in fact, with such a large number of Senators 
supporting this effort we would be able to get this done today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from North Dakota.
  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, as we near the end of this first session I 
want to talk about a couple of things. I think perhaps today is the 
last day, maybe tomorrow, I do not know for certain, but most of the 
business that required votes was completed last evening by about 11 
o'clock.

                          ____________________