[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 195 (Wednesday, December 19, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S15992]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                PREVENTION THROUGH AFFORDABLE ACCESS ACT

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, since January, safety net clinics that 
provide basic health care services to women have been in a financial 
crisis. This happened because a provision in the Deficit Reduction Act 
of 2005 has inadvertently prohibited drug companies from providing the 
deep discounts to them on contraceptives. All year, hundreds of family 
planning clinics, university health centers and other safety net 
clinics have been unable to provide affordable contraception to their 
low-income constituency. Prices have skyrocketed in some instances from 
$5 a pack to $50 a pack. Already some colleges, including those in my 
home State of Massachusetts, have had to stop offering contraceptives. 
This crisis affects an estimated 3 million college women, and hundreds 
of thousands of low-income women who are finding birth control priced 
out of reach.
  The Prevention Through Affordable Access Act is a no-cost, technical 
fix that will restore nominal prices to these entities, and in turn 
ensure that university students and low-income women once again have 
access to affordable birth control. It will not cost the Federal 
Government a dime--but it will be invaluable to women's health.
  Thirty Senators have demonstrated their support for this fix S. 2347. 
Congress must act now to ensure that this problem is fixed this year 
and a continuing crisis is averted. Women have waited long enough. I 
urge passage of this important bill.

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