[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 183 (Thursday, December 1, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8084-S8085]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           DR. DONALD BERWICK

  Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I want to take a few minutes to commend 
Dr. Donald Berwick for his service as Administrator of the Centers for 
Medicare and Medicaid Services and also to express my deep 
disappointment that his nomination was blocked by a minority of 
Senators.
  CMS, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, has benefitted 
greatly from Dr. Berwick's innovation and leadership, and the refusal 
of some Members to support confirming him for this position is 
difficult to understand.
  Dr. Berwick is widely recognized as a highly qualified leader in the 
realm of health care quality. But, unfortunately, many of my colleagues 
across the aisle adamantly opposed Dr. Berwick's tenure, beginning when 
he was first nominated by President Obama for this position in April of 
last year. Many of these objections are based on inaccurate accusations 
and sound bites that have been completely taken out of context.
  Dr. Berwick has the qualifications, expertise, and demonstrated 
leadership ability that CMS needs at this critical time. He is a 
pediatrician by training, Harvard professor, health care analyst, 
elected member of the Institute of Medicine, a leading advocate on 
health care quality and patient safety, and a cofounder of the 
Institute for Healthcare Improvement, which is a respected think tank 
that trains hospitals on how to increase patient safety and improve 
operations.
  Don Berwick has also written extensively, with there being more than 
120 scholarly articles he has authored or coauthored, along with 
several books, on the quality and efficiency of health care.
  Dr. Berwick is a true visionary. He has been an advocate for 
transparency and accountability within our health care system, and his 
distinguished career has made him the ideal candidate to lead the CMS 
at this critical time.
  It was due to Dr. Berwick's deep knowledge of health care, his vast 
experience, and his passion for this issue that his nomination 
originally won praise from across the political and professional 
spectrum. This includes Tom Scully and Mark McClellan, both former 
Administrators of CMS under President George W. Bush. They strongly 
endorsed his nomination. His nomination also had the support of Dr. 
Nancy Nielsen, who is the past president of the American Medical 
Association; John Rother, who is the former executive vice president of 
the AARP; and former Republican Senator from Minnesota, our former 
colleague, Dave Durenberger. In fact, Newt Gingrich even saluted Dr. 
Berwick for seeking a ``dramatically safer, less expensive, and more 
effective system of health care.''
  During his tenure as CMS Administrator--the few months he has been in 
that position--Dr. Berwick has been able to implement impressive 
reforms, including launching the new CMS Innovation Center, which will 
test new health care delivery models that emphasize primary care and 
innovative ways to finance health care.
  He has also instituted a financial incentives program for physicians 
who use electronic health records. And generally, he has set the tone 
for health reform to take root and to provide Americans with 
affordable, high-quality health care in a cost-efficient manner.
  To be perfectly clear, I am not in any way suggesting that I do not 
continue to have enthusiasm for the President's recent nominee to 
replace Dr. Berwick. From all I know of this nominee, she will do an 
excellent job. But I am frustrated that an eminently qualified public 
servant is being denied the opportunity to continue serving the 
American people in this important position. There is no valid 
justification for denying him that opportunity.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The majority's time has expired.
  Mr. BINGAMAN. I ask unanimous consent for an additional minute.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. BINGAMAN. John McDonough of the Boston Globe, in his commentary 
on the response to Don Berwick's nomination, wrote:

       One of [health care's] most distinguished leaders and 
     voices got mugged by partisan Republicans who know better and 
     who got away with it.

  I am truly disappointed that certain Senators have pledged to block 
his nomination and that he has chosen to resign his position effective 
tomorrow.
  Our task now is to assess the new nominee the President has sent us. 
I hope Members can come together to do what is right in this 
circumstance; that is, to quickly confirm an Administrator for this 
very important position.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Indiana.
  Mr. COATS. Mr. President, it is my understanding that I have 20 
minutes of time allotted under morning business.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under the previous order, each 
Senator has 10 minutes to speak.
  Mr. COATS. All right. Mr. President, I do not think I will use all of 
those 20 minutes. I might ask for 10 additional

[[Page S8085]]

minutes. I will use the 10 minutes, but I may need to ask for some 
additional time if it works out and others are not waiting.

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