[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 11, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S292-S293]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 175. Mr. WYDEN (for himself, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Brown, and Ms. 
Klobuchar) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the 
concurrent resolution S. Con. Res. 3, setting forth the congressional 
budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2017 and 
setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2018 
through 2026; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       Beginning on page 45, strike line 2 and all that follows 
     through page 46, line 14 and insert the following:

     SEC. 2000. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) Total annual drug spending in the United States is 
     projected to reach more than $500,000,000,000 by 2018.
       (2) One out of five Americans age 19 to 64 cannot afford to 
     fill their prescriptions.
       (3) Spending on prescription drugs in the United States 
     grew by 12 percent in 2014, faster than in any year since 
     2002.
       (4) Medicare part D drug spending was $90,000,000,000 in 
     2015, and is expected to increase to $216,000,000,000 by 
     2025.
       (5) Medicare part B drug spending also more than doubled 
     between 2005 and 2015, increasing from $9,000,000,000 in 2005 
     to $22,000,000,000 in 2015.
       (6) In 2014, prescription drug spending in Medicaid 
     increased by 24 percent.
       (7) During the Presidential campaign, the President-elect 
     said, "When it comes time to negotiate the cost of drugs, 
     we're going to negotiate like crazy, folks" and his campaign 
     website said that, ``allowing consumers access to imported, 
     safe and dependable drugs from overseas will bring more 
     options to consumers.''.
       (8) After being elected, the President-Elect said, ``I'm 
     going to bring down drug prices. I don't like what's happened 
     with drug prices.''.
       (9) On January 11, 2017, the President-elect said, ``We 
     have to create new bidding procedures for the drug industry, 
     because they are getting away with murder.''.

     SEC. 2001. RECONCILIATION IN THE SENATE.

       (a) Committee on Finance.--The Committee on Finance of the 
     Senate shall report changes in laws within its jurisdiction 
     to reduce the deficit by not less than $1,000,000,000 for the 
     period of fiscal years 2017 through 2026.
       (b) Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.--
     The Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of 
     the Senate shall report changes in laws within its 
     jurisdiction to reduce the deficit by not less than 
     $1,000,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2017 through 
     2026.
       (c) Requirement.--Changes in laws reported by such 
     Committees shall bring down the price of drugs as promised by 
     the President-Elect.
       (d) Submissions.--In the Senate, not later than January 27, 
     2017, the Committees named in subsections (a) and (b) shall 
     submit their recommendations to the Committee on the Budget 
     of the Senate. Upon receiving all such recommendations, the 
     Committee on the Budget of the Senate shall report to the 
     Senate a reconciliation bill carrying out all such 
     recommendations without any substantive revision.

     SEC. 2002. RECONCILIATION IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

       (a) Committee on Energy and Commerce.--The Committee on 
     Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives shall 
     submit changes in laws within its jurisdiction to reduce the 
     deficit by not less than $1,000,000,000 for the period of 
     fiscal years 2017 through 2026.
       (b) Committee on Ways and Means.--The Committee on Ways and 
     Means of the House of Representatives shall submit changes in 
     laws within its jurisdiction to reduce the deficit by not 
     less than $1,000,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2017 
     through 2026.

[[Page S293]]

       (c) Requirement.--Changes in laws reported by such 
     Committees shall bring down the price of drugs as promised by 
     the President-Elect.
       (d) Submissions.--In the House of Representatives, not 
     later than January 27, 2017, the committees named in 
     subsections (a) and (b) shall submit their recommendations to 
     the Committee on the Budget of the House of Representatives 
     to carry out this section.
                                 ______