[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 107 (Thursday, June 22, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H5096]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         COMPENSATING VICTIMS WHO CONTRACTED FUNGAL MENINGITIS

  (Mr. BISHOP of Michigan asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BISHOP of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention 
to a national victim's compensation issue that must be treated with the 
urgency it deserves.
  Nearly one year ago, because of the work of the Members of this body, 
$40 million was made available to a victim's compensation program for 
people who had contracted fungal meningitis as a result of tainted NECC 
steroid injections distributed in 2012, which resulted in convictions 
with multiple people. That money was delivered to the Massachusetts 
Attorney General's Office 9 months ago, yet not a single claim has been 
paid.
  Mr. Speaker, these victims, many of whom are from my district, need 
justice. We are nearing the 5-year mark of this terrible outbreak, and 
families across America need this Congress to continue to fight for 
them.
  Against their own will, they became victims of this terrible tragedy, 
and they certainly do not need to also be victims of more bureaucratic 
red tape. Enough is enough. It is time to use these funds we secured 
and start compensating these victims.
  I stand ready, willing, and able to help in any way I can, but I urge 
the officials in Massachusetts to treat this matter like the priority 
it truly is.

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