[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 203 (Monday, December 16, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7037-S7038]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020--CONFERENCE 
                            REPORT--Resumed

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the Senate will 
resume consideration of the conference report to accompany S. 1790, 
which will be stated by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       The committee of conference on the votes of the two Houses 
     on the amendment of the House to the bill (S. 1790) to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2020 for military 
     activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
     construction, and for defense activities of the Department of 
     Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such 
     fiscal year, and for other purposes, having met, have agreed 
     that the Senate recede from its disagreement to the amendment 
     of the House and agree to the same with an amendment and the 
     House agree to the same, signed by a majority of the 
     conferees on the part of both Houses.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Iowa.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to address the 
Senate for 1 minute as in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I recently heard from an 81-year-old 
Iowan who is battling cancer. She told me that one test cost more than 
$12,700. That is almost an entire year's income for that lady. On top 
of that, her medication is more than $4,700 a month. She is on Humana 
and Medicare, but that is not enough for her to still afford her 
medical bills.
  Too many Americans share this Iowan's story. That is why we must pass 
the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act, to finally help Americans 
afford the critical medications they need.
  The bill I just named is a bipartisan bill sponsored by this Senator 
and Democratic Senator Wyden. It got voted out of committee 19 to 9 
back in July.
  We have the good fortune that the House of Representatives 
understands that the pricing of prescription drugs is a major problem. 
They passed a bill last week. I applaud them for taking up this issue. 
It so happens that the bill they passed probably can't get anywhere 
near 60 votes in the U.S. Senate, so I hope we will have an opportunity 
to sit down with Speaker Pelosi and other House Members to see what we 
can work out to do something about the high cost of prescription drugs 
for the citizens of this country. Every Member of this body hears from 
their constituents that they don't like the fantastic increase in 
prices of drugs that occurs on a regular basis.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Lankford). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.


                        Tribute to Doug Connolly

  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, today I rise to pay tribute to our 
longtime Democratic Policy Communications Committee staff member, Doug 
Connolly, who will be retiring at the end of the month with an 
impressive 33 years of working for the committee and working for the 
Senate. I am pleased to have Doug with me today on the floor.
  For a moment, think back to 1986. A couple of top songs that year 
were ``Stuck With You'' by Huey Lewis and the News and ``Manic Monday'' 
by the Bangles. The top movie that year was ``Top Gun,'' and the 
average price of a movie ticket was $3.71. I don't know if we remember 
those, but it has been a while.

[[Page S7038]]

  In Washington, the Senate voted to allow its proceedings to be 
televised on C-SPAN that year. A young graduate of the University of 
Michigan and veteran of Paul Simon's first Senate campaign began 
working for what was then called the Democratic Policy Committee.
  A lot of things have changed since then. We are all a little bit 
older, and C-SPAN has broadcast more than a few hours of Senate floor 
proceedings. However, one thing hasn't changed: Doug is still as 
dedicated to public service as he was on his first day of work 33 years 
ago. I have been personally so impressed by Doug's work ethic, though 
not surprised. After all, he grew up in a hard-working auto family in 
Rochester, MI.

  Over the years, Doug's work ethic has benefited a number of folks you 
have heard of, including Senator Robert Byrd, Senator Tom Daschle, 
Senator Byron Dorgan, Senator Chuck Schumer, and Senator Harry Reid, 
whose website he designed.
  Doug's computer skills are legendary and haven't just benefited the 
Democratic caucus. They have benefited the Nation as a whole. Doug 
actually wrote the computer program that the Senate Library and the 
Senate Historian rely on to keep track of votes. That is important 
information for the American public to know.
  Thanks to Doug, we know that since Doug has worked in the Senate, 
there have been 11,114 votes cast. Only Senator Leahy, Senator 
Grassley, and Senator McConnell have been around long enough to have 
cast all of them.
  When Doug isn't crunching numbers, he is a voracious reader and a 
devoted father and husband. He is extremely proud of his children. His 
son Nick is getting his doctoral degree in mathematics at the 
University of Iowa. His daughter Caitlin earned her degree in 
anthropology from St. Mary's College in Maryland and is an intern with 
the Smithsonian Institution.
  Doug's wife Brenda has him slightly beat on career longevity. She has 
worked in the House of Representatives for 34 years, and every day Doug 
walks over to the House side so that they can have lunch together. 
Pretty soon, however, their lunch dates might be on a beach. Doug is 
retiring this month, and he hopes to be spending a lot of time scuba 
diving in the Caribbean.
  Doug, thank you so much for your hard work, your creativity, and your 
33 years of public service. The committee has been incredibly lucky to 
have you, and all of us will miss working with you. I think it is 
fitting that after more than three decades of spending so much time 
reading the Congressional Record, now your name will be in it. We all 
wish you and your family much happiness in your next chapter.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


                   Recognition of the Majority Leader

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader is recognized.

                          ____________________