[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 15651]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           A PRODUCTIVE WEEK

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, as I mentioned earlier, we have had a 
productive week. We have moved forward and we have debated and we have 
amended the prescription drug Medicare bill. We have discussed such 
issues as asset testing, generic drugs, and appropriate premiums. 
Yesterday we discussed drug reimportation and the issue surrounding 
pharmacies and mail order prescriptions. We have made good progress 
over the last 5 days on this legislation. I want to express my sincere 
appreciation to my colleagues for their attention and for their very 
diligent participation. If we look back over the last several days, we 
see some other things we have been able to accomplish at the same time 
we have been on this bill.
  Indeed, the Senate has had H.R. 389, which will help increase public 
access to defibrillation in schools. We passed a series of bills 
reported by Chairman Domenici and the Energy Committee relating to 
historic sites and trails to watershed studies and to recreation areas. 
We passed S. 1276, which strengthens the AmeriCorps program and allows 
our national volunteer program to be more efficient.
  This week we were able to adopt a conference report to accompany S. 
342, the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act. This bill will assist 
in the dissemination of information of child abuse programs and the 
availability of psychological services for child victims.
  The Senate also agreed to conference with the House on the child tax 
credit legislation, allowing that bill to move forward and differences 
between this body and the House to be worked out.
  Lastly--this reminds me that on tomorrow, summer begins officially--
with the approach of summer, I would be remiss if I did not mention 
that the Senate passed S. 1015, the Mosquito Abatement for Safety and 
Health Act. This legislation authorizes grants for mosquito control 
programs to prevent mosquito-borne diseases.
  This morning--again, I have great delight because it was on behalf 
and at the instigation of and with the leadership of my colleague from 
the great State of Tennessee, Senator Alexander, who brought forth the 
bill--the American History and Civics Education Act passed unanimously 
on a rollcall vote.
  Next week we will resume the prescription drug/Medicare bill, and 
hopefully we will pass that--not hopefully, I am confident we will pass 
that bill prior to the beginning of the July 4 recess.
  I thank all of my colleagues.

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