[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16136-16137]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               THE REPUBLICANS' PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT

  (Mr. DeFAZIO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)

[[Page 16137]]


  Mr. DeFAZIO. How can the Republicans spend $400 billion on a 
prescription drug benefit that will impose costs without benefits on 
many seniors and a totally inadequate benefit for those most in need? 
We start with the premise that, first and foremost, the plan is 
designed to protect and enhance the profits of the pharmaceutical 
industry and the private insurance industry. Yes, seniors will be 
pushed into a confusing maze of PPO, HMO, discount card, private 
insurance plans, no limit on premiums, no limit on profits, and no 
required benefits. Very expensive. The pharmaceutical industry will 
prevent the reimportation of their manufactured U.S. drugs from Canada, 
and they are going to protect the obscene prices they get for their 
drugs.
  This plan will do a great job protecting the profits of the 
pharmaceutical industry and the insurance industry but pitifully little 
for our Nation's seniors, those so much in need. But so it should be. 
The insurance and pharmaceutical industries are the number one and 
number two campaign contributors to the Republican Party.

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