Doug Collins

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Politics and drug stores and people. This is about politics. This is about people. It is those people. It is people. It is policy. What kinds of things have you heard, Mr. Loebsack?

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. It is baffling. That is why H.R. 244 simply says you have 7 days to update the list, number one. Number two, it says that patients will not be forced by PBMs to use a PBM-owned pharmacy, an obvious conflict of interest. And according to Medicare data, PBM on mail order pharmacies may charge plans more, as much as 83 percent more, to fill prescriptions than community pharmacies. Mr. Loebsack, you have been with us on this from day one. Tell me some more about what you are hearing out there.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. I thank my colleague. I do appreciate that. And that is the issue here: education. People can look in on this. They can hear what we are talking about. They can see this education part of it. This is found in every district. It is almost like veterans. There is no Member of Congress that doesn't have veterans' issues, because they come from every area. Every one of our districts has independent pharmacists. And as one told me just the other day, he said, if the condition doesn't change, they will be gone in a year and a half. I have had, even in my area, county governments who believe that they can cut their healthcare costs by going and taking the pharmacies and putting them with a PBM and centralizing it for county employees. They said that they would save X amount of dollars. And when I called my county commissioner and asked him about this, I said: You save this amount of money. But, I said: If you realize, if you take county employees out of the system, government operating this--and this is someone on my side of the aisle. I told him: You take government and put this in control, you are going to put pharmacies out of business. And I said: How much do you save when they have to lay off employees? They shutter their businesses, and you lose sales tax, property tax, and the peripheral income that comes with that. We have got to address it, and that is why we are here tonight. This educational process is important. When you come up through the legislative ranks--whether it is here in Congress or the State house, where I started, you meet folks who you learn to have a great deal of respect for, especially from the places that they have come and what they have done in the past. Buddy Carter, the Congressman from the southeast coastline of Georgia, is one of those who actually is a pharmacist. I think one of the things I want to emphasize tonight is--and some people might be saying: Why are you bashing pharmacists? We are not bashing pharmacists. Pharmacists are great. I love them. No matter where they work, it is the system that they are trapped in that is broken, that is hurting the individuals who need that care. So tonight we are going to have a great perspective from one in the profession who understands this firsthand, from owning those pharmacies, but also dispensing and taking care of patients. With that, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter) for his comments.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Loebsack, you hit it right. There are so many times we get to talking policy and big picture up here. The bottom line is what we do up here--and when I was in the State legislature, you could see it because you were a little bit closer--States are starting to pick up this mantle, as you just said, in Iowa and other States. But it goes back to that feeling of what I call security. Now, as I said just a few minutes ago, the pharmacist is not the issue. The pharmacist is someone who helps in the curing process. They are part of that. I don't want to ever have anyone who happened to watch this to say, ``Why are you bashing pharmacists?'' We are not bashing pharmacists. What we are taking shots at and what we are trying to find solutions for is an abusive practice that has been set up in the name of saving money at the expense of the patient. That is unacceptable. It is time we have a hearing up here on those kind of abuses. I call for that. I call for the bills to be brought to the floor. Let's do those kind of things. We have got 26 cosponsors and growing daily on H.R. 244. They are understanding the issue. As we go into this thing, one of the things that I talked about earlier and I said I was going to come back to was: Live your ``why.'' You know, think about this. I want everybody to have a choice. If you like going to the big box and getting your bananas, your shotgun shells, and your aspirin at the same place, go for it. That is great. I love it. But if you want to go to there and then go by and see your pharmacist who opened up, hung a shingle, so to speak, had that American Dream, he sells other things--and in my pharmacy I can get a scoop of ice cream and I sit there and talk and I see people and see life. That is what it is about. It is not about forcing us in. That is one of the problems that on our side we have had about health care in general. The government, that is not the place. This is an area where we have got our thumb sort of on the scale, and we have got to stop that. I think this is what does that, and your help has been tremendous in that regard. Congressman Carter, one of the things we see in Georgia and I know we have seen it in Iowa--in short, you have a story--I have got stories I am going to probably share a little bit later--just where this is has affected a patient. Several of my pharmacists talk about how they have had customers that have been coming to them for years and then get a disease that they can't keep the medicine because it is too expensive. Do you have some examples like that where this kind of legislation would help?

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to be here this evening. It is a good time to be back here on the floor tonight, especially after coming back from a week, I am always very pleased to go see home, be a part of folks who get outside this beltway, get outside where they get up in morning, they go to work, they do the things that families do and communities do, and they do so with a sense of purpose and work. I think tonight we are going to bring to light, during our time together, we are going to talk about some of the great folks, our American pharmacists and the battle that they carry on every day. They are true champions on the front lines of health care. Tonight we are going to be joined by several people. My good colleague from Georgia, Buddy Carter, is going to be here. Dave Loebsack from Iowa is going to be here as well. We will have many people come in and out. Over the next 60 minutes, I hope the words that we speak will encourage and inspire those who care for our constituents in their time of need. Back in 1925, the first celebration of National Pharmaceutical Week was held October 11-17. In 2004, American Pharmacists Month was launched to bring greater awareness to the expanding role of pharmacists in the healthcare system and recognize their unwavering commitment to patient care. On October 1, we celebrated Pharmacist Appreciation Day and participated in the third annual tweet-a-thon. This year, there were 7,214 tweets from 1,285 tweeters, and I wanted to share some of my favorite ones at this time. They say: Can you give me a flu shot through the drive-through? We do more than count pills. We ensure medication safety for our patients in a variety of settings. We save lives. We filled insulin for a patient after she was refused by the big box pharmacies. What does Batman have in common with your pharmacist? They save lives. I wanted to be a pharmacist because in my small town, doctors rotated in and out, but the pharmacist knew my community. Every year, the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists creates a national theme to encourage and advocate for the profession of pharmacy, and this year the theme is: Live your ``why.'' We are going to come back to that a lot tonight, Live your ``why.'' It is incredible to read the outpouring of stories from student pharmacists around the country. Hannah Holbrook is a pharmacy student at ULM, one of the most active and committed student pharmacist chapters in the Nation. She told a local paper: ``Even as students, we can be leaders and have impact on patients.'' I believe the next generation of pharmacists is going to do truly remarkable things that could radically transform patient care, but it won't happen unless Congress acts. We must act to level the playing field so independent and community pharmacists can not only compete, all they are asking for is a chance, and we need to make sure that we step up and do that. Tonight, like I said, we are going to share from many as we go tonight, but I want to start off with Representative Blum, who has come down to speak with us. He has got to run off on some other events, but we wanted to get you here tonight. We are glad that you are here to speak on this important issue for your community and others. I yield to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Blum).

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Go right ahead.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Thank you, Mr. Blum. I think what you have recognized are the struggles that are going on right now. And what I have found--I was speaking with a Member tonight from one of our Midwestern districts. It was on the floor as we were voting earlier. I started explaining what was going on in our independent pharmacies. This Member did not know. They had not had a chance to interact. They didn't know what was going on and the changes that were going on. So you being here tonight helps highlight that. I think as we educate Members, this is just an inequity that is in our healthcare system that needs to be fixed. I appreciate the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Blum) being here. There are many things that are talked about in our time up here. Many times, we talk about not being able to work together. This is an issue that draws us together. Mr. Loebsack and I have worked through two Congresses now on this issue. We are going to work on more together. It is my honor to yield to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Loebsack) to expound on this because we have been working on this for a while, and it is good to have you here tonight.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. I thank all of my colleagues for coming here tonight. I am going to go back to where we started: Live your ``why.'' Live your ``why.'' That is all we are asking. Our independent pharmacists and our community pharmacists are just simply saying: Let us have an even playing field. We will play with the big boys. We don't care. Just let us have our ``why.'' When we do that, our benefits come to our communities. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Carter, would you like to add just a couple of things?

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. When things change and when they say that we can't give input because we are scared, that is just a problem. We are coming up on our time of closing. Any last comments, Mr. Loebsack?

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. You may have heard this. I agree with you in that there are some great PBMs out there that do work. We are not just saying PBMs in general. The other thing that bothers me is--and I have heard this from my pharmacist, and you, I know, have experienced this, and we have talked about it, and Mr. Loebsack has as well--my pharmacists, my community pharmacists, are scared to say something. They are scared to talk about what is actually going on because they are scared their contracts will get canceled. They are scared that they will get another audit. I am sorry. I am not a pharmacist. You can't audit me, and I am going to stand here and talk about it for the pharmacists because they can't. That is wrong. Anybody who wants to say that that is right, I do not understand that; but when you have got pharmacists who are just honest, hardworking people who are trying to run independent businesses and when they are scared to talk about their vendors to work a workable plan, what are we doing here? This should be easy.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. May I jump in right here?

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. It is. If you are following and tracking, we can talk bills, and we can talk regulations, and those are great things; but the bottom line is what is best in the health care arena from the whole perspective. You did a great job, Representative Carter, about talking about the doctor and all the different agencies coming in together. I will never forget, when growing up, the story, for me, of, when you got to the pharmacist, you were getting better. One, I had gotten through the doctor's office--I had gotten my shot, or I had gotten whatever--but I had gotten to the pharmacist's. Just give me some medicine. Let me go home. Back then, there was some tasting bad stuff-- I don't know where that came from--but I remember going in, and they would take time, and they would care. Still, in my district and in many of your districts, you can go in and look at the community pharmacist who was on the square. A lot of them had lunch counters. A lot of them had other things. They sold cards and trinkets. What is amazing to me today is I do not want to see through consolidation and corporate work a system that has a fingerprint on the scale, where government has basically allowed this to happen--to start taking away the centerpieces of American squares. When you start taking away the centerpieces of squares and of lots and of communities, both big and small--when you start doing that--then we are part of the problem. It is time we started educating everybody we can. Do you see that?

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. We do question that.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. It does. Again, when you get into this, it is about people.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. I want to jump in right here on this, and if you have a story, we will talk about it. My own family member had an issue, and we were discussing medication. I knew the doctor--I could call--but my first call was to my pharmacist because I said I knew I could get him; I knew he would answer; and at the time--and what was amazing was--my parents didn't buy their drugs from him, but, yet, he picked up the phone, and he heard my complaint. Is that sort of what you see and what you have seen as well?

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Well, Mr. Scott, I don't disagree with you. I thank you for being here. You have been a great champion to this cause as well. I think the interesting thing here--I want to repeat--basically, what we are going back to is some simple fixes. We are not asking for one to be preferred over another one. I think exactly what the PBMs actually want is they want to prefer and they want to run you into their network and control you. And, by the way, most people don't realize that a lot of our community pharmacists have to buy from PBM, who operate other big box stores, who, in turn, then audit them and can fine them if they don't follow the plan exactly. These are the kind of crazy things that just obviously----

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my friend from Georgia and his passionate defense of what we are doing here tonight. Earlier this month many of my colleagues and I sent a letter to CMS in support of proposed guidance to ensure part D plan cosponsors consistently report pharmacy price concessions. That letter was led by fellow Georgian and a good champion of pharmacists, Austin Scott, and it is my pleasure to yield some time to him now.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it is important, I think, to come over here and discuss H.R. 1428, the Judicial Redress Act. Echoing a lot that has been said already, this is a great starting point for, really, a broader conversation about privacy rights and a conversation that is sorely needed. I supported this bill when it passed the Committee on the Judiciary unanimously, and I am proud to support it today. The bill extends the same rights afforded to Americans under the 1974 Privacy Act to citizens of certain allied nations. Importantly, only citizens of countries who extend similar rights to Americans for redress for privacy violations are eligible. As everyone here is aware, revelations about U.S. surveillance operations created serious trust issues, and both the government and tech sectors experienced a decline in that global trust. Advances in technology and innovation have made it possible and necessary for law enforcement to exchange information, but it should not be done at the expense of privacy rights. In order to restore global trust and ensure continued competitiveness for our thriving tech industry, we must work to restore consumers' faith that their data is secure in U.S. tech companies and their privacy rights are protected. The United States tech industry employed an estimated 6.5 million people in 2014 and made up a large 7.1 percent of the U.S. GDP, which is going to do nothing but grow. The free flow of transnational data is critical for the continued success of this industry that contributes in such a major way to our economy. We have to show our allies that they can be confident sharing data across the oceans and the various barriers. The Judicial Redress Act is a step toward regaining trust and rebuilding cooperation with our allies, ensuring that U.S. businesses can continue to grow and thrive internationally. H.R. 1428 is particularly important because the U.S. and the EU have negotiated the Data Protection and Privacy Agreement for the last 2 years. During the negotiations over the agreement, the EU Parliament and EU Commission made clear that the Safe Harbor Agreement would not be finalized absent U.S. enactment of a law to enable EU citizens to sue the U.S. Government for major privacy violations. With the European Court of Justice Ruling on the Safe Harbor Agreement, it is more important than ever that we create solutions that work for today's ever-changing tech industry, from the small companies to the household names. It is also critical that we work with our allies to create a clear standard for governing the privacy of personal information to ensure strong and cooperative exchanges between law enforcement. Laws and agreements written before many of today's innovations even existed are due for an update, and this bill is an important first step that I am proud to support. I am thankful that the chairman has brought it forward for this body to put its stamp on and send to the Senate so that it will be taken up and then sent to the President so that we will continue to move forward in the protection of privacy rights for all Americans and our companies.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate our nation's historic relationship with Taiwan on their 104th National Day. These occasions remind us to reflect on our past successes and look forward with renewed commitment to what we may accomplish together in the days and months ahead. Just last week, the United States House of Representatives expressed in a resounding and unified voice our support of the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act. In this Act, Congress declared its support of Taiwan through numerous policy provisions, including the new ``South China Sea Initiative''. It is more important now than ever, for this Administration to declare with a resounding voice that it joins with Congress in recognizing the importance of a vibrant bilateral relationship with Taiwan. We look forward with eager anticipation to Taiwan's exercise of democracy in their upcoming January elections. They are a model of freedom to a region plagued by instability and the heavy hand of government. The Taiwan Strait is of critical importance to our national and global security and both the United States and Taiwan must continue to prioritize investment in defense capabilities that will secure its peace. I congratulate Taiwan on their 104th National Day and ask for their continued partnership with the United States.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to the importance of the poultry industry to Georgia and the issue of highly pathogenic avian influenza. Georgia is the Nation's leading poultry-producing State, and my hometown of Gainesville proudly claims the title of ``chicken capital of the world.'' The poultry industry is critical to the Ninth District of Georgia and the State as a whole. The jobs of 138,000 Georgians depend on the poultry industry, and poultry represents almost half of Georgia's entire agriculture sector. Given the scale and importance of the industry to Georgia, it is critically important that adequate attention is paid to the potential threat of bird flu. We saw the devastating impact of a highly pathogenic AI outbreak earlier this year. It was the worst animal disease outbreak in U.S. history. Now, with birds migrating south for the winter, we have to face the prospect of a disease striking the poultry industry again. Mr. Speaker, APHIS has released a fall plan, and I understand that USDA has been in touch with State governments. But we must do more than simply conceptualize a response. We need to take proactive steps to prevent the spread and severity of high-path AI. I want to commend Commissioner Black and the Georgia Department of Agriculture for their dedication to preparing for a potential outbreak and the commitment of thousands of Georgians who depend on the poultry industry. I am calling on all agencies to work closely with Georgia and implement meaningful measures in coordination with State needs and recommendations. We need to shorten response time, install biosecurity measures, and work to prevent or reduce future outbreaks. We simply cannot wait to act. Steps must be taken now to mitigate damages to this industry that is so vital to the economy in northeast Georgia.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous materials on House Resolution 420 currently under consideration.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. That is why I was asking the gentleman from Colorado if he is prepared to close. I have no other speakers.

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia

Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the National Collegiate Honors Council and highlight its work to bettering the education of over 325,000 students in more than 800 member colleges and universities around the country. I want to specifically commend my alma mater, the University of North Georgia, for its prestigious honors program. I am proud to say that this university--which I believe to be one of the finest institutions of higher learning in the state of Georgia--is located in the beautiful town of Dahlonega in the Ninth District. I attended the school when it was still known as North Georgia College, but I am glad to say that the school continues to grow. In 2013, North Georgia College and State University was consolidated with Gainesville State University and became the well-known institution we are honoring today--the University of North Georgia. The University of North Georgia seeks to improve the quality of life for residents of the North Georgia region. They do this through excellence in academic performance, student research, student leadership, service learning, and study abroad programs. Additionally, the University of North Georgia is a premier senior military college and one of only six federally designated senior military colleges in the nation. The Honors Program at UNG cultivates a community of engaged and academically motivated students who uphold the values of service and integrity, demonstrate global awareness, and exhibit strong leadership skills. Evidence of the program's success is exhibited by some of their outstanding alumni. One example among many is Sara Brubaker, class of 2010. Sara completed her Doctorate of Physical Therapy in 2013 and was one of just twelve physical therapists chosen for employment by the U.S. Navy. She now serves at the rank of Lieutenant as the Rehabilitation Department Head at the Naval Hospital in Beaufort, SC. I am proud to recognize the accomplishments of Sara and other accomplished students and alumni of the University of North Georgia and to commend the University's successful honors program.