Ernie Fletcher

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Not at this time. I have 3 minutes.

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I will have to say it is rather amazing that when the minority is wrong on policy, they focus on process. Mr. Speaker, as a family physician, I have always tried to do what is best for patients, and as a Member of Congress I still try to do what is best for patients in Kentucky and all across America.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, It is an honor to rise today to pay tribute to a trailblazer, a visionary, a dedicated public servant, and a Kentucky original. I speak of the inimitable Virginia Gaines Fox, president and CEO of Kentucky Educational Television, who is retiring next month after 42 years of service in public broadcasting. Virginia Fox--or Ginni, as she is known by her friends and colleagues--has created a legacy of innovation, public service and the highest standards of excellence. Under her astute leadership, she has built KET into an industry leader. Kentucky Educational Television is the number one provider of adult education in America, providing thousands of broadcast hours of instructional programming to classrooms and hundreds of hours of professional development resources to Kentucky's K-12 instructors. KET's GED on TV program has helped 11,400 adults in Kentucky--and literally millions more across the country--to earn their high school diploma. KET is also leading the way in the industry's digital conversion, pioneering datacasting services for Kentucky communities in partnership with Federal, State and local agencies--particularly in the area of public safety, weather alerts, and homeland security. This initiative is serving as a model for similar efforts around the country. Virginia Fox has been an innovator in distance learning throughout her prestigious career. She was a founding member of the congressionally-created Independent Television Service (ITVS) Board and created the first national ITV satellite schedule, serving more than 23 million students annually with distance learning curricula. She also founded the Satellite Educational Resources Consortium, the first public broadcasting/Department of Education interstate consortium for distance learning. Virginia Fox's career is highlighted by numerous personal as well as professional accomplishments. She broke the glass ceiling by becoming the first female CEO of a national organization in public broadcasting. She has served on the board of the Public Broadcasting Service and chaired the Public Television Outreach Alliance. She received an honorary doctorate from her alma mater, Morehead State University, and earlier was named Appalachian Woman of the Year by that same institution. This year, she was inducted into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame and received the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's Lifetime Achievement Award. A seventh-generation Kentuckian, Virginia Fox proves once again that the great Commonwealth of Kentucky has an abundance of human resources. It has been my privilege to work with her during my tenure in Congress to ensure that America's children will continue to benefit from the finest educational programming available, and that they will enter formal schooling ``Ready to Learn''. She has demonstrated the power of television to educate, inform and inspire. Mr. Speaker, the education of our children is one of our greatest responsibilities. Virginia Gaines Fox must be commended for her innovation, her vision, and her dedication to education. Her leadership will be sorely missed, but her retirement is richly deserved, and we wish her the very best that life has to offer.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, Eastern Kentucky University head football coach Roy Kidd is retiring at the end of the 2002 season. Kidd, who is serving his 39th year as the Colonel's head coach, leaves Eastern Kentucky University after establishing one of the most successful college football programs in America. His 39 years of coaching football at his alma mater, Coach Roy Kidd stands as a monument to his loyalty and dedication to the University, the game of football and to his student-athlete players and has set a high standard of excellence and reminded us what is best about college sports. All his victories, championships and honors only begin to reflect the impact he has had on Eastern Kentucky University, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and beyond. It is his players, and their successes, who offer the best testament to Coach Kidd's unique ability to help young men make the most of their time here, and in their lives beyond EKU's campus. Kidd has put together a I-AA footfall program acknowledged throughout the country, year in and year out, as one of the nation's elite. He has a produced 24 straight EKU teams with winning seasons and 29 consecutive Eastern teams with nonlosing seasons. There have been only two losing seasons at EKU in his 39-year tenure. Along the way, his 38 Eastern Kentucky teams have won two NCAA I-AA national championships, two national runners-up titles and 16 Ohio Valley Conference championships. He has also directed Eastern Kentucky to 17, I-AA playoff appearances, the most by any school in the nation. A native of Corbin, KY where he starred in football, basketball and baseball, Kidd chose Eastern Kentucky over the University of Kentucky under Bear Bryant's tutelage because EKU would let him play both baseball and football. That decision set forth a legacy that is unmatched at all but one I- AA school and just five other programs in the history of college football. In 1963, Kidd received the call from Eastern president, Dr. Robert R. Martin, offering him the position as EKU's head coach. 1964, Kidd's first at the helm of the Eastern Kentucky football program, produced just one of two losing seasons in the 38 years as follow as the Colonels went 3-5-1. It only took Kidd and his staff four seasons to turn that around and produce an Ohio Valley Conference championship in 1967 that culminated with a 27-13 Grantland Rice Bowl victory over Ball State, which gave the Colonels the NCAA Mideast Regional Championship. He quickly followed that up the next season with a second OVC title as the Colonels went 8-2 behind quarterback Jim Guice and future American football League Rookie of the Year, wide receiver Aaron Marsh. In between 1968 and the formation of Division I-AA by the NCAA in 1978, Eastern's teams produced winning seasons, collected two more conference crowns (1974 and 1976) and completed in the NCAA Division II playoffs in 1976. EKU football's decade of the 80's arguably the most prestigious by any I-AA football program ever, produced seven conference championships, three trips to the NCAA title game with one remarkable 13-0 season that tended with the Colonel's second national title. Two other Colonel teams were eliminated in the national semifinals and a third Colonel squad made it to the quaterfinal round of the I-AA playoffs before losing. EKU teams coached by Kidd made seven more trips to the I-AA playoffs in the 90's with EKU securing five additional OVC crowns during this 10-year span. During the past 38 and one-half football seasons at Eastern Kentucky, there have been two National I-AA Coach of the Year awards, 10 OVC Coach of the Year honors, 55 EKU All-Americans, 197 first team All-OVC players, a term as President of the American Football Coaches Association, all with Roy Kidd's named stamped beside them. Forty-one former Colonels have gone ahead to either sign or play in the National Football League. Four former Eastern Kentucky stars are still playing in the NFL, including defensive Chad Bratzke of the Indianapolis Colts, offensive tackle Tyrone Hopson of the Detroit Lions, tight end Jason Dunn of the Kansas City Chiefs and wide receiver Alex Bannister of the Seattle Seahawks. Roy and his wife, Sue, have three children--Marc, Kathy, and Keith-- and six grandchildren. Roy Kidd is truly one of the legendary football coaches in America and, certainly, in the history of college football. His record speaks for itself and I wish him and his wife Sue, happiness and success always. May God continue to Bless Roy Kid and shine on Eastern Kentucky University for many years to come.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, as we have passed a continuing resolution to take us until at least November 22, I would like to talk about some unfinished business, as we have passed legislation over to the Senate and the Senate has yet to act upon that legislation. One of the important pieces of legislation that they have not acted upon is the prescription drug plan. We worked very hard, our leadership, the Republican leadership, worked very hard to pass a prescription drug plan that would lower the cost of prescription drugs immediately. It would devote about $350 billion to prescription drug coverage as well as enhancing Medicare and ensuring that providers would continue to be accessible to patients. It also was a voluntary coverage. It also guaranteed choice, that seniors would have at least two plans; and, again, it was a guaranteed benefit under Medicare. It would provide immediate savings, and the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the savings would be up to 44 percent for seniors. I know in my State of Kentucky we have about 50 percent of the seniors would have fallen within the range of 175 percent of the poverty level or below, which means that about half of our seniors in Kentucky would have received supplemental help on their premiums, which means that those at 150 percent of the poverty level and below would have virtually paid no out-of-pocket expenses for their prescription drugs. These are the people that are having to decide between food and their prescription drugs, and it would have been a tremendous help to them. Yet, as we passed the plan over, the Senate has not acted on the prescription drug plan. Let me say this, it is very unfortunate as we have passed here the resolution to make sure we continue to deal with the war on terrorism, we have passed a number of other pieces of legislation dealing with the economy, with health care, with energy policy, that we find out on many of those issues and bills that we have passed over, the Senate has not acted upon those bills. Let me just say this, the Democrat leadership, as we have seen and I believe, are playing politics as we approach an election here and have left the seniors without the prescription drug coverage that they need. I am very pleased, Mr. Speaker, that we worked very hard to make sure that the bill for prescription drugs was a very balanced bill, a very reasonable bill, and a very doable bill. And as we passed that over to the Senate, again, they have not acted on that bill. I would hope as we come back after the November 5 elections that this very important issue would be taken up, that we would be able to provide our seniors across America with the prescription drug bill that would provide the care that is needed. Again, I think it is very important as we look at how medicine has changed over the last number of years, going from acute care to just treating disease, to prevention and chronic disease management, the need for prescription drugs grows continually. As we have more and new and better prescription treatments for patients to prevent disease and to manage chronic diseases, I think it is only equitable and fair that we include those in a modern Medicare program. Mr. Speaker, once again, as we close out until after the election, at the call of the Speaker, I find it very disappointing that the Democrats have not, through their leadership, taken up the prescription drug plan that we have passed here and passed that to provide coverage for the American people. Instead, they have put politics above the American people.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, before 9-11 the threat of terrorists and those states that harbored them was unfortunately not taken as seriously. In the 1990's, terrorists bombed the World Trade Center, two American embassies, an American barracks, and the USS Cole. We took only limited action then, but now we cannot let the deaths of nearly 3,000 Americans on September 11 be in vain. We vowed after that to do our best to rid the world of terrorists and fear. Over the past 12 years, the United Nations has issued numerous warnings about the blatant defiance of Iraq. Additionally, we know that Saddam Hussein's brutal regime has used biological and chemical weapons against even his own citizens. Hussein has violated the Oil for Food Program, diverting uncounted millions to fund a military buildup and develop weapons of mass destruction, all the while allowing a reported 1 million children to die of starvation. The oppressed citizens of Iraq are not our enemy, only the evil regime of Saddam Hussein. This resolution is a grave, but necessary, step in confronting the danger of his regime. It does not inevitably lead us to war. It encourages the United Nations to live up to its true purpose. President John F. Kennedy described courage as ``doing what is right even in the face of unrelenting pressure.'' The time has come for the U.N. to take decisive action, but we cannot let the U.N.'s inaction keep us from defending our national security. President Bush is effectively building an international coalition, but for those countries afraid or unwilling to join our coalition, this resolution encourages them to help in our effort to preserve peace and democracy. A few weeks after September 11, I personally visited Ground Zero. I will never forget the smouldering rubble where innocent thousands lost their lives. There I spoke with the New York City firefighter who lost so many of his heroic colleagues. And before I departed, he passionately challenged me, saying, ``Don't you ever let them forget what happened here.'' I now have the honor to speak on behalf of that brave firefighter and challenge this Congress. We must not forget those who lost their lives on 9-11, and we must overwhelmingly support this resolution to defend our freedom.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood) for the work he has done on this. What this bill is really about, it is about affordable, accessible, available and quality health care. Whatever else is said really makes very little difference if we cannot have health care access in all of America. Some are saying this may limit the particular damages individuals injured may get, but in fact, the truth of this bill, the damages that a patient incurs are not limited in this bill, and it has proved very effective. The economic damages are unlimited. The punitive damages are up to twice the economic damages, which makes those unlimited virtually. Let me say this. I do not begrudge personal lawyers having seven digit incomes. That is not the issue here. The issue is the siphoning of money out of the health care system that goes somewhere else, money that could be used to deliver health care. The other issue is accessibility. There are some in rural America, if we do not pass legislation like this, either on the Federal level in many States, that are going to have to drive an extra mile to get looked at. That means that a patient is going to be injured, a child is going to be lost or another individual will not receive the health care. I think it is imperative that we pass this legislation. I want to thank the leadership on this.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor for me to recognize the American racing industry for its response to the terrible tragedies our nation suffered a year ago. I am deeply gratified to note that the nation's horseracing industry, which is of such great importance to the Commonwealth of Kentucky, shared in our nation's ceremonies of remembrance on September 11. Yesterday, all across the country, our racetracks, owners, trainers and jockeys all stood together to remember what happened a year ago and to honor those who were lost and those who showed such great courage in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks. The National Thoroughbred Racing Association requested that all racetracks operating on September 11 cease normal business operations to share in a 10-minute, nationally simulcast observance at 4:10 p.m. Eastern Time. All across the country, there was no racing or related activity at any NTRA-member facilities during the brief, dignified and patriotic service which included a flag ceremony, a moment of silence, the singing of the National Anthem and a video tribute. The nationwide ceremony allowed racing and its fans to remember September 11 together, even though they were at many different locations, because the observance was broadcast via simulcast to many different facilities from Del Mar Thoroughbred Track in California. It was hosted by Emmy Award-winning broadcaster Dick Enberg. This observance was the culmination of a year-long effort by the racing industry to raise funds for individuals and families devastated by the attacks. Over the past year, members of the international Thoroughbred horseracing community, including tracks, horse owners, trainers, grooms, jockeys and veterinarians, have contributed more than $12 million to assist the families of those lost on September 11. I am proud that the American racing and breeding industry has responded so patriotically to our nation's ordeal and assisted so many Americans hurt by those tragic attacks.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, in this new found era of patriotism, it is fitting that I recognize in the Congressional Record the winning essay of the 2001-2002 VFW Voice of Democracy Scholarship Contest, written by Benjamin S. Hampton of Frankfort, Kentucky, entitled ``Reaching Out to America's Future,'' and included below. Since the horrific attacks of September 11, the American people have undoubtedly experienced a dramatic shift in patriotic sentiment. The attacks by the radical al-Qaeda terrorist network have caused Americans to unite in defense of the ideals and principles on which our nation was built. The very rights guaranteed by the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution came under attack on September 11, and Americans have unified in an effort to protect their freedoms and ensure that these rights will not be infringed upon. In doing so, they have displayed a steadfast patriotism and loyalty to our country unparalleled in nearly all of history. Yet, as the weeks pass and the memories of September 11 are only worsened by the newer threats to our national security, the overall patriotic emotion in our great nation seems to be fading. Following a tremendous, nationwide surge in patriotism in the few weeks following the original attacks, patriotic fervency has begun to dwindle. Therefore, it is evident that we must make every effort possible to maintain and even further bolster this historic degree of patriotism. We must secure full and unconditional support by the American people for the government that represents them, and must assure all Americans that the United States will survive as a freedom-loving democracy for centuries to come. In order to achieve this end, it is clearly evident that we must utilize our greatest resource, the youth of America. By targeting this precious resource we can reach out to the future of America by providing the youth of today with the ideals of patriotism and love of country that they will most certainly need tomorrow. In being exposed to patriotic attitudes, today's youth can lead the America of tomorrow headstrong into the future as the brightest beacon for hope and freedom that the world has ever seen. With the intention of instilling the ideals of patriotism and love of country in our Nation's youth, we must revert to the practice of teaching citizenship in our nation's schools. We must look beyond simply requiring a civics course in our high schools, and must look beyond the customary study of government in fifth grade classrooms. While such education is necessary and very meaningful, however, it is not adequate in and of itself. Instead, we must saturate our educational system with constant lessons in citizenship and patriotism, and must even extend such citizenship education into the home. The simple act of teaching patriotic songs in our schools, for example, would serve to make youth better appreciate and value their citizenship. Having schools lead students in the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance each morning before classes begin and having students be responsible for ceremoniously raising and lowering the flag each day would also augment the effort to increase patriotic awareness in our nation's schools. At home, parents should promote the adoption of behaviors of good citizens for all family members. Encouraging the entire family to eat healthy, maintain good personal hygiene and to obey all rules would cause parents and children alike to realize their duty in building a safer and healthier community. Furthermore, parents should emphasize the duties of every citizen to fulfill their obligations to serve on juries, pay taxes and serve in the military. Such ideas are not new but have simply been removed from the national spotlight. Now is the time to commit these behaviors to everyday practice. As Edwin C. Broome and Edwin W. Adams remind us in their Conduct and Citizenship, ``Character is a nation's strength. The nations of earth that, like the Roman Empire, have been overthrown, were not defeated by outside enemies, but by their own failure to live up to high standards of national character.'' Therefore, it is every citizen's duty to not only live up to such standards, but to instill in our nation's youth the importance of patriotism and citizenship in everyday life. It is our nation's livelihood that relies on this commitment. In order to ensure that the United States remains the brightest beacon for hope and freedom in the world, it is crucial that we reach out to the future of our nation. We must educate the youth of today in the morals of patriotism and loyalty that they will need tomorrow. We cannot allow to be lost another opportunity to reinstate such ideals. Now is the time to act, to reach out to the future of our Nation, and to stand up and say that America will triumph over the evil in our world.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor for me to stand here today to recognize a great soldier and a great American, Mr. Richard S. Starks. Mr. Starks served as a second lieutenant, 414th Bombardment Squadron, 97th Bombardment Group, Air Corps, United States Army. He is being honored today for his extraordinary heroism in action over occupied territory in Continental Europe, August 21, 1942. As chronicled in the official service record dated August 23, 1942, Lieutenant Richard S. Starks was a B-I 7E bomber pilot on a bombardment mission when his aircraft was attacked by 20-30 enemy fighters at an attitude of approximately 21,000 feet. The cockpit of his aircraft became severely damaged by heavy enemy fire and the co-pilot was fatally wounded. Lieutenant Starks was seriously wounded in the arm, neck and face and his oxygen mask became dislodged. Despite these handicaps, and overwhehning odds, Lieutenant Starks directed the operation of his aircraft and, when physically able to do so, gave material assistance in its operation, to the end that he safety landed his aircraft at a friendly airdrome. On August 23, 1942, in a citation directed by General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lieutenant Richard S. Starks was awarded the prestigious Distinguished Service Cross, stating that his ``cool courage and heroic action upheld the highest tradition of the military forces of the United States and contributed materially to the success of a mission of vital importance.'' The Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs will again honor Mr. Starks, a native of Midway, Kentucky, at a special ceremony on July 25, 2002, at the Aviation Museum of Kentucky.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor for me to stand here today to recognize a great soldier and a great American, Mr. Elton L. Hatler. On May 2, 1945, Mr. Hatler was serving as a Browning Automatic Rifleman of Company G, Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division, action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands. Private Hatler's platoon had been forced to withdraw in the face of heavy enemy fire. Although Private Hatler had suffered wounds from the enemy fire, he refused to leave the side of a Marine whose legs had been blown off below the knee. Private Hatler held off the enemy for three grueling hours, attempting to drag his fallen comrade to the safety of American lines. It was only after the man succumbed to his wounds, and Private Hatler had expended his ammunition, that he abandoned his position. In a citation directed by the Secretary of the Navy on behalf of the President of the United States, Private Elton L. Hatler was awarded the prestigious Distinguished Navy Cross, stating that ``His personal valor and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.'' The Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs will again honor Mr. Hatler, a resident of Winchester, Kentucky, at a special ceremony on July 26, 2002.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor for me to stand here today to recognize basketball excellence at Lexington Catholic High School. Lexington Catholic High School represents a long tradition of Catholic education in the Bluegrass Region, a region where basketball is loved and cherished. The Lexington Catholic basketball tradition has evolved with the academic excellence of the high school, representing not only its students, but oftentimes, Lexington, and the state of Kentucky. The school was formed in 1951 through the merger of two secondary schools, St. Catherine's Academy, founded in 1823, and Lexington Latin School, founded in 1924, and began their basketball program the same year. After many impressive years as a program in the most competitive area in the country, the Lexington Catholic High School Knights earned a national reputation as a powerhouse. Lexington Catholic is Kentucky's winningest basketball program over the past decade and has won premier tournaments in and out of the state. The program has been ranked as high as No. 3 nationally in USA Today, defeating powerhouses Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, and Chicago's Whitney Young. However, this year's team accomplished what no other Lexington Catholic team in history had achieved: the Kentucky state title. Through hard work of the players and the determination of long time coach Danny Haney and Principal Sally Stevens, the 2001-2002 Lexington Catholic High School basketball team delivered what students and alumni have been coveting for years. I would like to recognize the achievements of this year's state champion, the Lexington Catholic Knights, and their perennial successes. The state championship team members include: Chas Allen, Mark Balthropk, Scott Becker, Corey Canter, JD Christman, Adam Cooke, William Graham, Demetrius Green, Chase Hillenmeyer, Wes Lawrence, Mike McGrath, Martiese Morones, Drew Morton, Christian Postel, Ryan Morton, Harrison Morton, David Noble, Ryan Postel, John Rompf, Trey Server, Brian Smith, Joseph Tunde. The coaching staff consists of: Danny Haney, Tommy Huston, Mike Mendenhall II, Mark E. Davidson, John Albaugh, Dave Tramontin, Brandon Salsman, Dan Tilghman, and Mike Mendenhall III.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, again, prescription drugs for our seniors is probably the most pressing health care issue that we face, and I want to thank the chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce for his leadership in bringing this to the floor, a plan that is reasonable, responsible and doable, unlike a plan that was brought up in our committee and will be brought up in the recommit motion. That is a plan that scores out at $973 billion with absolutely no way to pay for it. That means you are either going to have to increase taxes on our children, grandchildren or you are going to have to take it from education, national security, homeland security, or Social Security. Those are the only choices you have. Let me talk just briefly. Two years ago there was a $303 billion prescription bill plan. Who supported that? Virtually every single Democrat supported that. What happened this year? I think they have had an election year epiphany. All of a sudden, it is an election year; and we need three times as much money for it to be a reasonable plan. Is it not amazing that when we offer a plan that is reasonable, doable, it will be a plan that will provide benefits for every senior? Let me talk about Kentucky. There are 615,000 Medicare beneficiaries that will receive help with this. Fifty percent of those in Kentucky are at 175 percent of the poverty level or below, which means they will be subsidized. It means $459 million for Kentucky. We are a small State, but $459 million for Kentucky, and those dual eligible for Medicare and Medicaid will get help. We are having trouble meeting our budgetary needs, so this bill is the right kind of a bill. It is a responsible bill, it is a reasonable bill, it is a doable bill, and they thought it was 2 years ago, but now in an election year, no, it is not enough. I think we need to lay aside election-year politics, pass this thing on a bipartisan basis, and let us do what our seniors need, provide them a prescription drug bill and help for our States.

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, this evening we are addressing one of the most pressing health care issues in America. I am very disappointed that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, when we marked up the budget, they absolutely set aside no amount of money, zippo. They did nothing to set aside any money for prescription drugs for seniors. There was no plan in order to provide the funding for the plan that they offered in the committee; and it was a $973 billion plan offered in the committee. There was no way of paying for it. This burden was going to be on our children and grandchildren, and the other side of the aisle offered no single way of paying for it. Mr. Speaker, they talked about taxes, but they did not offer the tax increase that would have been required. Are they taking it from Social Security? That is where it would have had to come from. Now they talk about controlling cost. We eliminated the best prices which eliminated the floor. Congressional Budget Office estimates this has the most cost- controlling policy of any plan offered. That means we are going to provide the most competitive prices for drugs. I encourage Members to support the rule and the bill.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, the Washington Democrats, once again are misleading the American people on the debate over necessary prescription drug coverage for our seniors. To illustrate to my Democrat friends how our plan will help States, Kentucky has 615,000 Medicare beneficiaries and 50 percent of these citizens are below the 175 percent of poverty level. In Kentucky, a study estimates that State Medicare savings under the Republican-proposed prescription drug benefit would be $549 million in the fiscal years 2005 through 2012. In a time when seniors and State governments are experiencing financial difficulty, our plan provides seniors with an affordable prescription drug benefit to Medicare and immediate savings. States also benefit by saving millions of dollars in Medicaid beneficiary costs over the next several years. Mr. Speaker, this plan is the only fiscally-responsible choice for both seniors and government and should be supported next week when it comes to a full vote in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Democrat plan remains an $800 billion boondoggle; and I encourage, as we continue this debate, full support of the Republican plan.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, the Democrats are misleading the American public over the debate on prescription drug coverage for our seniors, and I am very disappointed to see our friends on the other side of the aisle once again employing the politics of demagoguery and fear. To illustrate to my Democratic friends how our plan will help States, in Kentucky, which has 615,000 Medicare beneficiaries, a half of those seniors live at 175 percent below the poverty level. In Kentucky, HHS estimates that the State savings under our plan would be $549 million in the fiscal years 2005 through 2012. In a time when seniors and State governments are experiencing financial difficulties, our plan provides seniors with an affordable benefit to Medicare and immediate savings. States also benefit by saving about $40 billion estimated over the next several years. Our plan is the only fiscally responsible choice for both seniors and government and should be supported next week as we bring it to the House floor. The Democrat plan, it remains an $800 billion pie-in-the- sky boondoggle which misleads seniors and would require higher and higher taxes. So in a time when seniors deserve honesty and transparency, I encourage them to join our efforts to provide a responsible, reasonable, and double relief for our seniors' prescription drug needs now.

Mr. FLETCHER

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, again, I thank the gentleman, and I thank him for the good representation for the folks from Illinois there. I have here a list. The gentleman mentioned that previously the Democrats had supported this bill. Let me read off just a few names of Democrats in a nonelection year who voted not for $350 billion, but had voted for less, $303 billion, and they thought that was very adequate, very good for prescription drugs. Now these same people say that $350 billion is not adequate. Maybe it has to do with the fact that this is an election year. Let me read some of the names: the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Gephardt), the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell), the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bonior), the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), and the gentleman from California (Mr. Stark). These are Members that we will hear talk about this $350 billion not being enough. Why? I think clearly we see that they want to make a political statement in an election year. Our plan, again, is very doable, very reasonable. The real dilemma here that we have in America is that no senior should have to choose between food and medicine. I think any of us who have been out to our senior citizen centers, those who have practiced medicine, have seen that dilemma. Now, in practicing medicine, we try to give samples, and pharmaceutical companies have certainly given away free medication. But we have a plan here that will make sure that this is not the order of the day in America; that we will eliminate this dilemma by providing coverage to those seniors who are having to make that choice now. We have gone over some of the principles: One, it is a voluntary plan; very important. Members have heard that 93 to 97 percent of seniors will take advantage of this because this plan is so attractive. It provides choice; it is a voluntary plan. This is unlike the Democrats' plan, the minority plan, which provides one single formula. Now imagine that. That means a bureaucrat is going to be managing every single pharmaceutical drug that one can have in their medicine cabinet. That means we politicize every single new product that comes out that is produced. Of all the wonderful medications that we have had, and that is the reason we have this problem with rising costs is because we have had tremendous technological advances in pharmaceutical agents, imagine every one of those agents being politicized to the point of deciding are we going to add this to the formulary or not. We would have the House of Representatives and the Senate and bureaucrats micromanaging this sort of thing when it really needs to be out there where patients and seniors have a choice between plans, and how they choose the plans will drive what medications are on those plans. That is why choice is extremely important. This plan guarantees every senior will have at least two choices; at least two, minimum. We anticipate they will have more than that. It is a guaranteed plan. It is not something we put up and say, we can afford this very large plan for a few years, and then we are going to have to sunset it. That is like putting a chair out and asking the senior to have a seat, and then right at the time they begin to sit down, we pull it right out from under them. We do not think that is responsible, and it is not something we could even fathom doing to our senior citizens. So this is a guaranteed entitlement that will go on and extend. It also provides immediate savings. The CBO has estimated in the past it will provide up to 30 percent. We do not know exactly what the number is, but we do know it will provide immediate relief. That is now for seniors as they walk in. If we have an employer-based insurance plan, we walk in and get a reduction on our pharmaceutical drugs, but seniors do not. They pay sometimes up to 25 percent more. That is not fair. By the power of negotiating, we can reduce that and give them savings immediately. It also provides catastrophic coverage. Anybody who has out-of-pocket expenses of over $4,500 will get those expenses fully covered. What does this prevent? It prevents individuals from having to bankrupt themselves and spend a lifetime of savings due to runaway drug costs. This is a protection we find when we talk to seniors that most of them, and overwhelmingly the majority of them, desire. So this lowers drug costs now, and guarantees all seniors will have coverage under Medicare. It is under Medicare. It will improve Medicare with more choices and more savings. We talked about the provider changes, the hospital changes, and some of the other changes. We did not talk a lot about the Medicare+Choice, which has about 5 million Americans participating in that plan. We want to make sure they continue to have the coverage they have, and it will strengthen Medicare for the future. We talked about, for those low-income individuals, about those making $17,910 for couples or $13,290 for singles, this will fully cover their expenses, so we will have no low-income seniors or seniors on fixed incomes having to decide between food and medicine. There are a couple of other charts I would like to get here. Let me say, who thinks that $350 billion is enough for Medicare? One, the House Democrats thought that. On the Spratt amendment, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Spratt) offered House amendment No. 21 to the fiscal year 2002 budget resolution which said $350 billion is enough. Now, again, they have changed their tune on that. The tripartisan Senate group June 7, 2002, said in Congress Daily $350 billion is adequate. Next, I talked about the expenditures: What is reasonable, what is doable. The House Democrats triple Medicare spending in just 1 year. If we look, it goes from 400- to over $1.2 trillion in 1 year. Now, they talk about tax breaks, and they do a lot of talking about the tax relief bill that we gave, yet when we look at that, many of the Democrats voted for that tax relief bill. Now they are talking about the fact that our prescription drug bill is not affordable because of the tax relief we gave to the American people. They are offering a bill that triples the expenditures of Medicare. They talk about, with class warfare as part of their discussion, that we are not able to afford that because we gave some tax relief to the hard-working Americans. Well, I would like for them to step up and say how are they going to pay for this triple expenditure that they have, and is it doable? There are some on the Senate side who have offered a bill and sunset it after a few years because they know they cannot afford it, particularly in the outlying years. Again, that is not, I think, a morally reasonable thing and a doable thing that we can enact here. We need to enact a bill that is responsible and doable. Next, let me point again to tell Members that the Senate Democrat plan expires in 2010. We see an expiration. Ours is a continuing entitlement that will be for seniors from now on. It is a responsible way of doing a bill and will continue to provide those benefits that we have talked about. Who supports this bill? We could go through: the 60 Plus Association, the Alliance to Improve Medicare, the ALS Association, the American Academy of Dermatology Association. We could go right on down and look at number of associations. The Kidney Cancer Association, the Health Association of New York State. Florida AIDS Action sponsors this and supports this bill. There is the Society for Thoracic Surgeons, United Seniors Association, the Visiting Nurses Associates. We also have American Urological, American Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. What we have is an overwhelming number of the providers that are actually taking care of patients and seniors, groups that actually are speaking on behalf of seniors who support this bill. In conclusion, let me say that this bill is a very responsible bill. Again, I want to thank the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin) and the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) for their work. The Committee on Energy and Commerce will be beginning to mark up a bill tomorrow to provide a Medicare prescription drug benefit for every senior in America. I want to close out. I appreciate the opportunity to speak this evening on this very important subject. I feel very hopeful that we can get this passed and pass it on to the next body to take it up, and pass this bill for the seniors across America.

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I think he has made some very good points, points that are new and the first time they have been made here tonight, and that is, if the plan previously was enough, not only in an election year, how are they going to pay for that? Particularly the part about an open-ended entitlement for wealthy seniors that would actually end up bankrupting Medicare and threaten it in the future. One of the things that really concerns me is that if we look at the Democrats' plan, $800 billion to $1.2 trillion over 10 years, the estimated cost of that. Now, where are they going to get that? Are they going to get it from education, national defense, homeland security? Are they going to have to raise taxes? What we have under their plan is that they would have to raise taxes on our hard-working people. These are our teachers, these are the folks that are working in the kitchen. These are folks that are just barely making it by, new families that are trying to ensure that they can buy their first home. We will be taking from them, and we will be supporting the prescription drugs totally for folks like Ross Perot. I think the gentleman pointed out a real moral dilemma and a real moral shortfall in their plan, so I thank the gentleman for coming tonight.

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk). We thank him for his leadership and the experience that he has brought, not only to this issue, but to Congress in general in his work in the past, representing the suburbs of Chicago. We thank the gentleman for coming and joining us this evening.

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman for coming and sharing. He brought out a lot of the other details of this bill which are very, very important. We can provide all of the health care out there, but if there are no providers that are willing to participate in this program, the seniors would have no access to health care. This makes some very important corrections, as the gentleman mentioned, for rural hospitals, physicians, hospice, home health, those things that ensure that not only do we have this coverage for prescription drugs, but that we have providers that will participate fully so that seniors will have full access to the health care they need. The gentleman mentioned the rare diseases, and something I think is a moral obligation, and I want to thank the gentleman for taking the leadership. It is not a large number of people, but if you have ever known a family or been in a family or had a family member that is afflicted with one of these diseases, it has a tremendous impact. I want to thank the gentleman for all of his work and leadership on that. We are glad to see that. I wanted to ask the gentleman a question. We have the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk) here, and I know Kentucky has shortfalls in Medicaid. We have $700 million shortfalls, and that is similar to a lot of the States around. This provides, for those that are dual-eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, it helps buy out those transitions for 10 years and saves the States $40 billion, which is tremendously needed in Kentucky, and I know the gentleman mentioned that, and I would like to give the gentleman an opportunity if he would like to speak to that point.

Mr. FLETCHER. Absolutely. One of the things I find out with these seniors in my experience, in practicing medicine with some of these seniors, they are very proud people. They are not used to having to come up and saying, I cannot afford this for the rest of the month, because they worked very hard. We put them in a very awkward position, and so it is very difficult for them to come. With this kind of plan, it would be within Medicare. Just like the plan they receive now, it would be something that is an entitlement, they earned this, and it would prevent that from happening. The gentlewoman is absolutely right. We appreciate her being here. I know the people of Pennsylvania are very proud to have her represent them. Next as we continue this discussion, I want to just say as we look at Medicare, it was established in 1965. The next gentleman has not been here that long, but he has been here longer than I have, and he is a very distinguished member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. He represents southern Illinois, and in his new district actually he will be bordering my home State of Kentucky. I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Shimkus). We are glad to have him here tonight. We appreciate his leadership on the Committee on Energy and Commerce, as well as his leadership on the prescription drug effort and this bill and being with us here this evening.

Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, we appreciate the gentlewoman's leadership role and her coming. As the gentlewoman was talking about those low-income seniors, I was reminded of a senior that I talked to. It was a group of seniors, but one of the individuals from a senior citizens center came up and talked to me who managed it. He said there was a gentleman in that center, and that the first half of the month he was just a perfect gentleman in every way. The last half of the month, however, his countenance and behavior changed substantially. When they really investigated, it was because he was a low-income senior, fixed income, and could only take his medicine for half a month. That is all he could afford. So this plan is doable. It is not a pie-in-the-sky plan that we see the minority offering. That pie-in-the-sky plan would actually keep us from passing this bill as we pass it if the Senate does not take it up. Yet this would provide for that gentleman I am talking about, for the seniors the gentlewoman has alluded to and talked about specifically. It would provide 100 percent coverage for these low-income seniors. It would prevent that gentleman I was talking about from having that terrible experience of having to just take half a month of his medications and then have the consequences of that. So I thank the gentlewoman for joining me.

Mr. FLETCHER. I thank the gentleman from Louisiana (Chairman Tauzin). It is certainly a privilege to serve with the gentleman. Again, I want to thank the gentleman for the endless hours that he has put into it, him and his staff and the other members on the committee, to put together this bill. It is the culmination of several years' work. We have improved on the bill we passed a year-and-a-half or 2 years ago. We made some tremendous improvements, as the gentleman stated. That is why it is estimated that 93 to 97 percent of the seniors would find this plan so attractive that they would take advantage of it, just as the gentleman's mother said. Let me thank the gentleman also for his leadership. The Committee on Energy and Commerce has historically taken a very strong leadership role in health care, and the gentleman has continued not only that, but enhancing that leadership role, and it is a privilege to serve with the gentleman. I thank him for coming and sharing the time with us this evening. As we continue to look at this, the chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce mentioned that we set aside $350 billion, and yet the Democrats, the minority party, did not offer any particular number for a budget. They did not offer any kind of plan to set aside any money at all for prescription drugs for our seniors. Yet they are beginning to roll out a plan that will probably spend between $800 billion over 10 years to $1.2 trillion. They offered no plan to pay for that. They have not said whether they are going to cut education, national security or homeland security. Are they going to cut health care benefits to other individuals? Where are they going to get the money? Or are they going to offer an accompanying tax increase bill, because that is what they are talking about. They constantly talk about the fact of the tax relief that we passed for the American people. So it would only make sense if they are offering a bill that rings up deficits as far as the eye can see, they would have to offer either some offsets in education, health care, national defense, homeland security, something to offset that, or offer a tax increase. I just do not see that happening. I am additionally glad to have the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania, around the Pittsburgh area, with us also. She was here the other evening and shared some time. She has taken a leadership role on this. I know she has a lot of seniors in her district that she is very close to and concerned about. The gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Hart), we are glad to have you here this night. I yield to the gentlewoman.

Mr. FLETCHER. We certainly appreciate the gentleman from Oklahoma being here tonight and his leadership on this very important issue, taking up this issue in a manner that, as you have described, is reasonable, responsible and, the big word, ``doable.'' This is doable. When you look at the alternative plans that the minority is offering, this is a plan that escalating costs would require ever, ever, ever- increasing taxes on hard-working Americans. Yet they have offered no explanation other than saying, well, we will sunset this plan after a few years so that we do not have to deal with the runaway costs that their plan incurs. You are absolutely right as you have taken the leadership to represent your folks back in Oklahoma, that this plan is very reasonable, it is very fiscally responsible, it is a tremendous benefit to our seniors, and it is doable. It can be done. I want to thank the gentleman for joining us this evening. Next I would like to recognize, and I have spoken about the chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce who has just been tremendous in taking the leadership. This is a very, very tough issue. I am very pleased and honored to serve with the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Tauzin) on the Committee on Energy and Commerce and want to certainly yield to him on this issue. I again thank you for your leadership. We plan on marking up this bill tomorrow and because of your leadership, we are going to be able to do that.