Richard Neal

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. DelBene), whose well-acknowledged efforts on behalf of the best and most important trade State in the country, Washington, as well as being a knowledgeable forecaster of international economics for all benefit all of us on the committee.

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Bustos), a well-regarded Congresswoman whose district I have visited.

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), whose legendary work on behalf of America is well known to all.

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).

Mr. NEAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin), my friend.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, it is deeply unfortunate that we have to undertake this impeachment proceeding that unfolds this evening, but the part we play in this process is not optional. Among other things, as the Intelligence Committee and Committee on the Judiciary have painstakingly documented, the President has indeed abused his authority, and he has indeed obstructed justice. He threatened to withhold congressionally appropriated U.S. taxpayer dollars from an ally under attack from Russia unless they agreed to interfere in our election on his behalf. He has expressed no remorse, and he continues to maintain that his behavior was ``perfect,'' while simultaneously obstructing legitimate congressional oversight and subpoenas and blocking members of his administration from providing truthful testimony to investigators. His actions are so far beyond the pale that they have left us with no remaining recourse except impeachment, and so we shall impeach because, as drastic and as unwelcome as this step is, our country faces even greater long-term risk if we fail to respond. We cannot excuse a President who feels entitled to disregard or break the law with impunity. We are a nation built upon the rule of law, not the law of rulers. The Framers gave us their best effort in 1787, and, indeed, it was an extraordinary one. The Constitution they set down wasn't perfect, but it founded a republic that has endured and thrived with exceptional stability. As the late Senator Moynihan pointed out, only two countries in the world both existed in 1800 and have never had their governments changed by violence since then: the United States and Britain. Only eight governments have existed since 1914 and have not had their form of government changed by force since then: the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, and Switzerland. The innovative system of checks and balances that they constructed, with the separation of powers, brought about and successfully negotiated a generation of challenges that we have sustained. In the very first week that the Framers began crafting this blueprint for America's freedom and stability, negotiations immediately started on impeachment. No government in the world at that time exposed the head of government to impeachment, but America was to be different. In the view of the Framers, impeachment is in no way a constitutional crisis. It is a process that the Framers wisely judged that we would sometimes need. This evening is one of those rare moments. Madison worried that, one day, the country would elect a President who ``might pervert his administration into a scheme of peculation or oppression. He might betray his trust to foreign powers.'' George Mason asked the Delegates: ``Shall any man to be above justice? Above all, shall that man be above it who can commit the most extensive injustice?'' Of course not, because having just thrown off one King, they would never consent to anoint another one. America firmly rejected the notion of divine right.

Mr. NEAL. Article I of the Constitution prescribes Congress as the first branch of government. Just as importantly, let me quote Speaker Rayburn, who was asked: How many Presidents did you serve under? Speaker Rayburn answered: None. I served with seven Presidents of the United States. Impeachment is reserved for moments of grave danger when the constitutional order becomes dangerously out of balance, moments like this one. That is why I will vote to impeach.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Chair, I yield myself 4 minutes. Madam Chair, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act. I am delighted to have been asked to join with my colleagues Mr. Pallone and Chairman Scott in authoring this historic legislation. It delivers on a Democratic promise to meaningfully stabilize and lower the very high costs of prescription drugs in the United States. As a recent Ways and Means Committee report details, Americans pay, on average, four times more for the same prescription drugs as patients in other similarly developed countries. An overwhelming majority of Americans, 95 percent, believe this disparity is unacceptable. I certainly agree with them. H.R. 3 will level the playing field for patients and taxpayers by giving the Health and Human Services Secretary the power to negotiate better prescription drug prices in Medicare and throughout the private market. It also caps Medicare beneficiaries' out-of-pocket prescription drug spending at $2,000. According to CBO, H.R. 3 will save American taxpayers over $500 billion. We will vigorously reinvest these tremendous savings into unprecedented dental, vision, and hearing Medicare coverage expansions. These are benefits that are directly associated with positive short- and long-term health outcomes, and seniors deserve meaningful access to them. H.R. 3 also expands eligibility to low-income subsidy programs so that seniors can get help to lower their out-of-pocket costs. These changes ensure seniors can afford lifesaving medications, protect Medicare beneficiaries with preexisting conditions from discrimination, and give older Americans access to commonly needed and life- transforming health services. Millions of Americans will see improvements to their quality of life and to their financial security. I have long believed that we need to look at ways to reinvest in healthcare across the spectrum, and H.R. 3 does that by doubling our investment in maternal, infant, and early childhood home visiting programs, a proven tool to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity. The bill also builds on the successful Health Profession Opportunity Grant demonstration projects to provide a leg up for low-income adults to fill good-paying healthcare jobs currently unfilled because of a lack of trained workers. Expanding HPOG programs will help low-income adults gain new skills, earn good jobs, and help address health worker shortages that exist across our 50 States, in the U.S. territories, and in American Indian communities. I am pleased and proud of the medical innovation and research that is undertaken daily around the Nation, especially in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. But I am concerned that this innovation is becoming out of reach for consumers who simply cannot afford its discoveries. H.R. 3 gives patients the ability to benefit from and afford innovative drugs. In addition, the legislation reinvests savings from lower drug prices back into a very important part of the Massachusetts economy, the National Institutes of Health, to fund additional groundbreaking, lifesaving research. The Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, is a commonsense proposal that will allow Americans to live healthier lives and save money as they move along the way. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Schneider).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Suozzi).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Horsford).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Evans).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Chair, I yield myself the balance of my time. Addressing the rising cost of prescription drugs is a complicated issue, as Mr. Brady has noted, and it needs a thoughtful approach. H.R. 3 is a critical step toward a long-term, sustainable solution. A lot of hard work went into crafting this measure and, indeed, bringing it to the floor. And there are a number of staff to thank. From the Legislative Counsel's Office: Jessica Shapiro, Karl Hagnauer, Lisa Castillo, Adam Schilt, Fiona Heckscher, James Grossman, and Henry Christup. From CBO: Tom Bradley--who, I might add, is retiring after long and distinguished service, and we thank him for that--Paul Masi, Rebecca Yip, Lara Robillard, Chad Chirico, Alice Burns, Stuart Hammond, Lori Housman, Jennifer Gray, and Leo Lex. From the Joint Committee on Taxation: Tom Barthold, Vivek Chandrasekhar, Shelley Leonard, Chia Chang, Lin Xu, and James Elwell. From CMS: Manda Newlin, Maia Larsson, Ira Burney, Lisa Yen, Jen Druckman, Stacy Harms, Leigh Feldman, and Jenny Keroack. And, of course, as always, I want to thank the staff of the Ways and Means Committee, who, as usual, have worked tirelessly and effectively on this legislation. The legislation before this House today is in no small part because of their expertise and their commitment to improving the healthcare for all members of the American family. I thank Amy Hall, Sarah Levin, Melanie Egorin, Rachel Dolin, Orriel Richardson, Neil Patil, and Morna Miller. As we have heard today on the floor, there are a lot of views on how to lower prescription drugs, and I am open to suggestions. One policy is not going to be the final fix, but this legislation is an important, impactful first step, and I welcome continued dialogue on both sides of the aisle. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this historic legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL. Madam Chair, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. NEAL. Madam Chair, if the gentleman asked me what a year of my life was worth, I would have said: An awful lot. But I am appreciative of the fact that you were mute on that issue, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pascrell).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Chair, a reminder that our bill will invest $10 billion in the National Institutes of Health for new and innovative cures. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Chicago, Illinois (Mr. Danny K. Davis).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Chair, I yield the gentleman from Oregon an additional 15 seconds.

Mr. NEAL. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Alabama (Ms. Sewell).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Judy Chu).

Mr. NEAL. Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brendan F. Boyle).

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I would like to include in the Record the following Tax Complexity Analysis statement on the report to H.R. 3 filed by the House Committee on Ways and Means: Section 4022(b) of Pub. L. No. 105-266, the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 (the ``RRA''), requires the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation (in consultation with the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department) to provide a tax complexity analysis. The complexity analysis is required for all legislation reported by the Senate Committee on Finance, the House Committee on Ways and Means, or any committee of conference if the legislation includes a provision that directly or indirectly amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and has widespread applicability to individuals or small businesses. Pursuant to clause 3(h)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation has determined that a complexity analysis is not required under section 4022(b) of the RRA because the bill contains no provision that amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and has ``widespread applicability'' to individuals or small businesses within the meaning of the rule.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Mr. Heriberto ``Herbie'' Flores, my constituent from western Massachusetts, who recently received the prestigious Pynchon Award. The Pynchon Award, which is named after the founder of Springfield, Massachusetts is given to those individuals who have made exceptional contributions to their community. This award is a testament to Herbie's hard work, dedication, and exemplary character. Originally from Puerto Rico, Herbie grew up harvesting tobacco for a $1.25 an hour. After leaving the island, Herbie proudly served our country with distinction in the United States Army during the war in Vietnam. Through this experience he learned firsthand of the plight and hardship of poverty and decided to dedicate his life to helping those less fortunate in our community. Herbie is very well known for his many leadership roles and non- profit work in Springfield and throughout New England. He is the founder of the New England Farm Worker's Council, a nonprofit human services agency dedicated to improving the quality of life for low- income workers through education, job training, and living assistance. In addition, Herbie also served as the President of Brightwood Development Corporation which provides housing and development opportunities to Springfield's North End. Also, Herbie has served as the Chairman of Partners for Community, which works around New England to provide employment and other social services to populations with special needs. Once again, Madam Speaker, I am proud of Herbie for receiving the Pynchon Award and for being an exemplary pillar of our community. I have had the pleasure of knowing and working alongside Herbie as Mayor and as a Member of Congress and I am proud to call him a friend. I cannot think of anyone that brings a stronger personal commitment to those in our society that have been overlooked. To Herbie and his wife Grace Taylor, I want to wish them all the best in their future endeavors and say thank you on behalf of the United States of America.

Mr. NEAL

Mr. NEAL. Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Ms. Debbie Jones as she ends her thirty-four-year term of having served as a Financial Counselor with the House Chief Administrative office. She began her career in the House in May 1985, and over the years has done a remarkable job of ensuring the integrity of House payment transactions. She proved herself to be a strong and thoughtful leader for the Chief Administrative office. Debbie graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1979 and retires as a Financial Counselor, where she was responsible for reconciling and processing often complex equipment and supply payments for House offices. Debbie had a fine record of public service as she previously served House Clerk Benjamin Guthrie then transitioned to be a Lead Vendor Management Counselor and later Assistant Manager. I would like to recognize Debbie for being an invaluable asset to the CAO organization, providing excellent customer service to House offices. Her good work ethic, eye for detail, and sense of humor have endeared her to many colleagues and friends. Once again, Madam Speaker, I am proud of Debbie Jones and all she has accomplished for Massachusetts and beyond. I wish her well in all her future endeavors, following her successful career with the Chief Administrative Office.