Frank Pallone

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island, who has worked so tirelessly as a chief sponsor of this bill, Mr. Kennedy.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the passage of H.R. 6983, the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, a comprehensive bill which will establish full mental health and addiction care parity. We live in a time when discrimination in any form against any person should not be tolerated. One out of every five adults in the U.S. suffers from mental health or substance abuse disorders on an annual basis, and yet studies show that people with mental illnesses continue to face insurers and employers unwilling to provide them the same level of care they would for a medical problem. The legislation before us will fully ensure equity in the coverage for mental illness and substance abuse disorders by requiring that group health plans with mental health coverage offer that coverage without the imposition of discriminatory financial requirements or discriminatory treatment limitations. I want to recognize two of my colleagues, Representative Patrick Kennedy and Representative Jim Ramstad, who have worked tirelessly to bring this bill to the floor. We can't delay any longer. I strongly urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the passage of this important legislation. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from California (Mr. Stark) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Andrews) each be permitted to control 6\1/2\ minutes of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6983) to amend section 712 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, section 2705 of the Public Health Service Act, and section 9812 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require equity in the provision of mental health and substance-related disorder benefits under group health plans, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Napolitano).

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove Congressman Rick Larsen from H.R. 2169, the Clean Water Protection Act.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening to congratulate Armenia and its President on the historic soccer match between Armenia and Turkey this past weekend. On July 9, President Serge Sargisian and the ``Wall Street Journal,'' Europe edition took a surprising and historic step by inviting President Gul of Turkey to sit with him and watch the two nations play the World Cup qualifier match in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. In an effort to warm relations between the two countries, President Sargisian wrote, ``Just as the people of China and the United States shared enthusiasm for ping pong before their governments fully normalized relations, the people of Armenia and Turkey are united in their love for football.'' President Gul accepted the offer, and on Saturday, September 6, he became the first Turkish leader to visit Armenia. Armenia initiated soccer diplomacy with Turkey despite nearly a century of Turkish genocide denial and 15 years of an economic blockade. For years, Armenia has been ready to establish relations with Turkey without preconditions, and President Sargisian's recent efforts reinforced this commitment. President Gul must also be commended for his efforts to see past the opposition of some in his country by attending the match. With the recent violence between Russia and Georgia, further steps to promote stability in the Caucasus must be taken, and strengthening Armenian and Turkish relations is essential to these efforts. Turkey can strengthen its relationship with Armenia by ending its policy of genocide denial, a policy that is imposed both globally and domestically. Turkey should lift all restrictions imposed by section 301 of the Turkish Penal Code on individuals who study, discuss, or recognize the Armenian genocide. Silencing academics and writers limits freedom of speech and makes any serious discussion of the Armenian genocide within Turkey taboo. To improve relations, Turkey must also lift its stifling economic blockade on Armenia. The State Department estimates that the blockade inflates Armenia by 30 to 35 percent. Removing the blockade will enable the development of immediate infrastructure projects and regional communications, energy, and transportation in the Caucasus. The removal of the blockade would also do much to catalyze global investment in Turkey and Armenia. With the recent conflict between Russia and Georgia, Armenia proved itself to be a constructive partner to Georgia. The Armenian government provided safe transit for U.S. and international officials and thousands of Georgia nationals and nongovernmental organization representatives. But Armenia experienced significant economic distress due to the conflict between Georgia and Russia. The country lost an estimated $650 million and shortages in fuel and wheat were rampant. With renewed volatility in the Caucasus, Armenia can no longer afford to suffer from dual blockades. President Sargisian's initiation of soccer diplomacy and President Gul's reciprocal invitation to watch a game next year in Turkey is a positive breakthrough in a region of historic violence and tense emotions. As President Sargisian wrote, ``A more prosperous, mutually beneficial future for Armenia and Turkey, and the opening up of a historic East-West corridor for Europe, the Caspian region and the rest of the world, are goals that we can and must achieve.'' Mr. Speaker, let me just say as a Congressman and speaking for all Members of Congress, we must do all that we can to support these efforts to bring Armenia and Turkey together. It may seem that a soccer match is not that significant, but it is very significant. No Turkish leader has ever visited Armenia before. So I want to commend this occasion and hope that it leads to more of further developments and relations between the two countries. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, later this week will mark the seventh anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack on our Nation. In the days after 9/11, Washington and the world united to respond to that attack by going after al Qaeda in Afghanistan. It was a success. But rather than continue that quest, President Bush chose to turn his attention and the attention of our military to Iraq. This was a huge foreign policy mistake that has stretched our military dangerously thin, left us unprepared for possible threats, damaged our credibility around the world, and allowed al Qaeda to regroup and become stronger along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Rather than focus on the greatest threat of terrorism along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, the Bush administration has consistently diverted resources to Iraq. Mr. Speaker, as we remember the 9/11 attack this week, it's important that we recognize the foreign policy failures of the last 8 years so that we don't repeat them in the future. We must also recommit ourselves to going after the terrorists where they are, and that is the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, not Iraq.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, House Republicans claim to be interested in supporting legislation that will help reduce the price of gas at the pump, but unfortunately they have consistently opposed legislation that would directly benefit the American people. Republicans said no to cracking down on price gouging. They said no to repealing billions in taxpayer-funded subsidies to Big Oil so that we can instead invest in renewable energy resources. They said no to legislation that would force big oil companies to either drill on the lands they already have leased or lose the leases. Last week, the Republicans said no to tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help lower gas prices immediately. And this week they said no to going after speculation. Madam Speaker, if House Republicans are serious about helping the American people, they need to stop protecting Big Oil.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Yash Paul Soi, a devoted leader who has worked tirelessly to advance and promote Indian culture. Mr. Soi has been an exemplary spokesman and ambassador for the causes of India and its people in the United States. Mr. Soi has committed himself to supporting the Asian-Indian community through the advancement of Indian cultural activities. He has been recognized as an Indian cultural icon and his Indian music radio program has been vastly influential. His work in bringing Indian issues to the media forefront presented him with the opportunity to interview Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, President Jimmy Carter, and many other distinguished world figures. Additionally, Mr. Soi has contributed to American society through his work to bring Indian arts to many of our Nation's most famous stages. As a founder and former President of the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA), Mr. Soi performed the essential role of representing Indian groups in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Under his leadership the FIA has thrived and is now known for its annual India Day Parade that goes down New York City's Madison Avenue, the largest celebration of Indian Independence Day outside of India. As a graduate of Utah State University and Columbia University, Mr. Soi has brought his knowledge and experience to improving his community, as well as the communities of many others. In 2002, he was honored with an ``Outstanding Community Service Award'' for his tireless service to the Indian-American community. He was also a beacon of hope in the fight to bring democracy to the people of Guyana and supported efforts which led to that nation's first free elections. Madam Speaker, I sincerely hope that my colleagues will join me in honoring Yash Paul Soi. His leadership and perseverance have improved Indian-American understanding and will long serve as a shining example of what can be accomplished by the determined human spirit.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Capps).

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Harman).

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from California.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield now 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Van Hollen).

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette).

Mr. PALLONE. I have no remaining speakers, Madam Speaker. How much time remains on this side?

Mr. PALLONE. I will reserve the 30 seconds.

Mr. PALLONE. Let me thank the ranking member of the full committee for the time. I have no remaining speakers, and will reserve the balance of my time to close, Madam Speaker.

Mr. PALLONE. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I just want to stress in closing that this really is a bipartisan bill that is supported overwhelmingly by both sides of the aisle. I have had the opportunity under the auspices of Tobacco-Free Kids, which is one of the big supporters of this bill, to go to an elementary school in my district one day recently. And I found out that the kids there were all from fifth grade down. It was incredible to me to realize that some of them had already started to smoke and they were very much unaware of the fact of the dangers of tobacco. That was really a revelation for me that day, to realize that there are a lot of children at a very young age that start smoking that are unaware of the dangers, even with all the declarations and disclaimers that are out there. So I really think that this legislation that we are passing today is for the kids. It for those children who will stop or never, hopefully, have the opportunity or think about smoking because they will realize how dangerous it is because it's now regulated by the FDA. I just want to thank Mr. Waxman; I know he has worked for many years on this, and Mr. Dingell and so many on both sides of the aisle because I think they recognize while it may be true that a lot of adults know what they are doing when they smoke, and they do it regardless of the health impact, that really what we need to address are those kids that start smoking at a young age, that become addicted, that are not aware of the perils, and then later just simply can't stop. So I would urge all of my colleagues. This is a very historic day. This is a very important piece of legislation. Let's pass it overwhelmingly today on a bipartisan basis.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the sponsor of the legislation, who has worked tirelessly on this for so many years, Mr. Waxman.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Prior to 2003, the FDA's review of animal drug submissions was taking over a year and a half to be completed. This obviously led to serious concerns that new and innovative pharmaceutical products were not making their way onto the marketplace in order to treat our Nation's pets, as well as food animals that help sustain the Nation's food supply. Accordingly, in 2003, Congress enacted the Animal Drug User Fee Act (ADUFA) which was modeled after the successful user fee programs for the review of human drug and medical device submissions. Like the user fee programs that preceded it, ADUFA authorized the FDA to collect fees to help ensure that the agency had the resources it needed to provide a timely review of animal drug applications. The legislation before us today would reauthorize the ADUFA program for another 5 years. Under this legislation, the amount of fees collected for the review of animal drug submissions would increase from $15 million to $24 million over 5 years, for a total of $98 million. Revenues would be derived from a mix of application, product, establishment and sponsor fees. The legislation would also improve the uniform collection and reporting of data to FDA on the sales about animal drugs that contain an antibiotic ingredient. During the debate on reauthorization of ADUFA, we heard many concerns about the use of antibiotics in animal populations for non-therapeutic purposes and the threat that these practices pose to human health. This bill includes language that would enhance FDA's current data collection by creating a new antimicrobial animal drug use data report for all food-producing animals. The report puts critical information in one place for FDA; otherwise, the agency would have to search through warehouses of multiple paper reports. In addition to the reauthorization of ADUFA, this legislation would establish a new animal generic drug user fee. According to FDA, the average review time of an animal generic drug submission was 570 days in Fiscal Year 2007, in spite of a 180-day statutory requirement. At the end of last year there was a recorded backlog of 446 submissions waiting for review and agency action. Accordingly, the bill before us would provide for the collection of user fees increasing annually from $4.8 million to $6 million over 5 years, for a total of $27 million. And these additional revenues are designed to help speed up the review process. By Year 5 of the authorization period, most reviews of generic animal drug submissions should occur in 270 days or less, a substantial improvement over the time it is now taking FDA to conduct such reviews. Mr. Speaker, I am also pleased that the generic drug industry and FDA have been able to work out this agreement. If enacted, AGDUFA will speed lower cost animal drugs to the marketplace and bring significant savings to ranchers, farmers and pet owners. While that is an important and noteworthy goal, I also think it is equally, if not more important, to ensure for the timely review of generic human drug applications. There is a provision in this bill that would improve the speed in which FDA reviews generic drug applications, and that provision makes a technical correction to the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 as it relates to the application process for obtaining FDA approval of certain new generic drugs. Citizen petitions can be submitted to FDA to raise issues about drugs that are being considered in the application process. At the time of negotiations on the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007, an agreed-upon sentence was inadvertently dropped from our final version of that bill. The sentence makes clear that consideration of a citizen petition regarding a drug is to be separate and apart from review and approval of any application for the drug. The language included in the bill we are considering today restores that sentence. There is another correction to the FDA Amendments Act that is included in the bill before us. This change concerns the types of information to be included in the clinical trials data bank established under that law. More specifically, the issue is adverse event information on drugs and on medical devices. Adverse event information was clearly intended to be included in the data bank for both drugs and devices. Express specific requirements to that effect were included in multiple drafts of the legislation. In negotiations, however, it was agreed that rather than the bill itself including express specific requirements regarding adverse event information, the FDA would issue regulations that would set the specific requirements. In drafting the ``regulations'' approach, the reference to medical devices was inadvertently dropped, and that was a simple mistake. So the bill before us today corrects that mistake. In closing, I want to thank my Republican colleagues for working for us in a bipartisan fashion to move this bill forward. Mr. Deal, Mr. Barton and of course Mr. Dingell all worked together, so this is, in fact, a bipartisan bill, and a very important bill as well. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.