Frank Pallone

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I cannot emphasize the importance of this bill. I think that in terms of the overall effort to increase affordability, to increase access to healthcare, and to make sure that there is competition, if you will, within the hospital industry and within the insurance industry, this bill does all of those things. It is really amazing, in my opinion, that we are able to do this on a bipartisan basis. It came out of committee, I believe, unanimously. I think it will go far towards increasing affordability, accessibility, and competition, which also lowers prices. For all those reasons, Mr. Speaker, I urge support for the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Representative Doggett, for his hard work on the important issues that he raised and that have been raised today. I should mention that he is the ranking member of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, so he is very familiar with these issues. I know he thinks that certain things should have been added to this bill, but I want to stress that I think we have to support this bill based on the important policies that we have in the bill. It is not always easy to get consensus between Democrats and Republicans. This is one of those rare examples, unfortunately, where we have come to a consensus, which our committee often does. That is why I do stress the important policies that are in it. I think the legislation is a victory for the American people. It addresses a lot of obvious failings in our health system. The bill brings some much-needed price transparency to the healthcare system and will help lower healthcare costs for patients. Americans have been struggling for years to obtain accurate price information before going in for a healthcare procedure. It is difficult for patients to know how much a hospital or their insurance company will charge them for the care that they receive. All this information should be readily available to the public. This bill requires hospitals and insurance companies to list prices in an easy to understand format for patients. The bill also prevents hospital outpatient facilities from unfairly overcharging seniors. This policy will save Medicare beneficiaries $1.4 billion in lower premiums. The bill helps further rein in the cost of prescription drugs by cracking down on price gouging by pharmacy benefit managers and requires the PBMs to be transparent about their price information. This is going to help lower healthcare costs for both employers and patients and bring needed oversight to the PBM industry. In addition to these patient protection provisions, the legislation includes a historic $15 billion in investments in safety net and workforce programs and programs to address physician shortages around the country. The legislation essentially lowers healthcare costs for the American people and makes healthcare more accessible to American families. I think this delivers meaningful results to the American people on a bipartisan basis. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers. If the chair needs time for people who will support the bill, I will yield to them. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. This is very important in the ongoing efforts of our committee to continue the battle against opiates and other related illicit drugs that are very dangerous. The number of overdoses, unfortunately, continues to be way out of proportion to what it should be. We need to support this bill and other measures that deal with this crisis that continues to plague the American people. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 4531, the Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act. This bill addresses the ongoing public health emergency posed by the opioid and overdose crisis. The opioid epidemic is still a tragic reality for millions of Americans and their families every day. Last year, nearly 110,000 Americans died from a drug overdose. Five years ago, Congress worked to enact the SUPPORT Act, bipartisan legislation to address the opioid epidemic, and that legislation expanded access to treatment, invested in public health, and strengthened prevention efforts. Today, the nature of the opioid epidemic has changed. Where it was once illicit prescription drugs, now it is illicit fentanyl, its analogues, and xylazine that are claiming the lives of too many people every single day. H.R. 4531 builds on the success of existing law. It extends the programs that have worked, makes commonsense changes to the programs that need to be updated, and includes new policies designed to combat the new reality of the opioid epidemic. The bill before us today provides critical training to first responders, supports recovery centers, and helps individuals in recovery lead normal lives. It makes important investments in Medicaid to support the treatment of opioid use disorder. It requires all State Medicaid programs to cover medication-assisted treatment, expands access to coverage to pregnant women in pretrial detention, and makes it easier for incarcerated individuals to regain their coverage after being released. I must say, I am disappointed that we were not able to include several bipartisan policies that would ensure greater access to Medicaid for justice-involved populations, and I will continue to work to find a path forward on those provisions. Nevertheless, that said, the bill before us will make meaningful changes to Federal law that will strengthen our ability to respond to the ongoing opioid epidemic. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Rodgers, Subcommittee Chairman Guthrie, and Subcommittee Ranking Member Eshoo for their hard work to advance this important bipartisan bill. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Tonko), ranking member of our Environment Subcommittee.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from New York.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Hampshire (Ms. Kuster), member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Crockett).

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time. I may have one more speaker, but they are not here at this time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2787, the 5G Spectrum Authority Licensing Enforcement Act, or the 5G SALE Act. Spectrum is one of our country's most important natural resources. These radio waves are a critical component in building next-generation wireless networks and delivering connectivity to Americans across the country. Without spectrum, our wireless networks would not be able to help millions of Americans study for school, meet with their health provider, connect with family and friends, and place a call to 911 during a time of need. In order to have this kind of connectivity that we have all come to expect, we must ensure that consumers have access to the spectrum that has been made available for commercial wireless use. S. 2787 achieves these objectives. This legislation gives the FCC the authority for 90 days to process spectrum license applications that are currently pending at the agency from its auction last year of the 2.2 gigahertz band. While I hoped Congress would have extended the SEC spectrum auction authority by now, this legislation is an important step forward in allowing commercial spectrum to be used by consumers, especially those in unserved areas and rural communities. It is important that we pass this bill today, but even with this action, our work will still not be done. We must find a way forward on a bipartisan, bicameral spectrum agreement that can be sent to the President's desk for his signature. As Chair Rodgers and I have said for months, it is critical that we reauthorize the FCC spectrum auction authority as soon as possible. I am concerned that this lapse will hinder us on the international stage, especially with the World Radiocommunication Conference taking place right now in Dubai. I commend Representatives Kuster and Joyce for their bipartisan work on the House companion to this bill, H.R. 5677. This important bill helps advance America's wireless leadership by ensuring that 5G spectrum is deployed quickly so that we can further improve consumers' wireless service all around the Nation, especially in rural communities. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation in a bipartisan manner so it can be sent shortly to the President's desk, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, this is important legislation. Obviously, we would like to see spectrum authority in general be authorized, but this is important on its own. Mr. Speaker, I ask for support of the bill on a bipartisan basis, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 3226, the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2023. This bipartisan legislation sponsored by Representative Eshoo, the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Health, plays a crucial role in improving the care and outcomes for premature babies and their families. According to the March of Dimes, about 383,000 premature babies were born in the United States last year. These babies oftentimes have more health problems or need to stay in the hospital longer than full-term babies. Some premature babies also face long-term health effects like problems that affect the brain, lungs, hearing, or vision. Reauthorization of the PREEMIE program will help us to better understand the cause of preterm birth and what more can be done to prevent preterm births. In 2006, Congress passed the PREEMIE Act, which marked a significant milestone by pioneering a comprehensive public-private national agenda aimed at spurring innovative research initiatives. In 2013 and then again in 2018, we reauthorized 5-year extensions to the program to continue our country's commitment to address preterm birth through Federal research, promoting known interventions and successful community outreach programs. With this legislation today, we will reauthorize key programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Health Resources and Services Administration. These programs support research and programs on preterm birth, improved tracking of national data, and activities aimed at promoting healthy pregnancies and preventing preterm birth. H.R. 3226 also provides for the study of the costs, impact of social factors, and gaps in public health programs that lead to prematurity, providing us with more vital information. It also calls for the Department of Health and Human Services to make recommendations to Congress to prevent preterm birth. Importantly, the legislation establishes an interagency working group at HHS to coordinate all Federal activities and programs related to preterm birth, infant mortality, and other adverse birth outcomes. Again, I thank Representative Eshoo for her leadership on this legislation. I know that she always takes leadership, particularly on issues that affect the healthcare of children. Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this legislation to make a significant impact in the fight against preterm birth complications in all of our districts and communities. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Eshoo), the ranking member of our Subcommittee on Health.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask for support of the bill on a bipartisan basis. Obviously, reauthorizing and expanding this program for preemies is very important for children. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Michigan.

Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 4468. Instead of working with us on legislation to lower costs for consumers, protect public health, drive innovation, and grow the economy, the Republican majority is once again bringing an anti-clean vehicle bill to the floor as part of their polluters over people agenda. H.R. 4468 would block the Environmental Protection Agency from finalizing its proposed light- and medium-duty vehicle rule. It would also block the Agency from finalizing any future standard to cut greenhouse gas pollution from vehicles. This bill would simply prevent the EPA from doing its job. House Republicans are trying to legislate away years of innovation in cleaner transportation to put polluters over people. The Clean Air Act is clear, Mr. Speaker. EPA has the authority and obligation to protect American communities from air pollution that would cause harm to public health and welfare. That includes pollution from the transportation sector, the single-largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions and other dangerous air pollution in the United States. This pollution affects more than 100 million Americans who live in counties with unhealthy air, and air pollution is associated with over 100,000 premature deaths each year. The EPA's proposed emissions standards for manufacturers of cars and light-duty trucks is intended to tackle this pollution head-on. The result: The new rule is projected to deliver $1 trillion in net public health benefits. Cleaner cars are also a win for consumers who can expect to save an average of $12,000 in fuel and maintenance costs over the lifetime of a light-duty vehicle once EPA standards are in effect. I will stress that EPA's proposal is achievable. It will save consumers money and bolster jobs and our economy by promoting American manufacturing. It will reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. With this bill, House Republicans are denying the American people all of these benefits. The bill is also a direct assault on our domestic auto industry. Decades of innovation spurred by ambitious EPA standards have led to a growing fleet of cleaner, more affordable cars for all Americans. I have to stress, Mr. Speaker, that the bill's reference to choice is a misnomer. EPA's proposed standards are key to expanding vehicle choice for American drivers. More than 100 electric vehicle models are now available in U.S. markets alongside many hybrid and gas-powered options, giving Americans unprecedented flexibility in where and how they choose to fuel. This incredible innovation is the main reason why the United States is a global leader in the transportation sector. H.R. 4468 would stifle this innovation and cause detrimental uncertainty for American automakers. The bill includes vague language that will prevent the EPA from ever finalizing vehicle standards for any type of motor vehicle. The bill would lock auto manufacturers in today's technology in perpetuity, chilling potential advancements in new hybrids, flex fuel, fuel cell, and even internal combustion engines. None of this makes any sense, Mr. Speaker. This extreme bill would hurt our ability to harness new technologies, which would only weaken our ability to compete with China. With this legislation, Republicans are telling the American industry to stand down to China in a global challenge. That is just wrong. Rather than ceding that role to China, House Democrats delivered real solutions with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. These laws are investing in America's ability to beat our economic competitors, including China, ensuring the United States is the global leader on clean transportation. H.R. 4468 would seriously hamper the EPA's ability to address the worsening climate crisis and air pollution for vehicles. It would also limit consumer choice, stifle innovation, create uncertainty for American automakers, hurt American global leadership, weaken our ability to compete with China, and deny Americans the immense public health and environmental benefits of EPA's proposed standards. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to vote ``no,'' and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Tonko), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on the Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials.

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

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Michigan.

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Ruiz), who is a member of our committee.