Senate Proceeding on Dec 14th, 2009 :: 1:14:45 to 1:34:45
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1:00:30 to 1:14:45( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Bernard Sanders

1:14:35 to 1:14:46( Edit History Discussion )

Bernard Sanders: here is this bill has a number of very important featus which i think will make lif easier for a lot americans. there are many problems remaing, and i hope that in

1:14:47 to 1:15:07( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: the coming weeks we successfully address those prlems. and with that, i would yield the floor. the presiding officer: the senator from arizona. mr. kyl: i ask unanimous consent that senator nelson from florida be allowed to speak for ten minutes. after that that i be a speak for ten minutes. after that senator murkowski speak for ten minutes.

1:14:50 to 1:25:00( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Bill Nelson

1:15:08 to 1:15:28( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: after that, senator dodd. and following for 20 minutes -- i'm sorry. and after thasenator dodd. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. the senator from florida.

1:15:29 to 1:15:49( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: mr. nelson: thank you, mr. president. mr. president, it is a wonder that this health care bill has survived this far with so many people shooting at it.

1:15:50 to 1:16:10( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: but survive it must, and survive it will, because it's the right thing to with a country that has 46 million people that don't have health insurance, that when they do get health care, it costs the rest of us a lot of money

1:16:11 to 1:16:32( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: because they get it free in the most expensive place. that's not a system that is operating like it should, and about. this whole thing is about trying to help people that can't get insurance get i and those who desperately want it that can't get it, to be able to get it.

1:16:33 to 1:16:54( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: and those that have it, to not be able to have it canceled on them in the middle of their treatments. it's all about people that desperately suddenly having an excuse from an insurance company, can't get insurance because you

1:16:55 to 1:17:15( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: have a preexisting condition." and some of those preexisting conditions are the flimsiest of excuses. but what about those who have had a heart attack that desperately, desperately need health insurance after that? this legislation is

1:17:16 to 1:17:40( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: folks who desperately want insurance, and they finally find an insurance company that will insure them, and then they can't afford it. now, why in america, in the year 2009 and almost 2010, aren't we at the point of being able to

1:17:41 to 1:18:01( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: give our people the confidence, the satisfaction, the loss of fright that they can't take care of their families if they get sick? that's what this legislation is all but everybody and his brother

1:18:02 to 1:18:22( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: and sister are taking these pot shots, and every special interest that has got their finger in the pie, they want their share of the pie and to heck with anybody else. this is what we are trying to overcome we're trying to overcome a system that has been built up

1:18:23 to 1:18:43( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: since world war ii, over the last 60 years, that is inefficient and is not giving the health care to the people that desperately need it unless you can afford it.

1:18:44 to 1:19:07( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: so despite all of these pot shots, survive this bill, it must. and survive, it will. and we're going to pass this thing, and somehow we're going to get 60 votes here cobbled together to break this filibuster so that we can get on to the fin passage of this legislation.

1:19:08 to 1:19:28( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: now, i just want to give you one example. you rember that story, tha famous novel, "a tale of two cities," about london and paris? well, i'm going to give you a story, a tale of two industries and what they're doing in this bill. one industry is the insurance

1:19:29 to 1:19:49( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: industry and the other industry is the two industries that have an enormous outcome and high stakes in how this legislation comes on the one hand is the industry. they are running tv ads all over

1:19:50 to 1:20:12( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: this country trying to torpedo this. if you watch those 30-second and 60-second ads, you would think this is the worst thing that is going to bankrupt america and that we're not going to have anybody giving insurance. well, why are they doing this? because they know they are going

1:20:13 to 1:20:35( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: to have to suddenly act they're not going to be condition. they're not going to be able to canceling your policy in the middle of your treatment. you thought that they would come to the table when suddenly we were going to insure an additional 46 million people that they were going to get all

1:20:36 to 1:20:58( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: of those premiums, but because the subsidies were not enough for the poor people or that if they did not buy that insurance in the health insurance exchange that the penalty wasn't enough, the insurance industry said forget it.

1:20:59 to 1:21:19( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: contrast that with the pharmaceutical industry. now, the pharmaceutical industry, to their credit, are still supporting this bill. and that is a very good thing. they are one of the few deep-pocketed industries that can go out and buy tv time and

1:21:20 to 1:21:43( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: support this bill. but remember when i said everybody's got their finger in the pie? the pharmaceutical industry, i want them to know how much i appreciate what they've done but they c do more. let me give you a case in point.

1:21:44 to 1:22:06( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: they say in their so-called $80 billion contribution that $20 billion of that is to have a 50% discount drugs in the doughnut hole. the doughnut hole is that vast amount of about $3,000 that senior citizens, once medicare

1:22:07 to 1:22:28( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: helps them get up to it, it's about $2,300 above that all the way up to about $5,300. the medicare recipient doesn't get any reimbursement. it's that catastrophic coverage kicks in. what the pharmaceutical industry

1:22:29 to 1:22:49( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: has said is they'll come in and give a and of their $80 billion contribution, that's worth $20 billion. but here's what they didn't tell you. now again, i'm speaking very favorably for them because they are supporting the legislation. but this is what they didn't tell you.

1:22:50 to 1:23:10( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: they did not tell with you that 50% discount that, number one, they're going to have increased sales ofheir brand name drugs to the tune of $5 billion over this ten-year period in the doughnut hole because they're selling more drugs in the doughnut hole and because that

1:23:11 to 1:23:32( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: means more people get above that 5,300 level and get into catastrophic coverage that they're going to be able to sell incremental sales another $25 billion or total of increased sales of so they're going to contribute here $20 billion, but they're

1:23:33 to 1:23:54( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: going to get $30 billion additi so they come out a net $10 billion over ten years to the good. what i would ask the pharmaceutical industry, who appreciate, to do is come in and

1:23:55 to 1:24:18( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: give 100% discount and by their own numbers has come up in a study by morgan stanley, by their own numbers 100% discount would cost them $40 billion over ten years, but they would reap back by morgan stanley's numbers, $60 billion, or they

1:24:19 to 1:24:39( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: would be -- the pharmaceutical industry -- $20 billion to the good. so it's a tale of two industries. the insurance industry, which grabbed its bag of marbles, you all are not making the penalties severe enough. we're taking our bag of marbles and we're goi home, and we're

1:24:40 to 1:25:02( Edit History Discussion )

Bill Nelson: going to try to defeat your bill. the pharmaceutical industry, which is still hung in there but which can d a lot more. and i hope that as we get into these negotiations, mr. president, that they will be willing to step up and set the

1:25:03 to 1:25:23( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: example of health care reform in americ mr. president,ive. -- floor. mr. president. let me talk for a moment about one aspect of the health care legislation that has been of great concern to our nation's

1:25:05 to 1:36:05( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Jon Kyl

1:25:24 to 1:25:45( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: governors. the presiding officer can certainly appreciate the problem here since among other governors and former governors, the presiding officer had the responsibility of balancing a state budget with one of the largest obligations being the payment for the medicare -- patients. my governor, jan brewer of arizona, was in town last week and she talked to me about the problem.

1:25:46 to 1:26:06( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: she sent me a letter which in a moment i'll ask to be the record. but as a result of that conversation, i wanted to point out some things to my colleague and hope that we can revisit part of t on the floor here. incidentally, before i do that, let me just note the fact that my colleague from f referred a moment ago to filibuster, and i want to be clear here that i presume he was

1:26:07 to 1:26:29( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: not referring to republicans filibustering the bill since we have been asking to have votes on the pending amendment, is the crapo amendment, since six days ago when that amendment wa as a matter of fact, the republican leader on sunday finally had to file cloture on the ripen tomorrow morning, to end the filibuster that the majority

1:26:30 to 1:26:50( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: has been conducting. i understand the members of the majority have not been able to decide how to proceed, but in the meantime we haven't been able to vot amendments. republicans would like to do that, would like to get some more amendments on and continue on with debate on the bill. for a bill this should have been able to dispose of a lot more amendments than we

1:26:51 to 1:27:12( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: have. so lest anybody believe there is a republican filibusr going on here, i would hasten to point out that t true. but let me talk about the medicare -- excuse phaoerbgs i keep saying -- excuse me, i keep saying medicare. medicaid features of this bill. it's against the backdrop of unemployment. as you get more people on unemployment, you're g

1:27:13 to 1:27:35( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: have more people on the medicaid rolls. arizona's medicaid has risen six points since more people are eligible for our medicaid program, known in arizona as the access program. currently one in five arizonans is could have had through access. over -- is covered through access.

1:27:36 to 1:27:56( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: over 200 have enrolled since january. that's 20,000 new enrollees every month. we're talking about a substantial burden as a result of the recession that we're in on our state government. as my state and many others have had to deal with the challenges of the recession, declining state revenues, increasing need

1:27:57 to 1:28:17( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: for certain s last thing washington should do is to make things harder for the states. yet, that's reid bill would do. the reid bill would require states to expand medicaid he will -- eligibility to

1:28:18 to 1:28:39( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: 133% of federal poverty begins january 1. there is even talk of raise that go to 150%. the federal government would in 2017 help finance this expansion. the congressional budget office estimates that $25 new state spending would result unde

1:28:40 to 1:29:01( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: and the arizona governor's office estimates this bill would require the state of arizona to increase its cost by almost $4 billion between now and 2020. the state of have t just the scalled wood work effect alone, meaning the number of currently eligible individuals that might

1:29:02 to 1:29:22( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: would itself e costs. there are about 200,000 arizonans currently eligible but not all are enrolled in medicaid. if only half of those individuals would enroll, it would cost the s from 2014 to 2019. as i said, our state simply doesn't have the money to do that.

1:29:23 to 1:29:44( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: our arizona g chairman baucus stating her opposition to the medicaid, pangs, and at thi poi, mr. president, i would ask unanimous consent that her baucus be included in the record at the conclusion of the presiding officer: without objection. mr.

1:29:45 to 1:30:10( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: excerpts from her letter. first, she said that arizona cannot afford our current medicaid program despite the fact that we have one of the lowest per member, per year costs in the country. arizona's general fund spending on the medicaid agey has increased by 230% over the past 10 years, rising from 8% of

1:30:13 to 1:30:34( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: general fund spending over the years much our current's year's budget shortfall we've had to reduce reimbursement by $900 million and resulting in an additional lost of more than $06 billion. despite the reductions, we're sacrificinother state programs that impact education, health and safety of our children and

1:30:35 to 1:30:55( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: our seniors in order to cover the growing costs of medicaid. considering this, it incomprehensible that congress is contemplating an enormous unfunded entitlement mandate on the states. the disconnect policymakers in shington the reality of state vernments is disheartening. now, mr. president, let me quote

1:30:56 to 1:31:16( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: from some other colleagues of governor democrat an republican governors -- and republican governors around the country who made the same point. the newly elected demratic governor's association is the governor of delaware. he said we have concerns. we understand the need to get

1:31:17 to 1:31:40( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: something done and we're supportive of getting something done, but we want to make sure 's done in a way that state budgets are not i believe that all governors are concerned about what the potential impact is of these bills. governor rendell of pennsylvania, who has been on television a lot, and makes a lot of sense when you talk about this, he said, i don't think

1:31:41 to 1:32:03( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: it's an accounting fit, we don't have the wherewithal to absorb that without new revenue source. bill we can't afford that. the governor of tennessee said that he feared c about to bestow what he called the mother of all unfunded mandates. he was referring to this medicaid mandate.

1:32:04 to 1:32:24( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: governor christine gregore of wa to cost shift to the states we're not going to be in a position to pick up the tab. bill ritter, governor of colorado, a medicaid expansion should not operate as an unfunded mandate for the states. the governor of montana, the governors are concerned about

1:32:25 to 1:32:46( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: the unfunded mandates. another situation where the federal government says you must do x and you, meaning the states, must pay for it. the governor of ohio, ted strickland, the states with our financial challenges right now are not in additional medicaid responsibilities.

1:32:47 to 1:33:08( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: governor purr dew of -- -- there are more and more that we could quote. the point is that virt -- is that virtually all of nation's governors expressed a concern about this and alluded one way or another about the disconnect of washington and the states. the point -- the point i was making before, washington seems to bark the orders,

1:33:09 to 1:33:31( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: with no regard to the difficult financial challenge that many of these states are in. let me point out one final point here. these new unfunded mandates generally mean new taxes an significant payment cuts to safety net providers just as governor brewer said and ultimately the loss of jobs much and this is the example i wanted to close with.

1:33:32 to 1:33:53( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: phoenix children's hospital in phoenix is built to handle about 20,000 emergency cases a year. as it great hospital. it receivesbout 60,000 per year. so its capacity does not begin to match the need. so to meet the demand, and by the way more than half of these are medicaid patients, the hospital built a was expected to open at the end

1:33:54 to 1:34:15( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: of next yeemple good news, right -- year. good news, right? the governor added up the that governor brewer and the additional cuts to finance new federal mandates an concluded that the math doesn't add up. as a result, phoenix children's

1:34:16 to 1:34:36( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: hospital nervous m that they won't be able to move into their new building, it would have had 2,000 new jobs. what we do in washington has real consequences. i suspect the reid bill speps disast so, mr. president, as we debate more

1:34:37 to 1:34:58( Edit History Discussion )

Jon Kyl: bill, i think each day we focus on something different in this legislation that creates a huge problem. today's focus for me is the problem with the visit from the governor. she is at her wit's end. they don't have the fiscal means to pay for this new under funded mandate.