Healthcare

It is clear that a majority of the House, just like a majority of Americans, back potentially life-saving stem cell research. Most importantly, this legislation would establish an ethical construct to oversee stem cell research by ensuring embryos were created solely for the purpose of fertility treatment, were in excess of clinical need and were going to be discarded anyways.  We also included in the legislation strong protections to ensure no money could exchange hands. The decision to discard the embryo, which will be used for the research, will already have been made and only then can a couple donate an embryo for research.  Prior to that decision, all other options are open to them, including embryo adoption.

Through a vigorous debate, we also brought truth to the false claims put forth by our opponents and we continued to educate all of America about how this research may help those one in three Americans suffering from diseases like cancer, juvenile diabetes, Parkinson's and Alzheimers.

I just hope that this legislation does not end up being vetoed -- yet again -- by President Bush.  My goal has always been to advance scientific research -- in all areas of stem cell science -- in this country.  We never know where the cures and treatments are going to come from and one cell type is not a replacement for another.

We owe it to the millions of Americans suffering throughout the country.  It is my hope that in the end we will be able to craft a final piece of legislation that is acceptable to advancing science and at the same time addresses the concerns of the Bush Administration. I am not sure that can happen, but I am committed to seeing if it can.

As the House this week takes up the Democrats' legislation requiring government price negotiations for Medicare Part D, it is useful to consider a point that they have not wanted to address: namely, the fact that we cannot have government drug price negotiation without a formulary.

The Democrats continue to use the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) drug plan as their vision for Medicare Part D.  Unfortunately for America's seniors, they fail to point out that the fundamental tool that goes hand-in-hand with VA price negotiation is a formulary which limits the number of drugs available.

Why?  When the government grows unsatisfied with price negotiations, it simply removes that drug from the formulary.  Although H.R. 4 does not call for a formulary, the New York Times reported on January 7 that economists and health policy experts believe the only way for the government to achieve savings is to steer patients toward certain preferred drugs.  A formulary is the logical outcome of such a process. Read more...

I think it's important to ask exactly what problem the Democrat majority believes they're solving with their proposal on Medicare Part D. The actual costs of the benefit in 2006 are $13 billion lower than projected. The projected costs over ten years are down over 21%. The premiums are 40% less than projected, and over 80% of the beneficiaries are supportive and satisfied with the program. So what problem are they trying to solve?

The larger question is a philosophical question: who should be making personal healthcare decisions for Americans? Should it be Washington government bureaucrats, or should it be doctors and patients? We believe--I believe, as a matter of principle--doctors and patients should be making that decision, including which drugs should be used for the treatment of diseases.

AARP endorses the bipartisan Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act of 2007, which will permit the safe, legal importation of lower-priced prescription drugs from abroad.

The legislation was introduced today by Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME); Representatives Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) and Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO) are sponsoring companion House legislation. The bill legalizes the importation of FDA-approved medications from certain countries beginning with Canada, imposes strict safety standards to prevent drug counterfeiting, and includes important provisions to prevent potential trade obstructions.

It’s an embarrassment that the very same medications Americans pay top dollar for in the U.S. cost so much less in Canada and Europe. Americans are getting a raw deal. AARP is proud to support the Dorgan-Snowe bill because it will help make lifesaving prescription drugs available to Americans at prices they can afford.

Tomorrow, I will oppose legislation requiring taxpayer funding of embryonic stem cell research because the destruction of human life is unnecessary to advance stem cell research and treat our most horrible diseases. There are four kinds of stem cell research: I support (1) amniotic fluid, (2) umbilical cord, and (3) adult stem cell research, but I oppose (4) federal taxpayer funded research on embryonic stem cells, which requires the destruction of early human life.

Despite 25 years of research in mouse embryonic stem cells and 7 years in the human variety, embryonic stem cells have yet to yield any successful clinical trials in humans.  Adult stem cells, however, have treated patients suffering from 72 different diseases in published clinical applications.  Researchers have also achieved similar results with stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood, treating more than 70 different types of diseases. Read more...

Often I hear the false claims that FRC is against stem cell research.  In truth, FRC is a strong advocate for ethical stem cell research.  This ethical form of research has produced actual treatments and cures, as opposed to embryonic stem cell (ESC) research.  Regrettably many politicians, including the new Democratic leadership, use ESC as a political football, caring little about actual cures.  Research from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine now threatens to take some of the steam away from Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) attempts to increase taxpayer funding for life-destroying embryonic stem cell research.  Doctors, using cells either from amniotic fluid or directly from the placenta once the women had given birth have demonstrated once again that amniotic fluid-derived stem (AFS) cells can be extracted and turned into many tissue types including nerve, blood vessels, liver cells, cartilage, bone and cardiac muscle. Read more...

Liberal Republicans and Democrats in Congress are rushing to overturn President Bush’s ban on expanded use of human embryos in stem cell research this week. Under consideration this week is H.R. 3, a bill that is designed to institutionalize the killing of unborn humans for their stem cells.

Why are liberals so determined to expand on the killing of the unborn? They already vigorously defend the so-called “right

The government successfully negotiating drug prices is about as probable as a Florida Gator fan wearing an Ohio State jersey to last night's championship football game.

If naysayers of the current market-based system for drug pricing say it isn’t working, they should look at the numbers.  The cost of Medicare's new prescription drug benefit has come down about 10 percent in the last six months.  Most importantly, seniors on Medicare’s prescription program are allowed to receive any medication their doctor prescribes to them, and they receive them at a lower cost.

All of this would change if the government starts negotiating drug prices as the Democrats are proposing.  And why is that? Read more...

In a PAYGO world, this is $14 billion worth of savings just waiting there on the table. It's good for consumers, taxpayers, and policy-makers to create a clear regulatory pathway to get generic biologics to market. Biologics are great products and need as much competition as possible to be affordable enough for consumers.

I am extremely pleased that the Combating Autism Act is finally law. This bill calls for $945 million in federal funding over five years for autism research, treatment, and education. However, while the Combating Autism Act describes the need for federal funding, the bill does not actually provide any money.

President Bush, when signing the Combating Autism Act into law, hailed its passage. Now, it is even more important that the President send Congress a budget request with $945 million dollars specifically earmarked for autism education and research. By working together, Democrats and the President can ensure that autism is prioritized when Congress begins debating the 2008 budget next year.

Once the Combating Autism Act is fully funded, it will be the largest investment Americans have ever made in the battle to understand autism and better help those born with this often devastating disease. With one in every 166 children born in the United States now diagnosed with some form of autism spectrum disorder, there is no time to lose in finding better treatments and an eventual cure.