Debate managed by part of the ways and Means Committee. Might consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts. Mr. Neal im pleased to join with the speaker and other Committee Chairs to have introduced the Patient Protection and Affordable Care enhancement act and welcome consideration of the measure in the house today. Hearing the former chairman of the Energy Committee a few minutes ago, decent guy, he said that there was room for bipartisanship. In the health care debate. I mean, ive been here for a long time. Where was the bipartisanship, and im going to submit something republicans in all the years i have been in this house they have not agreed amongst themselves on health care, never mind agreing with democrats on health care. So for years, weve worked to expand access. Thats what this argument about is about today. We want to make sure that Affordable Health care exists for the American Family and to build on the coverage gains of the Affordable Care act. The covid19 crisis only adds urgency to an already pressing problem for millions of american families. The problem has been consistently exacerbated by the Trump Administrations relentless crusade to dismant they will American Health care system. We called on the campaign recall on the campaign trail when President Trump was asked by reporters what he intended to replace obamacare with, he said dont worry, pal, youre going to love it. That was the apps. Just last week, under the cover of night, while Many Americans were likely sleeping, the Trump Administration took another step toward invalidating our health care laws. They filed a brief with the Supreme Court in support of undoing the a. C. A. And ending protections for nearly 130 million americans with preexisting conditions. I helped to write this law. Im really proud of it. And they staked out this position in a pandemic when millions of americans need health care more than ever. Our new Patient Protection and Affordable Care enhancement act is utilized to expand tax credits, to lower premium costs for the american consumer. For the first time in the history of the a. C. A. No one will pay more than 8. 5 of their income on a silver plan from the marketplace. Ill quickly share the other scenarios people will witness savings through. A family of four earning 40,000 hurblings nearly 1,6 in nearly 1,600 in premiums each year. An adult would save 800 a year. A 64yearold earning 57,000 a year would save more than 8,700 in premiums each year. These are significant savings that would make a big difference for americans, particularly during the Current Health and economic crisis we find ourselves in. I want to thank representative underwood for her tireless work on these provisions and advocating for millions of americans who will see their premium costs go down, recalling was offerede a. C. A. An embraced 20 million more americans received Health Insurance. I want to thank representative wild for the effort to remove a longstanding baferier for families with an offer of affordable family coverage as well as representative neguse for his work on behalf of Social Security beneficiaries who were at wisconsin of losing premium tax credits from the time they were covered by the a. C. A. Marketplace. These tax credits arent the only benefits consumers can expect under this very important legislation. We also slashed Prescription Drug costs. We reduced consumers deductibles, encouraged more states to expand medicaid and established their own a. C. A. Marketplace and to put an end to the expansion of junk insurance plans. This legislation reduces uninsured americans by people. N four million these are issues that matter to everyday americans. Perhaps now in this covid crisis ever. Han ensuring all americans can access Quality Health care families king their Financial Security really shouldnt be a partisan issue. After almost 70 votes on republican bills to repeal or a. C. A. , im really happy to stand on this floor of this support legislation that will continue to build on the gains of the a. C. A. Or legislation that increases access to affordable Quality Health care and for legislation people. For the american with that, i urge my colleagues this timely vor of legislation, and i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts reserves his time. The gentleman from texas is recognized. Mr. Burgess thank you mr. Brady thank you, madam speaker. I yield myself such time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. R. Brady thank you, madam speaker. As a republican in congress, im proud of our republican efforts, creating the Medicare Part d prescription which then seniors leader nancy pelosi and democrats tried to kill. Speaker emember that pelosi famously predicted creating the crucial part d plans for the elderly, across the street, would end medicare as we know it, unquote. Imagine how many seniors lives would have been ost if she had succeeded in stopping the affordable medicare drug program . Have come to iors depend on it today. We are in the middle of an pandemic. Ted National Americans are worried about their health and their jobs. Yet, here we go again in the house, another partisan bill with no input from republicans. From Campaign Operatives and special interest groups. Sick andcan people are tired of this partisanship. My democratic colleagues and friends i say, stop playing political games with health care. To your is Dangerous Health in three key ways. T stops lifesaving cures from getting to the patients who need them most. T blocks americans from buying affordable shortterm health plans that cover them in between jobs. To slash stay support for state support for for the most vulnerable and poor. It doubles down on the most Health Care Plan in modern history, the Affordable Care act. Disaster. Er that you broke every promise democrats made to the american public. Like your Health Care Plan you can keep it. False. You canike your doctor, keep them. False. Our Health Care Costs will go down by 2,500 a year. Big false. Less than making 250,000 a year will see a tax increase. False. Add a dime to the federal deficit. False. Add over , it will 1. 5 trillion in debt this decade. We are battling the coronavirus and hoping against hope as Companies Partner with racing rnment, heroically to bring new treatments in medicines that lives and prevent americans from being infected. House ay, today, democrats are unbelievably that the a bill council of economic advisors predicts will stop 100 from ever cures getting to the patients who need them most. Sciences rnia Life Association says the pelosi plan for government setting medicine mean nearly nine of 10 new drugs would never be made available. Never. Their researchers and small biotech companies. That are the medicines could be the answer to some of the most heartbreaking and evastating diseases, including covid covid19, that our children, are facing. Ilies as this pandemic makes urgently lear, we need more cures, not fewer. Fewer cures means more lives cut short. Shrug offng democrats these Research Experts and say were fine with that. Affordable care act has improved under president prices went otage, down in most states. Insurance companies have stabilized. Families see more choices today. Flawed. Emains fatally heres proof. Two out of three americans eligible for obamacare are down. G it two out of three. They say its health care they cant afford, y and it doesnt work for them. Nbelievably, democrats are so hellbent on forcing americans onto the a. C. A. , today theyre state ning to slash support for medicaid unless tates buckle to expand obamacare. Holding the poor hostage . Hreatening to defund the operations of medicaid at the state level . Thats immoral. Remember, the t Supreme Court quickly struck extorteir last scheme to states. Finally, despite the claims theyre expanding health care this misguided bill blocks americans from buying shortterm dable, plans often used by Small Business workers and americans of work or in between jobs. Plans arent lth for everyone, but to the three illion americans with these lifesaving plans, democrats say tough. Or ou dont like your plan even if you do, you cant keep it. Theres a better way than this waste of partisan time. Real people are hurting. We should Work Together in to make affordable patientcentered health care a americans. Last year, republicans proposed legislation that brought ogether ideas and bills from members of congress from both andies to lower drug prices accelerate new cures. Health care policy fails when its partisan. Work together now to make drugs more affordable, to care access to quality and, yes, to lower costs. Achieve any oft those goals. Its partisan business as usual nation time when our calls out for so much more. With that i reserve the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas reserves his time. The gentleman from massachusetts is recognized. Mr. Neal thank you, madam speaker. With that let me yield two inutes to the gentleman from california, mr. Thompson. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from california is recognized for two minutes. Madam speaker, i rise in strong support of h. R. 1425. This legislation expanding and enhancing the Affordable Care ct and lowering Health Care Costs for all americans. N the past six months, over 120,000 americans have died due to covid19. Have lost their jobs, and in many cases their Health Insurance. Why its so critical we strengthen and build upon the foundation of the affordable act, which is exactly what this bill does. His legislation reduces the price of expensive pharmaceuticals, including taxpayers ving billions of dollars while all ng down drug costs for americans. And the bill uses those savings and wer insurance premiums expand tax credits, helping more americans afford the coverage they need. This bill bolsters state funds d programs, covid19 vaccine research, and cuts the number of uninsured by nearly four million. The president and my republican actively trying to gut protections for preexisti preexisting conditions and take away from millions of americans. This legislation reduces Health Care Costs for of americans at this critical time. Ts vital that we give our constituents the help they need. Friends onmany of my the other side talk about how they want to protect people who have preexisting conditions. Every one of which is in support f the lawsuit to repeal the Affordable Care act, the very bill, the very law that protects who have preexisting conditions. Protecting e for preexisti preexisting conditions and for provides the law that that protection. I urge my colleagues to vote yes bill, and i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields back the time. E of the the gentleman from texas is recognized. Mr. Brady yes, madam speaker. Im proud to yield three minutes to a key leader of the ways and Means Committee, the gentleman from pennsylvania, mr. Kelly. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from pennsylvania has three minutes. Mr. Kelly thank you, madam speaker. Brady. Ou, mr. Look, the objective of this bill is to prop up the Affordable Care act. We want to pump money into Medicaid Programs and price drugs. S on prescription h. R. 1425 lifted the provision pelosis drug bill, h. R. 3, that gives the secretary set h. S. The power to medicare drug price controls for pharmaceutical manufacturers and payfor. A the savings from price setting power is meant for the expansion of the Affordable Care act. Facts are clear. Private investment in Drug Development fuels Innovation Ecosystem for new medicines. Its just that simple. The Congressional Budget Office has already determined that h. R. 3s negotiation provision would in fewer cures. You have to be especially tone introduce legislation that punishes the very pharmaceutical companies that re going to innovate and mass produce the vaccine the entire world is counting on to counter covid19. Of last year, we were 80 of the way there on a bipartisan before we got sidelined by h. R. 3 and legislation just like this. To the peoples work and Work Together on solutions that make sense, like 19, drug legislation that would actually make it to the president s desk. Mind, th all that in lets talk about who it is were talking for today. Who it is we represent on the peoples floor. For. T is were looking out because too often this becomes about november 3, 2020, and not everyday lives back in the districts and the folks who we represent. Letter that i a have read before because i think it really deserves to be repeated. In october t to me of 2019. Ear congressman kelly, my name is sarah stewart, and im from st. Petersburg, pennsylvania. The my understanding that house ways and Means Committee is having a public hearing on by the the very h. R. 3, way, that is being included in 1425. Act of r drug cost now 2019. It appears this legislation does support. Bipartisan it needs to take a more balanced approach. The balance is needed for like my 10yearold maddie. , maddie suffers from a rare ondition called pierson syndrome, which is a disorder that occurs as a result of mutated genes in the body. These genes impact the mitochondria of her cells and from predeucing producing enough energy for the. Ody it affects each individual differently. Her symptoms through the years have included blood transfusion thendent for several years, inability to heal after sun type 1e damage, becoming diabetic, progressively hearing losing her hearing and vision, developmental delays when having a body that runs on very limited energy. It has been truly heartbreaking in her the speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. Mr. Kelly she continues to defy the odds. A s challenge is of 10yearold. My simple message to you the speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. 30 seconds. Yield mr. Kelly my simple message to you, mr. Kelly, and the rest of rest of ttee and the the congress is there is no cure for treatments for pierson syndrome. Struggle to keep maddie balanced so her body is better able to cope with of this terrible disorder. All we have, as well as many other families across the world, is hope. Dont let partisan bickering impact the ability of discover and innovate new therapies that maddies life one day. The clock is ticking and maddie is waiting. To this. Comes down if you want to develop new drugs, dont penalize the people who develop them. Bad guys them as the when we re the speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. Kelly address covid19. Thank you. I yield back. Thank you. Mr. Neal thank you, madam speaker. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts is recognized. Mr. Neal im pleased to yield two minutes to the gentleman doggett. S, mr. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas has two minutes. Approaching july fourth we should be celebrating our country. Of instierd, were mired instead, were mired in a more ic where we have people infected and more deaths from this pandemic than any world. In the entire with President Trump floundering and whining. This pandemic enial, delay, and ongoing deception has been exposed as the fraud that it is. And because of his multiple is a time when more americans desperately need enroll in nity to Health Insurance, not the junk insurance that hes been promoting. To eliminate, ks as do our republican colleagues, he Affordable Care act and the coverage that it has today for millions of our citizens. Todays bill offers a reaffirmation that the Affordable Care act should be strengthened, not destroyed, strengthening that would have occurred long ago but for the fa netic decade of our republican colleagues in trying to destroy the Affordable Care act. Next year, we have to do much more for health care than simply return where it should have been. Millions of americans, particularly in a state like texas which has more uninsured children than any state in america, they are still likely to be excluded because of obstructionist republican state leaders. And even those who have insurance are still often the victims of prescription price gouging. E exceed glit the exceedingly modest in this bill falls well short of monopoly prices for drugs developed at taxpayer expense. This bill pours billion into pharmaceutical development with no assurance that the prices in the resulting cures will be affordable. We see only today with the pricing of remdesivir, a drug that would have been would have been left in the scrap heap of failures but for taxpayer funding that the same taxpayers who developed the funds will be charged billions to get them. Lets looked for fwoord a day when we have a competent and committed president to Bring Health Care for all. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas is recognized. Mr. Brady thank you, madam speaker. Im proud to yield two minutes to a leader in health care reform, the gentleman from nebraska, mr. Smith. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from nebraska has two minutes. Mr. Smith thank you, madam speaker. I rise in opposition to h. R. 1425. I stand here somewhat surprised that there is celebration of the successes of the socalled Affordable Care act. Many of my constituents are offended by the mere name of the bill the Affordable Care act because they dont find it affordable. They found it quite unaffordable and i would argue thats why we are here today. With a fairly clever scheme at taking money from here and putting it there. Which likely will still drive up the cost of health care. Its just a few different people paying for it. If we want True Health Care reform we should do that. But we havent done that lets look for the bipartisan opportunities on drug costs as mentioned earlier. Those have been advancing but those were all pushed aside for h. R. 3. H. R. 3 passed the house knowing that it wasnt going to go anywhere. I would argue that some people probably even voted yes on h. R. 3 because they knew the senate would not take it up and because they also know that it has major problems. But here we are today, again, with this scheme that i think ill fail the American People just like so much of the socalled Affordable Care act has failed the American People, in its mere cost not to mention other things. I remember the comments of if you like your Health Care Plan you can keep it. We know that didnt happen. So many other promises were made that were not kept. The American People want us to Work Together especially now. Probably more than in the history of our country the people want us to Work Together on bipartisan solutions. We need to do that, madam speaker. We can do that. Theres even evidence that there is Productive Work already done in a bipartisan fashion. So lets not do this bill 1425 today. Lets go about it in a bipartisan way where we know the American People will benefit more and our system can support that. Thank you and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. The gentleman from massachusetts. Mr. Neal thank you, madam speaker. I would point out that 100 of the children in massachusetts are Health Insurance today and 97 of the adults. With that im pleased to yield two minutes to the gentleman from oregon, mr. Blumenauer. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Blumenauer thank you very much. I listened to my colleagues cry out for bipartisan cooperation. And progress. I listen to them talk about somehow having promises not kept. Think for a moment. My colleagues, the promise of donald trump and the republicans to replace and enhance the Affordable Care act. Theyre going to eliminate and replace it with something better. No. Could not do it. Theyve been assaulting the Affordable Care act since the moment it was passed and they got their hands on the controls of part of the political control. They fought to protect big pharma so we have this corrupt bargain where americans have to pay the highest Prescription Drug prices in the world in order bribe pharmaceutical companies to continue research. And they wouldnt unless americans pay more than anybody else in the world. Including in many instances people who cant afford their Prescription Drugs. That corrupt bargain needs to be rejected. And now were hearing, i think starkly, the difference between republicans and democrats. Night and day. That active sabotage of the Affordable Care act today with the republican attorneys general and the full weight of the Trump Administration to try again to repeal it in its entirety. Our legislation would increase coverage for four Million People. Its interesting, watching people fight against the efforts of the Trump Administration and the republicans to deny them coverage, they figured out almost a half Million People figured out a way to apply, demonstrating the need in the time of coronavirus. Madam speaker, my republican friends have nothing to offer. They have no plan. The Trump Administration only wants to destroy the Affordable Care act at a time when its more important than ever. I strongly urge approval of this package. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas is recognized. Mr. Brady thank you, madam speaker. Im pleased to yield one p one minute to a key leader on the committee, the gentleman from new york, mr. Reed. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for one minute. Mr. Reed i rise today in opposition to the bill before us. The debate is very simple. Im a proud republican and i stand with the private market. I stand with you as the people. My democratic colleagues, they offer you a vision of health care defined and controlled by the government. If you believe the government can do a better job with your health care, then so be it. Vote with the democratic colleagues. But if you believe in entrepreneurs if you believe in innovator, then vote with the republican ideas that lead to more innovation. The bill before us today as we had a conversation with the Health Secretary in the ways and Means Committee room and with the Congressional Budget Office independently confirming that there would be dozens less innovations when it comes to treatments and cures for americans with the passage of this bill. That is what you are doing, eyes wide open, and were not going to let you get away wit. When you vote for this bill you are dooming millions of americans to not have a cure for the disease. Vote for the bipartisan bill h. R. 19, lower costs, more cures, thats the bill that will get through the system. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts is recognized. Mr. Neal let me yield two minute those gentlelady from washington state, congresswoman delbene. The speaker pro tempore the gentlewoman is yielded two minutes. Ms. Dell bhe nee thank you, madam speaker. Ms. Delbene thank you, madam speaker. I rise in support of the patient protect and Affordable Care enhancement act. This is one of the top concerns of my constituents. In 2019 i revved received about four times as many comments about Prescription Drug costs than the year before. Now with the covid19 pandemic and crisis, addressing the issue of drug pricing is more urgent than ever. The patient stories are numerous and never ending. Id like to share just one with my colleagues and the American People to remind us why this legislation is so necessary. A constituent of mine, day narc from kenmore, washington, has lived with type one diabetes for 14 years. When she was first diagnosed with diabetes, insulin cost her 50 each month. Today that same insulin costs over 600 per month. Thats an 1,100 increase for the exact same product. And there have been virtually no changes to insulin since danas diagnosis so the price spike is inexplicable. Dana is not only a diabetes patient but also a Nurse Practitioner and diabetes educator. She told me about patients who go to canada where they get insulin for 40 but with the border closed because of the pandemic, for many that option is shut off to them. Dana has shared store roifs patients who cant afford medications and ration their insulin which we know can lead to poorer health, vision loss, kidney failure and even death. I strongly support the patient protect and a protection and Affordable Care enhancement act which will strengthen and improve on the a. C. A. And give the health and Human Services secretary a fair price for insulin which will help patients like patients like da in a and the patients dana serves in my district. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and i yield back the balance of my time. Mr. Brady i have a veto threat from President Trump that states the administration opposes h. R. 1425, further demonstrating this bill has no chance of becoming law. At this time i ask unanimous consent that these let behr submitted for the record. With that, im proud to yield two minutes to a leading Health Care Expert on the ways and Means Committee, the gentleman from north carolina, mr. Hultgren, two minutes. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. That hasren one thing come clear federal officials have worked to mitigate the effects of coronavirus and save thousands of lives. Mr. Holding my district is home to one of the sites that vidse of the worlds supply of dexamethazone, one of the first lifesaving drugs for coronavirus. And this site is preparing to ramp up to meet demands. Policymakers must continue working with health care stake holders to spur innovation and ensure a steady supply of vital drugs to create the to treat the coronavirus. Unfortunately, we are wasting time today talk about government price controls that would do the exact opposite rather than incentivize the development of a vaccine and treatments, these would discourage companies from investing in new drugs and the tax penalty for noncompliance threatens to force companies and certain drugs out of the United States entirely. That not only means that thousands of americans could lose access to the drugs they desperately need but thousands of folks in towns like wilson could lose their jobs as companies leave the United States. Under no circumstances, no circumstances, madam speaker, can we adopt a policy that would curtail Patient Access to vital drugs and discourage the development of new innovative dreams. Even the go one less drug as a result of this policy is too many in the middle of a pandemic. I urge my colleagues to vote no on this misguided bill. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts is recognized. Mr. Neal with that, let me yield two minute those gentleman from illinois, congressman schneider. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized for two minutes. Mr. Schneider thank you, madam speaker. Im proud to rise in strong support of h. R. 1425, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care enhancement act. Our country is in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic, requiring unprecedented actions. Like the heroes act the house sent to the senate more than six weeks ago. Beating back this virus will test us unimaginable ways and we cannot allow petty politics to push us backwards. Sadly, inconceivably, that is exactly what the Trump Administration asked from the Supreme Court last week when they argued to fully overturn the Affordable Care act. With more than 2. 5 million infections, and more than 125,000 lives tragically lost, we need to expand access to Affordable Health care, lower the cost of Prescription Drugs and improve outcomes for those hardest hit, especially in communities of color and rural communities. But the end of the Affordable Care act and other actions previously announced by this administration with no plan of their own will instead leave millions of americans at risk of losing their insurance. It will result in high premiums for millions of individuals and Small Businesses. And remember this. The 130 million of us with preexisting conditions including those who have been infected with covid19 will pay the heaviest price. The Affordable Care act is essential to ensuring americans have access to affordable, Quality Health care. It is still under attack by our president and his allies. Today i am i and my colleagues demonstrate our commitment to protecting it. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care enhancement act will strengthen the a. C. A. By strengthening protections for those with preexisting conditions, to ensure that no one pays more than. 5 of their income for quality coverage. It will negotiations for lower drug costs. And it will help address the inequalities in health care faced by many in our country especially communities of color. This is the kind of bill that should receive bipartisan support in the middle of a pan democrat egg. I urge my colleagues to vote for it and yield back the remainedmoifer time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields. The gentleman from texas. Mr. Brady im pleased to yield two minutes to a key member of the ways and Means Committee, gentleman from arizona, mr. Schweikert. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman the speaker pro tempore the gentleman from arizona virginia tech. Mr. Schweikert two minutes is almost impossible to have an honest, detailed detailed debate discussion. We are playing this game where we are moving around who pays. We are doing almost nothing to actually reduce the underlying cost of health care. Your bills doing t ours has done t this bill has a cynical mechanism in it and this board is being recycled from h. R. 3. We are all familiar with the mechanism of reference pricing. We have debated it around here for years. If you are in great britain, and there is a new drug that gives you a year of healthy life and it costs more than 37,000, its not purchased. That pricing, that scars it mechanism is what the democrats bill is importing. Its savings are cynical because it will take away pharmaceuticals that make people healthy. How can we be doing this, even allow this mechanism in a time of pandemic . You are about to crush all the little biophrma companies desperately hoping to produce miracle cures and in a perverse way for large phrma you have just may have give them the market because you have taken away those nipping at their heels. I beg of you think about what youre actually doing because you will, this type of financing mechanism, will kill people. It will end lives because it will create a dearth, a shortage of the next generation of cures. Lets not nadge in that cruelty. Lets not engage in that cruel tifment there are better ways to get there. We proposed many of them. It would just be nice to get heard because there are solutions and this is a really dark one. With that, madam speaker, i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields. The gentleman from massachusetts is recognized. Mr. Neal madam speaker, let me recognize the gentlelady from alabama, congresswoman sewell, for 1 1 2 minutes. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from alabama is recognized. Ms. Sewell thank you, madam speaker. I am proud to support the Patient Protection and Affordable Care enhancement act today because it is high time that we reduce Prescription Drug costs for all americans. Likewise, this bill includes provisions to expand access to medicaid and Quality HealthCare Insurance with expanded tax credits and premium subsidies. This bill includes a provision in the bill that is the bill that i have been advocating with my colleagues, john lewis and mark veasey, for some time now to ensure all states that expand medicaid coverage receive an equal federal match for expansion regardless of when they expanded. That means the 14 states like alabama that i represent could expand medicaid and get oak wall equal federal coverage in their match. This provision incentivizes Medicaid Expansion because it would help 113 million americans living in nonexpansion states n my state alone over 300,000 more alabamans would provide coverage for medicaid if we had this bill pass. The writing is on the wall and the facts are clear. Premiums and Health Care Costs are higher in states that havent expanded medicaid, over 70 of the rural hospital closures are in states that have not expanded medicaid. The Public Health emergency and economic crisis we are currently facing means that more uninsured and unemployed constituents are more vullnefrpblt lets pass this legislation t will not overwhelm expand medicaid and give Medicaid Expansion opportunities with equal federal match in states like alabama, but will also decrease Prescription Drug costs and protect the preexisting conditions that are so important for all americans. This is an important tool, providing our states with enhanced federal matching funds to ensure medicaid is one of the st tools that we have to represent the communities now and into the future. I yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yields. The gentleman from texas is recognized. Mr. Brady madam speaker, im proud to yield one minute to the Ranking Member of the health subcommittee, the gentleman from california, mr. Nunes. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from california is recognized. Mr. Nunes i thank the gentleman from texas. I rise today in opposition to h. R. 1425. Per usual this is a partisan bill that will go nowhere in the senate and the president will not sign into law. Among the various problems in this bill is the democrats insistence that including provisions which will prevent scientist from finding new cures. At a time when our nation is working to overcome the coronavirus, according to the California Life Sciences association, if this bill passes 88 of new drugs in the pipeline will be discontinued. That is hundreds of diseases that will not be cured and countless lives that will be lost. That is not something that i can support. Rather than engineer a government takeover of the Prescription Drug industry, we can Work Together to provide lower prices for families and we can do it without reducing cures. This bill we have before us today is not the answer. I urge all of my colleagues to vote no on h. R. 1425. With that i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields. The gentleman from massachusetts is recognized. Million neal im pleased to yield two minutes to the gentleman from california, congressman panetta. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Panetta madam speaker, i rise today in support of h. R. 1425, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care enhance the act. This comprehensive legislation will do what i have always said needs to be done to the a. C. A. It wont get rid of it but does fix it. This bill does that by lowering Health Care Costs and raising access to Quality Health care, especially for those that need it the most. We must do this now more than ever. With covid19 numbers spiking and administration that is trying to overturn the a. C. A. And reduce Health Care Access rather than expand it. In my district on the Central Coast of california, the numbers of covid19 are growing, but impacting certain communities more than others. Nearly 80 of all covid cases in Monterey County have been found community. Laninex they make upp almost 50 of the while nationally they have the highest uninsured rate. H. R. 1425 would fix that by eliminating barriers to the affordable hakuba for latinos and exspanneding coverage for Daca Recipients. 24 bill would improve health care for all americans by increasing protections for people with preexisting conditions, strengthening the state marketplaces, expanding premium tax credits, helping lowincome postpartum women and children. Now more than ever it is time for us to do our job and provedirnl prove the Affordable Care act so we can provide the Necessary Health care to those that need it the most and everybody in our nation. Thank you, madam speaker. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields. The gentleman from texas is recognized. Mr. Brady thank you, madam speaker. Im proud to yield two minutes to the gentlelady from West Virginia, mrs. Miller. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from West Virginia is recognized. Mrs. Miller thank you, madam speaker. I rise in opposition to h. R. 1425 which should be called the expanding government and killing chores act. With this legislation my colleagues across the aisle are bending American Health care to the will of washington bureaucrats. Anyway you look at this, House Democrats took a bipartisan issue, improving health care and lowering prices, and botched it. We are now left with bad policy that will stifle innovation for new treatments and therapeutics, and do what government does worst, pick winners and losers in the private sector. This absolutely will not fix obamacares failed policies. This bill gives billions in taxpayer funded bailouts and subsidies while doing nothing to streamline services, lower costs, or cut taxes. Today House Democrats are wasting everyones time pushing a bill with price controls and punitive taxes, blank cheanings bailouts, and more red tape and bureaucracy. I want to bill that protects preexisting conditions, lowers drug pricing, incentivizes innovation, fixes our health carecies terges cuts taxes, and actually lets you keep your own doctor. But this is not it. For these reasons i urge my colleagues to oppose this legislation so we can get to work and actually pass a bill that improves the lives of our citizens. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yields. The gentleman from massachusetts is recognized. Mr. Neal im pleased to yield 1 1 2 minutes to the gentlelady from florida, congresswoman murphy. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from florida is recognized. Mrs. Murphy thank you, madam speaker. Every american should have Affordable Access to doctor care, hospital care, and Prescription Drugs. This is important in normal times and vital during pandemic. Before covid florida had one of the worst uninsured rates in the country. Thats because state leaders refused to expand made, placing politics over Public Health. Its also because many floridians chose not to buy a marketplace plan because they couldnt find an affordable option. In florida cases hospitalizations and deaths are rising sharply. Millions of workers have lost their jobs in their employersponsored health coverage. Passage of this bill would make an immediate difference in the lives of my constituents who are really struggle. The bill would encourage florida and other holdout states to expand medicaid by having the federal government pay nearly the full cost t would make Exchange Coverage more affordable, reducing premiums and deductibles. Lower the cost of Prescription Drugs which are far too high. Finally, it would guarantee no american can be denied coverage because of a preexisting condition. This protection is even more important than ever since there is a risk that insurers could classified a covid19 diagnosis as a preexisting condition. I strongly support this bill and urge its passage. Thank you. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yields. The gentleman from texas is recognized. Mr. Brady madam speaker, i yield two minutes to the gentleman from texas, member of the ways and Means Committee, mr. Arrington. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas is recognized. Mr. Arrington madam speaker, at a time when our nations reeling from an unprecedented Public Health crisis and our fellow americans are struggling just to survive, the democrat leadership is wasting precious time on yet another partisan messaging bill. This legislations going nowhere, and my friends on the other side of the aisle know it. The name, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care enhancement act, is no such thing. Its the protecting obamacare act. Its the pretend we are legislating under the guise of partisan messaging act. Its the perpetuate the broken promises of obamacare act. Its empty. Its devoid. Its going nowhere. And we are wasting time in this national crisis. , if it did pass it would take flexibility and responsibility from states t would coerce states to expand medicaid, a flawed medicaid system, i might add, and it would allow for these moneys to be used on abortion, which is a nonstarter. We know its not serious when thats in there. Thats a poison pill. So, madam speaker, i encourage my colleagues to stop wasting the American Peoples time and lets get back to governing this great nation. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields. The gentleman from massachusetts is recognized. Mr. Neal let me yield two minutes to the gentlelady from california, congresswoman chu. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from california is recognized. Ms. Chu last week as covid19 cases continued to spread, even reaching historic highs, and as the number of americans killed by this virus rose well above 100,000, donald trump asked the Supreme Court to strike down the entire Affordable Care act. If trump and republicans got their way, millions of americans would immediately lose their Health Insurance in the middle of a pandemic with no alternative available. Ending the a. C. A. Is life threatening, especially as we battle covid19. Thats why im proud to support the Affordable Care act the Affordable Care enhancement act. This bill would build on the you can sesssft a. C. A. By expanding tax credits to ensure more americans have access to Health Insurance, not fewer. It expands eligibility for these credits so dreamers can access Affordable Health care as well. Something we know will benefit entire communities. The coronavirus does not discriminate and neither should we. Critically, this bill undoes the Trump Administrations expansion of junk insurance plans, which offer minimal coverage and leave patients with massive bills when they do get sick. Because while access to health care is essential, it must be affordable. Thats why its so important that this bill also includes language from h. R. 3, the Elijah Cummings lower drug costs now act. This will lower Prescription Drug prices by allowing the government to negotiate for those prices, bringing our Prescription Drug prices in line with what they cost overseas. This bill puts the health of the American People first when we need it most. Im proud to support this legislation and i urge my colleagues to vote yes. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady yields. The gentleman from texas is recognized. Mr. Brady im proud to yield three minutes to the minority whip and to the gentleman from louisiana, mr. The republican whip, mr. Scalise. The speaker pro tempore th the speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Scalise thank you, madam chair madam speaker. I want to thank my colleague from texas for yielding. I think we all remember, if you like what you have you can keep it. Remember that phrase . Probably the most broken promise in political history. Millions of people lost the Good Health Care that they liked because washington bureaucrats came in and said, not if you like what you have, you can keep it, but if washington likes what you have, you can keep it. And they took it away. And after that, you still see, years later, theyre trying to pull more people out of the private Insurance Market that actually like what they have and say get back on this. And if it works so well, by the way, madam speaker, wouldnt be people be going in droves to it . In fact it works so poorly that under this bill they have to bribe you with over 00 billion more in taxpayer money. Thats how much this cost. More than 400 billion to take you off of the private Health Insurance that you like, this is free market. If you dont like it you can go somewhere else. But those people liked their private Health Insurance. So theyre going to push them on to this at the expense of over 400 billion. And if thats bad enough, madam speaker what else do they do . They pay for it, get, pay for it by limiting the amount of drugs that will come to market. Yes. The down soifl economic advisors has advised and i quote, as many as 100 fewer drugs entering the United States market over the next decade or about one third of the total number of drugs expected to enter the market. Can you believe this . In the middle of a Global Pandemic when were trying and rushing to find a cure and vaccine for covid19, theyre going to bring a bill to the floor to stop drugs from coming to the market. Over 100 of them. And lets read more. Quote. This would reduce americans average Life Expectancy by about four months. My god, what are we doing bringing a bill to the floor right now when were trying to find a cure that will make it harder to find a cure . All to push more people, including wealthy people that would be eligible under this bill that already have private insurance, onto a taxpayer heavily subsidized program thats been failing under its own weight, failing so much they need to add 400 billion to try to entice you to take it and in the process limit the ability to bring lifesaving drugs like a cure for covid19 to the market. This is absurt. This is psychotic that were even debating this right now. We should be focused on helping expedite a cure, not making it harder to bring that very cure for covid19 to the market. I would strongly urge a no vote and i yield back the balance of my time. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields. The gentleman from massachusetts is recognized. Mr. Neal let me yield two minutes to the gentleman from california, congressman gomez. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Gomez i want to remind my colleagues from the other side of the aisle that this president has attempted to get rid of, eliminate the Affordable Care act or ba macare, over and over and over again. So when you pretend to care about expanding health care or taking care of people that dont have health care, it seems a Little Hollow to me. Thats why im proud to stand up here to snorte patient protect and Affordable Care enhancement act. It would invest in working families by expanding aforbled, strengthen Consumer Protections and increasing coverage. And theres a lot to like in this bill. For the First Time Ever under this legislation, Daca Recipients would be eligible for help with their premiums for plans they purchase under cover california or healthcare. Gov. For Daca Recipients home is here and many have been working as First Responders and fontline Health Providers in the pandemic. They should have Affordable Health care like any other american. Id like to thank chairman neal for working with me on this important provision. Second this bill makes changes so medicare more effectively serves its patients. For instance under this legislation, medicare enrollees would have better access to primary care physicians and wont lose their Health Care Coverage because of small fructuations in their income over the course of a year. 47 of my Congressional District is enrolled in medicaid or medical so these provisions have crucial. Last, this bill makes health care more affordable by increasing subsidies for working families on the marketplace. This provision is similar to the Health Care Affordability act of 2019 that i introduced with congresswoman lauren underwood. So this is a historic step. The Affordable Care act was a big step but its not done. And were going to keep pushing. And were not going to negotiate with the other side of the aisle that keeps trying to eliminate and roll back protections on Affordable Health care for millions of americans. With that, i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields. The gentleman from texas is recognized. Mr. Brady im proud to yield three minutes to a leader of the ways and Means Committee, the gentleman from ohio, dr. Wenstrup. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Wenstrup i thank the gentleman from texas for yielding and for his leadership. I rise in opposition to this bill. I grew up watching a show called Medical Center a kid. It led me to want to become a doctor because i wanted to help people. After i graduated and completed my surgical residency i owned a small practice with two employees. Eventually i merged with a larger Provider Group in part because the administrative burdens of complying with new laws an regulations, they were just too costly for my solo practice. That wasnt the end, though. Costs continued to rise and my physicianowned Surgery Center was sold to a local hospital and medicare reimbursement rates nearly doubled overnight. Including an increase in patient copays. When i got to congress i joined the g. O. P. Doctors caucus and im now proud to serve as vice chair. Most of us in the doctors caucus agree that one reason we came to congress is because of the mountains of red tape, red tape involved in practicing medicine, it has killed much of the joy of providing care to patients. Now the bill were debating today is another perfect example of an attempt to expand big government, making it harder on the medical community. In this case its patients who rely on Prescription Drugs who stand to lose the most. In the noifeds covid19 outbreak and response as we rush toward finding treatments and vaccine, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to pass a bill that will result in fewer cures for americans in need. Thats right. C. B. O. Analysis concluded that this bill would result in fewer cures coming to market to help the American People. Drug manufacturers who may feel government isnt willing to pay a reasonable price for their product would have their rev mue taxed at astronomical rates, essentially coercing the drugmaker into submission or cease to exist. The reason america leads the world in producing new medicines is because we allow competition. Competition to drive innovation. Right now Congress Needs to be fostering innovation through competition. Not imposing one size fits all washington mandates that accomplish just the opposite. Weve already proven we can do some Work Together. Last year the ways and Means Committee marked up a bipartisan drug pricing legislation bill only to have it die because of partisan leadership. I know the energy and commerce and judiciary committees have done the same. Lets debate and find compromise on those legislations which actually stand a chance of mechanicing law. I urge my friends on the other side of the aisle to work with us on Bipartisan Legislation that will result in finding cures for the American People because cures save money and save lives. I oppose this legislation and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields. The gentleman from massachusetts is recognized. Mr. Neal im pleased to yield two minutes to the gentleman from nevada, congressman horsford. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is rick niced. Mr. Horsford thank you, madam speaker, and i thank the chairman. I rise in support of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care enhancement act. In the middle of the Historic Health and Financial Security cry sthoifs coronavirus pandemic, especially in my home state of nevada that suffering the suffered the most debilitating economic impact, Affordable Health care is more important now than ever. Last week in thed my tholve covid19 crisis, President Trump petitioned the Supreme Court to strike down every last protection and benefit of the Affordable Care act. On friday, i learned that such a ruling would cost 23 million americans including 309,000 nevadans to lose their Health Insurance. There is no excuse for this cruelty, ever. But it is truly unconscionable that at a time when over 100,000 americans have lost their lives to a virus that we have yet to curb completely and when access to Quality Health care could be the difference between life and death, we should be building on the Affordable Care act to lower health care, not ripping away every last benefit. And with all due respect to my colleagues on the other side who keep saying this bill has no chance in the senate, who do you work for . Mitch mcconnell . Or the American People . My constituents elected me to do my job and that is to fight for their health care. So i fully support the Patient Protection and Affordable Care enhancement act because we need to do more to provide Affordable Health care and bring down the rising costs of Prescription Drug costs. This bill does that. I urge my colleagues to join us, do your job today. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields. The gentleman from texas is recognized. Mr. Brady i have here a host of let for the opposition to this dangerous legislation. One signed by more than 40 state and regional life science organizations, another intind over 130 small biotech companies, many of whom are currently working to develop covid19 therapies and vaccines and in these letters, they emphasize that this bill will deter badly needed investment that will harm the ability to manufacture and produce therapies and cures. For american families. Madam speaker, in the midst of a pandemic we just heard a question, why do we oppose this bill . In the midst of a pandemic where countless lives will depend upon the development of these new cure, this cannot happen on our watch. Will not stand idly by. At this time i ask unanimous consent that these letters be submitted for the record. The speaker pro tempore without objection. The gentleman reserves. The gentleman from massachusetts is recognized. Mr. Neal thank you, madam speaker. Let me yield two minutes to the gentleman from new york, congressman suozzi. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Suozzi i rise in support of h. R. 1425, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care enhancement act. Madam speaker, the democrats have been debating internally over the last couple of years whats the best way to preredeuce Health Care Costs . Whats the best way to provide access to people . What should we be doing. Some say medicare for all. Some of us say lets build on the Affordable Care act how much can we provide more access and reduce drug costs that thats what were doing here today. Our republican colleagues are continuing to hurtle down a dark an misguided path to take away coverage from almost 20 million americans in the middle of the worst economic and Health Crisis we have had in almost a century. Im mystified by the strategy of my colleagues on the other side. What are they thinking . Now, they say they want to protect people with preexisting conditions. The president tweeted over the weekend saying hell always protect people with preexisting conditions. And ive heard colleagues of mine in ways and means say were convinced, we know now we have to protect people with preexisting conditions. Yet what do they do . Not what they say, what do they do . Their policies dont match their rhetoric. In 2017 they tried to repeal the a. C. A. Altogether which would take away peoples preexisting condition. Now in the midst of a pandemic thats killed 130,000 americans this administration and the republicans are pursuing a lawsuit to actually undo the Affordable Care act. That will get rid of preexisting conditions protection. It doesnt make sense. Prescription drugs. The president said in his campaign an thereafter when talking about big pharma, these guys are getting away with murder. We should be negotiating Prescription Drug prices. We passed a bill before, were doing it again today that says negotiate drug lices, theyre opposing it once again and theyre not doing anything to try to negotiate Prescription Drug prices. Today democrats are once again taking steps to reduce premiums, lower drug prices and expand coverage. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bill. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman yields. The gentleman from texas is recognized. Mr. Brady yield myself 30 seconds. Just to quick fact check. You know the Republican Congress in 1996 enacted the First Comprehensive protections for preexisting conditions which cover today 275 million americans who are not affected by the lawsuit. Theres simply too much fear mongering and Bad Information in this debate. With that, i reserve. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman reserves. The gentleman from massachusetts is recognized. Mr. Neal thank you. Thank you, madam speaker. With that im going to yield one minute to the gentlelady from chicago, ms. Schakowsky. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady from illinois is recognized. Ms. Schakowsky i thank the chairman for yielding to me. I would think that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, the republicans would get tired of trying to take Health Care Away from americans. Particularly right now. The a. C. A. Enhancement act would make such incredible improvements and make health care more affordable but no the bill includes the no more Narrow Networks act that i actually introduced that would ensure that consumers can access more comprehensive, equitable and Timely Health care within their own Insurance Network now. It also ncludes the includes the protect consumers from unreasonable rate act and allows the federal government to help lower prices when those rates, those premiums are too high. This is a great bill. You should be for this i yield back. The speaker pro tempore the gentlelady the speaker pro tempore the gentleman from texas virginia tech. Mr. Brady i am prepared to close. So i yield myself such time as i may consume. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman is recognized. Mr. Brady thank you, madam speaker. Republican support children, seniors, and patients with preexisting conditions. Republican congresses created the popular childrens Health Insurance program millions of families rely on today. Republican congress created the Prescription Drug program in medicare to help seniors get the medicine they need that every democrat and Speaker Pelosi tried to kill that bill. Republicans, a Republican Congress created the Medicare Advantage program that serves 20 million seniors in america. And Republican Congress created the first law to establish protections for patients with preexisting conditions that cover 275 million americans today regardless of this a. C. A. Lawsuit. We want people to have access to quality, Affordable Health care that fits their needs, not Speaker Pelosis. We also support cures now for serious and lifesaving diseases, threatening diseases that plague so many families and our loved one the. Eliminating the hope for those cures is why this bill is so dangerous. Let me be also clear about what isnt in this bill, madam speaker. We heard a lot today from my friend on the other side of the aisle demoaning the Trump Administrations effort to root out unconstitutional laws while committing protect people with preexisting conditions. Democrats could end this uncertainty now. They are in charge of the house. Bring to the floor a measure republicans support that sever the individual mandate from the a. C. A. , bring it to the floor, legislative fix, for your unconstitutional law. Bring to the floor certainty for all americans, especially those with preexesting health conditions. House democrats wont do that. No, they find the political fear mongering to be too potent in an Election Year weapon. So we ten this charade. Let me say it all again for all the republican support protections for those with preexisting conditions. We wrote the law that protects 275 million americans today. We warned democrats about this inconstitutional law and we knew it would get struck down in court. But we cannot have a healthy society, we cannot protect all americans if we dont have access to lifesaving cures. As we continue to fight covid19, what are you thinking . Why are we destroying the incentives for new medicines and cures . We ought to be doing all that we can to accelerate medical innovation, not destroy it in this bill. Democrats force patients to choose between Affordable Medicines and lifesaving cure for alzheimers, a. L. S. , parkinsons, diabetes, or cancer. Thats a false choice. We are not talking about just a few cures for some very rare diseases, we are talking about up to 100 cures. Dozens lost. Our country is in a time of uncertainty. Millions are unemployed. States still have deep restrictions in place. For folks relying on shortterm limited plans for this period of unsrnt the speaker pro tempore the gentlemans time has expired. Mr. Brady i oppose this dangerous bill and urge everyone to oppose it. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman from massachusetts is recognized. Mr. Neal thank you, madam speaker. I have no further speakers im prepared to close. The speaker pro tempore the gentleman virginia tech. Mr. Neal madam speaker, this is very sensible legislation t builds upon the Affordable Care act. It keeps the protections of preexisting condition. It makes the Childrens HealthCare Initiative permanent. Most importantly it expands the opportunity. Im going to reiterate something i said earlier with the experience we had in massachusetts with the Affordable Care act. 100 of the children in massachusetts have Health Insurance. 97 of the adults in massachusetts have Health Insurance. And it polls in the high 70s in terms of consumer satisfaction. It was the experiment that worked. We should be expanding Health Care Opportunities for members of the American Family not trying to deny them. We shouldnt be filing a lawsuit in front of the Supreme Court suggesting that we should do away with the Affordable Care act. Last point, and i mean this very sincerely. As long as i have been in this house, republicans have never agreed amongst themselves on Health Insurance, never mind trying to find an agreement with us. They have always disagreed sharply about the role of government in Health Insurance. So before they give us a lecture on how this ought to proceed, perhaps they could offer a competing plan that has never cspans washington journal, every day we take your calls live on the air on the news of the day and discuss policy issues that impact you. Coming up this morning, princeton universitys eddie discusses his new book begin again. And the state of Race Relations after the death of george floyd. Also, ohio Republican Congressman steve shouted, chabott, steve Ranking Member of the Small BusinessCommittee Talks about the pandemics effects on Small Businesses, and economic recovery efforts. Watch washington journal, and be sure to join the discussion with your phone calls, facebook comments, Text Messages and tweets. Cspan has unfiltered coverage of congress, the white house, the Supreme Court, and Public Policy events. You can watch all of cspans Public Affairs programming on television, online, or listen on our free radio app and be part of the National Conversation through washington journal programs or through our social media fees. Cspan, created by americas Cable Television companies as a Public Service and brought to you today by your television provider. During his coronavirus briefing, California Governor Gavin Newsom addressed the recent spike of positive cases. He announced additional funding to support those areas impacted by the spike, and said guidance coming out later in the week would offer clarity on safety in bars and restaurants as well as protocols when visiting nursing homes. Gov. Newsom good afternoon, everybody. Gov. Newsom good afternoon, everybody. Thank you for the privilege of your time and the opportunity to update you on our response to covid19, where we are as a state, and where we are going. I thought it would begin by trying to contextualize a little