For Immediate Release: January 12, 2007

Sutton Calls for Medicare Part D Reform on House Floor

Congresswoman honors campaign pledge to get special interests out of the backrooms of Congress

Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Betty Sutton rose today in strong support of Medicare Part D reform. Sutton has a long history of breaking up backroom meetings that have put big pharmaceutical interests over the public's interest. Rep. Sutton supported this legislation that is intricately linked to the ethics reforms Congressional Democrats passed earlier this week.

"There is something wrong when we have our seniors paying record high drug prices and drug companies reporting record profits," said Sutton. "Last week we enacted historical changes in ethics and now we are putting our seniors first and removing special interests from the picture."

This legislation will require the federal government to negotiate prescription drug prices as part of the drug benefit program. Sutton believes that the federal government should use the purchasing power of more than 22 million seniors in the program to negotiate lower drug prices, delivering lower prices to seniors and helping all taxpayers. The Department of Veterans Affairs currently uses its negotiating power to achieve prices 80 percent lower than the Part D program.

H.R. 4 passed the House this afternoon by a vote of 255-170.

The text of Rep. Sutton's floor statement is below:

"Mr. Speaker."

"There is something wrong when we have our seniors paying record high drug prices and drug companies reporting record profits."

"Our seniors deserve nothing less than access to affordable medicine which they have earned through a lifetime of hard work."

"This legislation helps us achieve this by simply allowing the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to negotiate lower drug prices."

"Twenty-two million Americans would benefit from this proposal."

"Ninety-two percent of Americans support us providing this negotiating authority."

"And Mr. Speaker, let's be clear: this proposal is intricately linked to ethics reform."

"Last week we enacted historical changes and now we are putting our seniors first and removing special interests from the picture."

"The minority had their chance when they were in the majority to put forth a drug bill that helped seniors with the high cost of medicine. Instead, with backroom meetings, they choose to help the drug companies increase profits."

"I am pleased as a cosponsor of this bill that we act today and keep our commitment to put their interests first."

"Thank you."

Contact: Linden Zakula at 202-225-3401 or linden.zakula@mail.house.gov