December 11, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 198 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page H10027]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Mucarsel-Powell) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL. Mr. Speaker, the number one concern that I 
continue to hear from my constituents is the high cost of healthcare, 
especially the skyrocketing prices of prescription drugs.
  From Kendall to Key West, I have heard stories of patients that are 
forced to choose between putting food on the table or paying for 
lifesaving drugs. Meanwhile, Big Pharma continues to collect hundreds 
of billions of dollars in profits each year.
  This cannot continue. We must pass H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings 
Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019, which will save Floridians thousands 
in drug costs each year.
  This bill would cut Medicare spending by over $400 billion, and 
reinvest these savings to combat the opioid epidemic, fund research for 
new groundbreaking cures; it would expand Medicare benefits, and it 
would also be used to strengthen community health centers.
  As the past Dean of the Medical School at Florida International 
University, I have worked directly with these centers and I have seen 
firsthand the impact that they have had on our community.
  In my district, Community Health of South Florida, or CHI, plays a 
crucial role in providing care to the uninsured and underinsured.
  In 2018 alone, CHI provided care for over 82,000 patients, including 
primary care services, behavioral health, OB/GYN procedures, and free 
HIV screenings.
  These health centers serve everyone in the community, regardless of 
their ability to pay. They expand quality, affordable healthcare for 
everyone.
  The time to act is now. We have to pass H.R. 3 to lower prescription 
drug prices and strengthen the healthcare centers that thousands in my 
district depend on for care.

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