▶ 0:18:48And I will recognize myself for an opening statement. I want to thank everyone for being here today. I hope you had a a great, um, work period back working at home in august and glad everybody's back. And I first want to tell you, we're going to consider very important legislation that extends vital programs that support our nation's public health. Patients in rural areas often face unique challenges with the health care system. This includes long travel times, increased waitlists, and shortage of specialized care.
▶ 0:19:18H.r. Two for 93, led by my good friend Mr. carter of georgia, would authorize reauthorize the rural health services outreach and rural health network development programs, which are aimed at increasing access to care in these areas. Additionally, patients across the country have benefited from increased access to telehealth services. H.r. 3009 would reauthorize the telehealth network and resource center programs. We also will be considering h.r. 1262, the give kids a chance act, led by representative mccaul and h.r.
▶ 0:19:5181843 increasing transparency and generic drug applications. Led by representative dunn. The kids give a chance act of 2025 builds on current programs to accelerate research and drug development for rare pediatric diseases, including cancer. One important part of this legislation is the reauthorize reauthorization of the rare pediatric disease priority review voucher, or prv.
▶ 0:20:15This program provides a critical incentive for companies to develop treatments and cures. Since 2012, the program has proven successful, leading over 50 new treatment approvals for nearly 40 different rare pediatric diseases, many of which have no options had no options prior. I'm very pleased we're finally providing certainty to this critical program in the patients, the patients that have benefits. In addition, we are considering h.r.
▶ 0:20:45One 843, which would increase access to generic drugs by eliminating bureaucratic hurdles and increase transparency during the drug approval process. Both of these bills were considered last congress in a bipartisan fashion, and look forward to that continued support today.
▶ 0:21:00We also will be considering the am radio for every vehicle act of 2025, which requires automakers to include am radio broadcast radio as standard equipment in their vehicles, and broadcast radio is an important component for vehicles, especially in rural areas, as it is the most reliable medium for emergency alerts.
▶ 0:21:19And I want to thank chairman bilirakis, and I want to thank ranking member pallone for their bipartisan efforts with this legislation, which is co-sponsored by 37 members of this committee and nearly 300 of our colleagues in the full house. I appreciate the hard work from members and staff on both sides of the aisle for their work on all these bipartisan bills. I will yield back. And I now recognize the gentleman from new jersey, representative pallone, for five minutes for an opening statement. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. Today we're marking up seven bills.
▶ 0:21:48But before I discuss some of the bills, I want to express my disappointment about some health bills that have been left off this markup at a time when we're facing nationwide shortages of health providers. The republican majority has decided not to include bills that reauthorize critical health professional development programs. This committee used to prioritize health equity, but I'm concerned that committee republicans are jeopardizing health workforce programs because they do not want to promote diversity in the healthcare workforce.
▶ 0:22:17Having a diverse health workforce is important. We need a workforce that is reflective of the communities they serve. Research shows the diverse and representative healthcare workforce improves not only patients perceptions of the care they receive, but also their access to care and their actual health outcomes. And I'm also disturbed that we're not moving the newborn screening reauthorization act.
▶ 0:22:39Today, the newborn screening program is one of the largest and most successful health promotion programs in the country, with more than 14,000 newborn lives saved or improved each year thanks to early diagnosis and treatment of genetic conditions. And it is imperative that we reauthorize this program.
▶ 0:22:55While I'm disappointed that we're not moving these bills, I am committed to continuing to work on these programs to see them reauthorized, and I'm pleased that we are marking up the healthy start reauthorization act, led by representative ocasio-cortez. This program targets communities with the highest rates of infant mortality and women at risk of adverse health outcomes to provide services to women before, during, and after pregnancy.
▶ 0:23:21It has been extremely successful in reducing infant mortality and lowering rates of preterm birth and maternal illness, and I'm pleased to see it included in our markup today. We're also considering a bill that will expand access to care for patients with rare diseases and complex medical needs, and increase research and development into rare pediatric diseases. It also improves regulatory certainty while also strengthening the medical product supply chain and enhancing patient access to lower cost medicines.
▶ 0:23:51Specifically, the bill will allow for disclosure of certain information related to drug formulations to generic drug manufacturers to bring lower cost medications to patients more quickly. These provisions all advance our goals of accelerating the development and accessibility of novel, safe, effective and affordable treatments while improving outcomes for patients. And this legislation also gives the health resources and services administration hrsa, the authority it needs to continue its work to modernize the organ transplant system.
▶ 0:24:21This language will allow hrsa to collect registration fees and distribute them among the multiple contractors that will be supporting the organ procurement and transplantation and transplantation network. This system is life saving for many americans, and I'm glad that we can continue to support these much needed reforms. And finally, I'm pleased that we will be considering the am radio for every vehicle act, which I introduce with commerce, manufacturing and trade subcommittee chairman bilirakis.
▶ 0:24:51We've been working on this issue bipartisan together for several years, and I'm pleased will advance this, will advance it to preserve access to analog am radio in all passenger cars sold in the united states. When when superstorm sandy hit, my constituents of the jersey shore experienced firsthand how vital it is to have easy and free access to timely alerts.
▶ 0:25:14Am radio is uniquely resilient and able to travel long distances, which allows public safety officials to spread life saving information even when cell towers, cable and internet access is down. Families deserve the peace of mind of knowing that they will have reliable access to emergency alerts without having to pay additional fees for life saving information.
▶ 0:25:34And besides emergency situations, am radio programing provides news and community oriented content in many languages to diverse sets of listeners, including those in rural and tribal communities who often do not have access to other forms of media. So I want to thank representative bilirakis and how hard he's been working on this and working with me on this important bill. And with that, Mr. chairman, I yield back the balance of my time. Thank you.
▶ 0:26:01>> the gentleman yields back, and the chair reminds members that pursuant to committee rules, all members have opening members, opening statements will be made part of the record. Are there further opening statements? No. Are there further? The gentlelady. What purpose does gentlelady from colorado seek recognition? >> I have an opening statement, Mr. chairman. >> you're recognized for three minutes. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. Today we're marking up several good bipartisan bills.
▶ 0:26:23But meanwhile, over in the senate, one of our counterpart committees is is holding a hearing with former cdc director susan norma torres and former deputy director deb howery speaking. For everyone on my side of the aisle, we are frustrated that this committee is not taking its oversight duties seriously.
▶ 0:26:42On september 4th, every democrat on the health subcommittee sent you a letter requesting a hearing with rfk jr and former cdc director regarding her firing and the politicization of science at the agency. I'd ask unanimous consent to put that in the record, Mr. chairman. >> without objection. So ordered. >> so, um, I just want to ask you the same thing I asked chairman griffith last week.
▶ 0:27:08Will you commit to holding this kind of a hearing the week of october 6th? >> uh, we have no commitments on scheduling. >> well, we really need to do it. In addition, this thursday and friday, the advisory committee on immunization practices, which secretary kennedy has stacked with anti-vaccine ideologues, is meeting to consider vaccine recommendations. So, again, Mr. chairman, will you commit to holding an oversight hearing with secretary kennedy on the advisory committee on immunization practices?
▶ 0:27:37>> we'll take that under advisement. We don't have any. >> thank you. And by the and then, Mr. chairman, we asked for this committee to conduct oversight on the trump administration's illegal gutting of our public health agencies. In a hearing on april 1st, you stated, quote, we have to have the proper oversight to make sure that things that congress directs the administration is in place. On april 2nd, the next day, we sent you a letter commending that and asking for some hearings. Mr. chairman, I'd ask unanimous consent to put that letter in the record.
▶ 0:28:08>> without objection. >> so in response, Mr. chairman, you had a spokesman call our request for oversight, quote, a partizan ploy. Let me be clear. Wanting to ensure that cdc, fda, nih and other public health agencies can serve the american people is not a partizan ploy. In the meantime, the trump administration is eviscerating our cancer research. The new york times headline from sunday this week said, quote, trump is shutting down the war on cancer. Mr.
▶ 0:28:38Chairman, I'd like to enter that article into the record as well. And conveniently, my staff has a copy for every member of this committee. >> without objection, so ordered. >> it discusses the firings at nih, new burdens on researchers, and the horde of political appointees who are interfering with science. Former nih director harold varmus is quoted saying, quote, we are great in science. Why would we want to destroy one of our greatest assets?
▶ 0:29:05Every single member of this side of the committee agrees with that. Simply put, the committee is not fulfilling its duties. And today, democrats on this subcommittee are demanding that the committee live up to its obligations and work for the american people and their health care. I yield back. >> gentlelady yields back. Are there further opening statements? Seeing on the republican on the democrat side seeing none. The chair calls up h.r.
▶ 0:29:332493 and asks the clerk to report. >> h.r. 2493a bill to reauthorize certain programs regarding rural health. >> without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with, and the bill will be open for amendment at any point so ordered. Does anyone seek to be recognized on the bill? >> morning. >> gentlelady from washington.
▶ 0:30:00What gentlelady from washington is recognized to speak on the bill. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. I'm really happy that the committee is considering the improving care in rural america reauthorization act. Um, that I co-lead with congressman carter. Um, this is really important for my district.
▶ 0:30:2010,000mi, three mountain passes, lots of rural clinics, very few providers that a lot of my constituents depend on for their care. Um, and so I'm really happy that we're going to have some support for these rural hospitals and clinics. But I just have to point out, like I did last time, some of the hypocrisy and sadness about this bill.
▶ 0:30:45I mean, first of all, what these rural clinics and rural hospitals depend on most is medicaid because they see a disproportionate share of medicaid and medicare, um, requiring or using patients. And they would much rather have not passed, have not seen the big ugly bill pass, would have much preferred to still have their patients have access to medicaid than to see this.
▶ 0:31:11I mean, this is a $50 billion investment. It's a one time investment. This is not going to make up for the dramatic cuts to medicaid that will impact my constituents and the people who rely on these health care programs and the rural clinics and rural hospitals that will go under. I mean, they may not go under immediately, but the first thing to close is going to be labor and delivery. We know that that is the pattern. And think about those three mountain passes in my district.
▶ 0:31:41Think about the women in the winter who might not be able to get over a mountain pass. Um, and the implications both for themselves and for their new babies when things go wrong. Um, I have told the story of ila before in this committee and that, um, having that rural hospital and labor and delivery really saved her life.
▶ 0:32:01Um, I also just want to mention that now we have a rule for how cms is going to distribute these funds, and it sounds a lot like the maha agenda wearables, uh, kind of insufficient, uh, insurance policies basically states that conform to the agenda of this administration will be more likely to get
▶ 0:32:32Those funds. Which makes me concerned that although we're doing a partial right thing here, uh, my state may see none of that benefit unless we, uh, kiss the ring. So I am going to vote for this bill today. It's the right thing to do. It's my bill. It will help rural hospitals.
▶ 0:32:50But I cannot do that without calling attention to the hypocrisy of what has happened in this committee, and that every single one of my colleagues here voted to make the largest cut ever to medicaid, and then is trying to make up for that error, which they know is an error by passing this bill. Thank you, I yield back. >> thank you. The gentlelady yields back. The gentleman from georgia is recognized for five minutes to speak on the bill. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. Mr.
▶ 0:33:18Chairman, I'd like to express my support for the bipartisan improving care in rural america reauthorization act that I've introduced with senator tim scott. This legislation would reauthorize critical rural health care services outreach programs that increase access to health care services in rural communities. Rural residents often encounter barriers to accessing health care, including distance and transportation issues.
▶ 0:33:42These roadblocks result in unmet healthcare needs, leading to a 43% higher mortality rate for rural americans compared to those living in cities and suburbs. The rural health care services outreach program represents one of the federal government's most successful rural health grant initiatives.
▶ 0:34:01These programs promote innovative solutions that help people in rural communities get the care they need, such as an increase in access to preventative health services and screenings, chronic care management, and other forms of care that are needed in our rural areas across the united states.
▶ 0:34:16In fact, several recipients in georgia benefit from this program, including the southern healthcare collaboration in baxley, georgia, by reauthorizing by reauthorizing rural health services outreach programs, this bill will lead to increased access to health care services for rural communities.
▶ 0:34:36In 2020, president trump signed into law legislation reauthorizing rural health outreach services programs under the 2020 cares act through fiscal year 2025, the improving care and rural american reauthorization act of 2025 will extend these critical programs through 2030. Further bill changes will ensure that local rural needs are prioritized in grant awards. I applaud senator scott for introducing this bill with me, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Thank you, Mr.
▶ 0:35:07Chairman, and I yield back. >> gentleman yields back. Is there further discussion on the bill? Gentleman from from new from new orleans. The gentleman from louisiana is recognized for five minutes to speak on the bill. Thank you. >> Mr. chairman. I move to strike the last word.
▶ 0:35:22As a member of congress, the only member of congress who sit on this committee representing the state of louisiana, I fully support bipartisan legislation like the improving care in rural america and america reauthorization act of 2025, which extends key rural health programs and health resources and services administration, hrsa and helps rural and underserved communities stay. States like mine.
▶ 0:35:46In fact, 44 of louisiana's 64 parishes are designated as fully or partially rural, and approximately 29.1% of louisiana's population currently live in rural areas.
▶ 0:36:04Programs like the rural health care services outreach program, rural health network development program, and small health care provider quality improvement are lifelines for providers and patients in rural and underserved communities.
▶ 0:36:17In fiscal year 25, louisiana was awarded 199 70 in funding from the small health care provider quality improvement program, which provides patient health outcomes and the quality and delivery of rural health care services and primary care settings. This is about ensuring everyone has access to quality health care.
▶ 0:36:41Patients living patients living in rural areas and underserved communities often travel long distances for health care in urban areas. These communities often experience higher or higher provider shortages and facility closures.
▶ 0:36:57That's why I was also proud to introduce the bipartisan legislation that would increase community based training opportunities for medical medical students in rural and medically underserved communities. Bipartisan legislation that strengthens our health workforce and supports programs that serve rural and underserved communities. How we build a better health care system.
▶ 0:37:24Ensure access to quality care for everyone, and fight healthcare disparities. This is something we all can agree on. Just last week, the health subcommittee held a markup to advance improving care in rural, uh rural america reauthorization act and several other bills that would do exactly that, including representatives bill, h.r.
▶ 0:37:454262 to reauthorize hertz's title seven healthcare workforce program, which is why I find it interesting that h.r. 4262 was not included in the full committee markup today versus title seven health workforce programs would critically address health disparities and provider shortages. Crisis in rural communities like my republican colleagues claim they care so much about.
▶ 0:38:14Let's prove that you really care. Unfortunately, they would rather get caught up on the word diversity than try to address these issues, which, to be clear, are not mutually exclusive. Title seven programs help recruit, train, and retain diverse health health workforce to meet the unique needs of different populations, including those in rural and underserved communities.
▶ 0:38:42Increasing the number of providers in this country will improve access to healthcare for everyone, and lead to better health outcomes for patients overall, especially those in rural and underserved communities. I encourage my republican colleagues to put semantics aside and not lose sight of the rural and underserved communities that would benefit from these programs. I yield back. >> gentleman yields back.
▶ 0:39:08Is there further discussion on the bill? Seeing none. Uh, for their amendment, are there any are there any amendments? Gentlelady from florida. For what purpose do you seek recognition? >> I have an amendment at the desk. It's castor 031. >> the clerk will report. >> amendment to h.r. 249. >> without objection, the reading of the amendment is dispensed with, and the gentlelady from florida is recognized for five minutes in support of her amendment. >> uh, thank you, Mr.
▶ 0:39:38Chairman, and good morning, colleagues. Uh, my amendment would insert permanent extension of the current aca affordable care act tax credits. Um. >> I don't want. >> colleagues all across the country right now. Families and small business owners are really grappling with, uh, they're they're bracing for higher health insurance premiums due to the provisions of the big ugly bill.
▶ 0:40:03This comes at a rotten time because they're already, uh, having to pencil out. How am I going to pay my utility bill? Groceries, housing. And it does not have to be this way when it comes to their health insurance.
▶ 0:40:19There is still time for the congress to help the families and small business owners we represent back home, fix the broken health care system, and keep health insurance affordable for so many of our neighbors who do not have health insurance through their employer colleagues, this would be the fiscally responsible and ethically right thing to do to fix one of the major flaws in the big ugly bill to reinstate
▶ 0:40:49The tax credits that make coverage affordable. These tax credits are cost saving, and they are life saving. And when it comes to rural communities, the rural health national rural health association projects that rural enrollees will see premiums nearly double, with an average increase of $133 a month, and rural areas are projected to see a 30% drop in marketplace coverage and a 37%
▶ 0:41:20Rise in the number of people without insurance. And when so many people do not have insurance, that affects everyone, because where did they go for their health care? Then oftentimes they'll they'll wind up in the emergency room. And that means that ers back up. So you'll have longer waiting times. But then all of those costs migrate to health insurance premiums for everyone else. Uh, that's not fair.
▶ 0:41:48And that's not right. The and that's why over the past few weeks, since the big ugly bill was passed, hospitals have been very outspoken doctors, nurses, advocates have been here saying, wait, wait, wait a minute. What you've done here is really going to cause a lot of pain across the board. Um, I hope everyone's listening to them.
▶ 0:42:16Um, we really should take advantage of this opportunity to fix this major inequity in the big, ugly bill that gave tax breaks to the wealthy and the well-connected, but then took away these, uh, advanced enhanced premium tax credits that help make people, uh, give them the ability to have health insurance. And there are a lot of floridians on this committee, and this really hits home in the sunshine state because we didn't expand medicaid.
▶ 0:42:43We have over 4.7 million florida families who rely on these tax credits. And I'm I'm beseeching you the time to act is now to get them reinstated. Nearly 4.1 million of those of we have 4.7 million in the aca, 4.1 used the tax credits to pay for their premiums and keep keep their coverage for their families.
▶ 0:43:12Think about the cancer patient now that that they're going to have an interruption in service, where do they go, uh, for that family that they're doing everything right. They're probably working part time, uh, and taking care of the kids, but they don't have an employer that offers health insurance. And now you're not you're taking away the pathway for them to do the responsible thing and keep their family covered. It's not right.
▶ 0:43:35These tax credits have helped americans afford high quality coverage since 2021, and it's part of the important fix making sure that this this insurance coverage is still available to them. Every member in this room I know has heard from neighbors and doctors and hospitals who are saying, act now. And I heard the speaker yesterday say, oh, we're maybe we'll wait till december. We can't wait till december because the insurance companies now are already planning their open enrollment.
▶ 0:44:03Open enrollment starts over the next couple of months. We have to act before the end of september before it is too late. Americans simply cannot afford another. This is essentially a tax increase that you've given them, and they can't afford that right now with everything else that's coming down upon them. Uh, the pain and the harm and the risk to families is simply too high for us not to act.
▶ 0:44:28So I'm beseeching you to approve this amendment, and let's all get to work on helping our neighbors instead of the powerful, special interests that often have too much power here in washington, dc, I yield back my time. >> gentlelady yields back, and the chair recognizes himself for five minutes to speak on the amendment. I just want to clarify. It was stated that the working families tax cut, the big beautiful bill will remove these tax credits, that that's just not accurate.
▶ 0:44:57The inflation reduction act set the expiration date for these tax credits on the date that it was. So, uh, I didn't vote for the inflation reduction act. I don't think anybody on our side voted for the inflation reduction act. But the expiration of these tax cuts was set during the inflation reduction act. The working families tax cuts did not make these expire. Anything we did in that bill did not make these expire. Um, so I just want. >> to be.
▶ 0:45:28>> will you yield? >> yeah. >> yield. Does that mean that you oppose extension of those tax credits? >> I didn't say I exposed the. >> extension vote for it the first time. >> but but I just want to say that if you're saying that you chose tax breaks and credits, the inflation reduction act is full of tax breaks and credits, particularly to higher income people who buy electric cars, invest in other types of industries.
▶ 0:45:49And and when you took when you voted to take money out of medicare part d and and spend it in other ways, you could have extended the tax credits further. So it's just just not accurate to say that the that the working family tax cut removed these tax credits. >> if the gentleman will further yield then. So so you didn't answer my question do you do you support extending these tax credits. >> we're discussing, as you said, with with the speaker to try to figure out what the next path is, but it's not it.
▶ 0:46:18We I just want to correct the statement that the the working families tax cut did not remove the, um, the tax credits that you're talking about. That was just that the date in the tax code. Do you deny that the date for this expiration was in the inflation reduction act? Is that not accurate, that the inflation reduction act set the expiration date for these tax credits? >> oh, you're correct. I'm just asking if you support extending. >> well I'm and I'm asking you back am I not correct that.
▶ 0:46:48>> no you are correct. >> absolutely. That's why we have to extend it. >> hopefully we'll look for an opportunity to do to do some work on this. So I will yield I'll yield to the gentleman from florida. You know, if you want your own time okay. I will yield back and I will yield to the gentleman from well, anybody seek recognition to speak on the amendment? Gentlelady from california is recognized for five minutes. >> okay. >> to speak on the amendment? >> yeah. Um, Mr. chairman, I move to strike the last word.
▶ 0:47:14First of all, I'd like to thank my colleague, representative castor, for offering this amendment, because this is not business as usual. We are staring down a complete health care catastrophe, and republicans are completely turning a blind eye. They cut almost $1 trillion from medicaid, kicking over 50 million americans off their health insurance. Now they want to add fuel to the fire.
▶ 0:47:41They're refusing to extend the premium tax credits that 20 million americans rely on. Apparently, they're comfortable letting working families and small businesses pay thousands of dollars more in monthly premiums. Now, let me be crystal clear. This isn't a december problem. It is a right now problem. My constituents are getting their rate notices next month.
▶ 0:48:10I have over 27,000 constituents who rely upon these subsidies, and they're going to see an average increase of $121 a month. Now, that might not mean anything to all of you, but it means a lot to my families. That's over double what they're currently paying, and that's just for a single person. The average family of four would see healthcare premiums increase by thousands of dollars a year.
▶ 0:48:42Families are going to be forced to decide between keeping their health care coverage or paying for school supplies, rent or utilities, and that's simply unacceptable. And I yield back. >> gentlelady, gentlelady yields back. Is there further discussion on the republican side, seeing none on the democrat? Mr. tonko, do you still have your hand up? Did you? I thought, Mr. tonko. Okay, then Mr. gentleman from florida is recognized for five minutes. Did you want. Okay. Mr.
▶ 0:49:14Gentleman from florida is recognized for five minutes to speak on the amendment. >> thank you. Chairman. Extra, extra. Read all about it. Huge health care hike is coming november 1st. If republicans don't join democrats to help with the premium tax credit, we could see increases of up to 75%. I have the second most obamacare of any district in the nation. All top ten are in florida. Republicans and democrats.
▶ 0:49:41If you're from florida or texas in particular, these are the biggest exchanges in the nation, and california too. We could see 100,000 plus of our constituents, lose health insurance, or see increases of 1500 to $15,000. And now the older you are and the more money you make. But are medicare, the more of a hit you're going to get. And I can tell you, back in central florida, these are folks who vote, uh, no doubt about it. This is a ticking time bomb.
▶ 0:50:10So we have this budget vote coming up on september 30th, where we could either include it in time for the november 1st, open enrollment or not. And I know this is what we are asking for in this upcoming budget vote that we come together. We know that this would be even more of a health care hit than some of the medicaid cuts next year, in the following year.
▶ 0:50:34And so we're pleading for democratic districts, republican districts, for folks across america, uh, that we get this done, that we extend the premium tax credit, that we continue to keep obamacare affordable for millions and millions of americans. You know, when I was a small business owner, uh, so many floridians are small business owners. I would pay for my employees to get their health care on the obamacare exchange.
▶ 0:51:02A lot of florida businesses are small to midsize businesses. They don't have employer based health care. This is how 4.6 million floridians get their health care. Also, seniors who are not old enough for medicare 60, 61, 63, 65. This has been very popular with that group as well. Folks who aren't retired yet but want to be and are paying thousands of dollars a month prior to these premium tax credits. This made it affordable for them again.
▶ 0:51:31So I'm hoping that folks will come together. This affects districts across the aisle florida, texas and other states. So we avoid this huge health care hike on november 1st. With that I yield back. >> gentleman yields back. Is there further discussion? The gentleman from new york is recognized for five minutes to speak on the amendment. >> thank you, Mr. chair. I move to strike the last word. Thank you. Um, I don't understand why everyone in this room isn't demanding that we extend the aca tax credits.
▶ 0:51:57The deadline is approaching, and insurance companies are making decisions about increasing premiums as we speak. It's bad enough that republicans big, ugly bill will take health care away from millions of currently insured americans, in a cynical ploy to deliver tax cuts to the super rich. That is cruel, and I just can't wrap my head around taking away health care from your own constituents by prioritizing tax cuts to billionaires and letting aca tax credits expire.
▶ 0:52:24If republicans follow through with plans to let these tax credits expire simply, millions more will lose access to their health care. On top of that, premiums will increase for millions of more people who don't get the tax credit because the cost of uncompensated care get passed on to everyone remaining. Um, as increased premiums. Americans deserve access to affordable health care. We've made that very clear when we pushed forward the affordable care act.
▶ 0:52:52No one wants to see their premiums rise by 20%, knowing that their member of congress can easily stop this. I asked my republican colleagues to reverse course and support the extension of these aca tax credits. It's the right thing to do. And with that, Mr. chair, I yield back. >> gentleman yields back. Uh, anyone seeking recognition? The gentlelady from michigan is recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, Mr. chair. I move to strike the last word on castor's amendment.
▶ 0:53:19As my other colleagues have said, and I know people. Um, why do we have to do it now? Because this is when bills are moving and the they expire at the end of the year. But the marketplace, as has been said, opens on november 1st, and middle class families are going to see large and painful tax hikes as a result.
▶ 0:53:43Families who are already stretched thin, who are talking to us about affordability and costs everywhere, are simply not going to be able to afford it. Allowing the subsidies to expire would exacerbate the exacerbate, exasperate and exacerbate the damaging effects of health care.
▶ 0:54:00As a result of I'm sorry, I know you called the big beautiful bill, but it's not to me and the people that have been telling me about what is happening to their health care as a result of its enactment, health care costs are expected to go up for everyone, not just those who will be impacted by the drastic medicaid cuts in the bill. Here's a reality in michigan, blue cross blue shield has already asked for an 18% increase. State by state.
▶ 0:54:27The insurance companies are already asking for increases around 2024 26%, depending which, uh, state it is. And if these tax credits aren't renewed. We're already being told people's premiums are going to go up 75% on top of what the insurance companies are already doing.
▶ 0:54:52People are going to leave the marketplace due to higher premiums, which were already stressed by increasing health care costs. Too many people are simply going to forgo health insurance. Enrollees are going to be sicker. On average, less people are going to be covered and everyone else's premiums are going to go up.
▶ 0:55:08You know, after we passed the big I'll behave today, bill, uh, on the house floor, I got a call that my mother was being rushed to the hospital by ambulance, and I raced home and sat in that emergency room all weekend while she and many others waited for a bed because they had to be admitted.
▶ 0:55:30And all I could think about was the health care system's already broken and we're only making it worse. The congressional budget office estimates that allowing these credits to expire will kick over 4.2 million americans off their health insurance, in addition to 10 million who are expected to lose it because of the bill that was passed earlier this year.
▶ 0:55:55These changes could also lead insurers to scale back on plans or pull out of the aca market completely. Cvs health's aetna has already announced it's going to exit the marketplace in 2026, which means all their enrollees have to find new coverage and many of them may not. People who receive health insurance through their employer could also see their out-of-pocket costs jump, as insurers adjust to the changes in this policy.
▶ 0:56:21By allowing these credits to expire, republicans will harm the exact people they say they want to help with the enactment of their destructive bill. They're going to hurt middle class families. This would also hit small businesses, as roughly 30% of the marketplace enrollees are self-employed.
▶ 0:56:42Not only could it raise healthcare costs for small business owners, it could have wide reaching effect in the economy by slowing business creation and job growth. These cuts are creating uncertainty that's going to impact the entire industry and hurt everyone. That's why I support rep castor's amendment to permanently extend these tax credits. We must protect americans access to affordable health care and avoid harmful economic consequences.
▶ 0:57:11Thank you. And I yield back. >> gentlelady yields back the recognition. Mr. Mr. veasey from texas, recognized for five minutes to speak on the amendment. >> uh, I move to strike the last word. Well, we sat here literally all day and all night saying that this was going to be a problem, uh, and that this was a five alarm fire that was being set.
▶ 0:57:37Uh, and instead of helping put the five alarm fire out, uh, republicans were running around with matches. And let me just remind everybody about how we got here, because back in the summer, republicans slashed hundreds of billions of dollars from medicaid. Literally, like I said, in the dead of the night. And that was a gut punch to the poorest and sickest americans.
▶ 0:57:59Then just last week, we came together on, on a bipartisan basis to pass bills that would have strengthened our strained health care workforce and protected newborn, uh, and protected newborn screening programs that save babies lives. Uh, we made real bipartisan progress. But when it came for today's markup, those bills literally went up in smoke.
▶ 0:58:19And now republicans are trying to take a sledgehammer to the affordable care act by taking away a direct discount that makes health care coverage more affordable, which in this economy, people want more affordable. And let me explain what that means. The aca's premium tax credits are what keep people's premiums down. They're the difference between a $200 monthly bill or a $1,200 a month bill.
▶ 0:58:46They're the reason a waitress in dallas can afford to take her child to the doctor. Instead of choosing between groceries and a checkup. That is why self-employed truck driver in fort worth doesn't have to choose between insulin and rent. That's why a small business owner in arlington can cover herself and her employees without going under.
▶ 0:59:05And let's be real, if you're a self-employed business owner facing a $1,200 a month premium, when you can enroll in your when you can go to enroll in your plan online this november, you might choose to just walk away from your computer and go without it. Most probably would. I think I probably would. That's the reality.
▶ 0:59:25Texans will face if these subsidies disappear, and if republicans get their way, your premiums are going to skyrocket and millions of americans will get priced out of coverage. And in texas, which is a state that already has the highest uninsured rate in the nation, we're almost at 4 million people who rely on these subsidies. And the bottom literally is going to fall out. And so let's not pretend this is about budgets.
▶ 0:59:52This is about politics, plain and simple. Uh, because people are whispering in republicans ears and telling them, dismantle the aca. Tear it down. Strip it away. Uh, and my colleagues on this committee are nodding along and happy to do their dirty work, avoiding honest conversations, even if it means their own constituents are going to lose health care, even if it means their own constituents are going to lose health care.
▶ 1:00:19This cruelty is compounded. First they cut medicaid, then they abandoned newborn screening and critical workforce programs. And now they want to rip away a health subsidy that almost 4 million texans rely on. Those subsidies away.
▶ 1:00:38And when you take those subsidies away and you don't, and you don't just hurt the 4 million texans, you literally threaten the health care of 24 million americans and your neighbors, your coworkers, your parents who get their work and their who get their coverage from the marketplace. And so let me be perfectly clear. If my colleagues across the aisle know what's good for their constituents and they will vote to make these premium subsidies permanent, it's not that hard. I yield back. >> I gentleman, yield for a second.
▶ 1:01:08I just want the gentleman yield. >> I yield. >> on the newborn screening. I know we had some technical assistance back that that we're all working on. I want to work with you on that. Uh, in state legislature authorized. I was the major sponsor for newborn hearing screening. And so that's something we want to do. So we'll work with you on that. Thank you. All right. And I want to say, the gentlelady from massachusetts, I hand up the whole time. So I'm going to call on her. But this is, uh, this bill actually amends the social security act, which the amendment does. I'm sorry. The amendment does, which is in jurisdiction of ways and means.
▶ 1:01:39Um, but I know the gentleman from massachusetts had her hand up the whole time. And if if a couple of you want to speak, we want to kind of move on with the bill, but looks like the gentlelady from texas. I'll let you guys speak, but we need to move on to the bills. Gentlelady from massachusetts is recognized. >> thanks. I move to strike the last word in support of congresswoman castro's amendment. Thank you. Um, the enhanced aca premium tax credits are set to expire at the end of the year.
▶ 1:02:01But I think the point that's been made by so many of my colleagues is that families are already making decisions for their 2026 coverage and seeing their premiums go up right now. And let's not get wrapped around an axle on process. Uh, you know, we reauthorize and we renew programs that work and help american families every year. We do that on this committee.
▶ 1:02:22Um, if congress fails to act, another 4.2 million americans are going to lose their health insurance, according to the cbo, and premiums are going to nearly double. That will force families to choose between keeping their coverage and paying for the basics like housing, food and utilities.
▶ 1:02:40In massachusetts, over 200,000 people will see their financial support reduced or eliminated if these tax credits expire and premiums rising by hundreds of dollars each month and thousands each year. Putting affordable coverage out of reach. Insurers are already incorporating the expiration into their 2026 rate setting, which means families will soon lose. Well, they'll soon see those higher premiums baked into their options unless congress steps in.
▶ 1:03:09A constituent of mine from gardner, massachusetts, recently wrote to me and he said, quote, my beautiful, happy nine year old granddaughter was recently diagnosed with epilepsy, and it's killing me to watch her struggle on a daily basis. I'm hoping you can help her and all the other children affected by this awful disease, and get the help that they need to cover medical bills, end quote. Her family, like so many others, depends on the enhanced aca tax credits to keep their coverage affordable.
▶ 1:03:39Letting those credits expire would make it harder for families managing serious health conditions to afford the care that they need. And the enhanced tax credits are a lifeline for families with low incomes and a critical protection for middle class families who would otherwise face crushing premium costs. Letting them expire would reverse years of progress in making health care affordable. So, you know, our republican colleagues just passed the biggest health care cut in our country's history by slashing medicaid and doing nothing.
▶ 1:04:10While millions of americans face devastating premium increases. And this committee, especially the inaction is is it's an embarrassment. Um, but we have a chance to change that right now, uh, to stop the devastation to american families right here in this committee. Uh, we should extend the enhanced aca tax credits right now to provide families with stability, lower costs and peace of mind. And I urge my colleagues to vote yes.
▶ 1:04:40>> gentlelady yields back again. This is in our jurisdiction. Gentlelady from texas. Oh. I'm sorry. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. Um. Thank you. I appreciate, uh, the time to speak in support of miss castor's amendment. And I will try to be brief, but I do think it's important. I want to associate myself with the comments that many of my colleagues have made, including my colleague Mr. veasey from texas, talking about how many texans rely on these premium tax credits.
▶ 1:05:06Um, in my district, there are 125,000 people that rely on these tax credits. In texas, my number was 3.4 million. But I think Mr. vcs is a little higher because more and more people have been using them and need them and are about to lose them.
▶ 1:05:21And I met yesterday with a nonprofit, um, health care provider in my district talking about how dire the situation is at home, how important it is that we deal with this at this moment as people are about to get their coverage, letters explaining the increase in their premiums, explaining why, uh, they're they're about to find out how much the cost of having insurance, if they can get it at all, is going to go up.
▶ 1:05:46And so we have an opportunity in a moment where we really need to address this crisis that is coming. And, and what I heard and I have a couple of things I want to offer for the record, so that we can make sure we we keep this. But from our hospitals estimate that the premiums for folks in in my area in harris county and people across texas, the premium increase is estimated to be 115%, 115% of the premiums.
▶ 1:06:13People paying $1,000 a month now for their family are going to pay more than $2,000 a month. That's a huge cost increase. There's also an estimate that they can't afford it. And so we're going to increase our uninsured rate in the state with the worst uninsured rate in the country, the highest uninsured rate in the country, that the uninsured rate could go up by about 27%. This isn't partizans. This isn't politicians. These are the hospitals giving us these estimates.
▶ 1:06:39And so, you know what the hospitals explained to us, and I'd love to share the letter that they, um, that they provided to me and to the members of our delegation. For the record, um, is that these credits really stabilize the entire health care system.
▶ 1:06:53And that's the piece we need to connect the dots in this room where we have this expertise and where this is our jurisdiction, to say that we understand that these are helping keep people getting preventative care, keeping them out of emergency rooms, that these credits are absolutely essential to making sure that we continue trying to make more affordable access to care available for more people and that we're we're doing the wrong things right now.
▶ 1:07:20This congress is moving things in the wrong direction, as many people have mentioned. Um, you know, our hospital estimate that's in this letter, um, is that a texas couple in their early 60s are going to see their premiums go up by $17,500 a year. We can do something about that right now. And we absolutely have to. And so, um, the other thing I will just point out, another letter I'd like to offer for the record, and we will get these to you electronically. Mr.
▶ 1:07:47Chairman, if I can introduce it, is that the greater houston partnership, which represents the business community, supports extending the enhanced premium tax credits, and that's our business community that folks across our community understand. The impact that the expiration of these credits is going to have on people across our community. It's going to hurt individual families. It's going to hurt businesses. It's going to hurt our hospital systems. It's going to hurt the people that we're here to represent. And so I think we have an opportunity here.
▶ 1:08:17The other and the last thing I want to say with the time I have left and again, Mr. chairman, I appreciate you yielding to me for this, is that, um, we're already seeing our communities have to figure out how to make up the difference for this. And in harris county, where I live, our county commissioners just approved a property tax hike to pay for what they expect to be $1 billion shortfall in federal funding for health care.
▶ 1:08:40And so that's covered in our in our local paper that they voted to increase the property taxes because we're expecting $1 billion in medicaid cuts to be implemented from the votes that this congress took just a couple of months ago. So people are feeling it everywhere. And it's really important that we do what we can to mitigate this. This is good policy. This is widely supported. People want us to continue these credits. There is no reason not to extend them.
▶ 1:09:09I understand the the concern about whether this falls in our committee's jurisdiction, but I think our committee should vote yes. I think that we should and we should encourage the ways and means committee and others across the congress to make sure that we do this as soon as possible before people get those notices in their mailboxes in the next couple of weeks. So thank you, Mr. chairman. I'd like permission to introduce those three documents to the record. >> the ones that you you offered up, if without objection, so ordered. >> great. Thank you, Mr. chairman. And with that, I'll yield back.
▶ 1:09:39>> all right. Remember the gentlelady from california recognize. >> uh. Thank you, Mr. chairman. I move to strike the last word in support of this amendment. Um, it's been interesting to sit here and listen to my republican colleagues say things. We want to move on, or this is not in our jurisdiction. Um, but the last time I checked, energy and commerce did everything on health care.
▶ 1:10:05And we hear members talk about health care issues all the time and all kinds of angles of them. But you know why they don't want to talk about it? Because republicans are not for health care for the american people. They are okay. They are okay with people being kicked off of their health care. They are okay with your health care premiums going up.
▶ 1:10:30There's a spending bill under consideration right now, and republicans don't want to talk about health care. They don't want to talk about anything on health care. Why? Because they just voted to kick millions of people off of their health care. Are they doing anything in this bill to undo that? No. Are they doing anything in this bill to foresee the concerns on medicare? They're coming. No.
▶ 1:11:00Are they doing anything to have prices go down on health care? No, they're not doing that either. This chart right here just shows you and illustrates higher cost. If you're an american out there and you're experiencing higher cost. And I don't know about you, but I get the calls. Isn't this the party that ran on lower cost? We're going to lower your cost. What's been happening? Everything's going up.
▶ 1:11:29Prices are going up and your healthcare included, and they're doing nothing about it. On the contrary, everything they're doing is making prices go up, from tariffs to policies to this very policy here on healthcare. So let's look at the chart.
▶ 1:11:51Let's see how much the average monthly health insurance premium is expected to rise for a 60 year old couple making $80,000. Pennsylvania's 10th district. It's a republican district. Premiums would rise by over 400%. That's more than $2,000 a month. Who's in charge? Republicans are in charge. They don't want to talk about it. They want to move on.
▶ 1:12:20So when you think about who's fighting for your health care, it's house democrats at every step. Republicans don't want to talk about it. They want to want to vote on it. Let's look at colorado's eighth district. One of my colleagues in this committee represents colorado's eighth district. Is he standing up saying, hey, we got to save health care. Do we want to lower premiums?
▶ 1:12:45Well, in colorado's eighth district, premiums would rise by over 200%. Over $1,000 a month. And in michigan's 10th district, premiums would increase by 145%. That's almost $900 a month. As a direct result, nearly 4 million people will lose their coverage in 2026 because they won't be able to afford the premiums.
▶ 1:13:12Look, we all know the health care system in america is broken. We hear it day in and day out. Why? Because we don't invest in the prevention. We invest when something has already gone wrong and those costs go up. How do you save money? You invest in prevention. How do you do that? Make sure people have access to health care. It's not rocket science yet. We make it rocket science.
▶ 1:13:42And there's every excuse in the book why my colleagues across the aisle don't want to talk about health care because they're not doing anything about it. They're doing nothing to lower your cost on health care. People should not lose their coverage because of politics. Health care is not a democrat issue. It's not a republican issue. Everybody should have access to see a doctor. And so with that, Mr.
▶ 1:14:09Chairman, I really don't want to hear that this is not in our jurisdiction because health care and the american people is in my jurisdiction, and the people I represent, that is in my jurisdiction. And for every member of congress that's elected, it should be in their jurisdiction that costs are going up and that we're going to do something to stop it. And there's a spending bill right now, and you see people's values and their priorities by seeing what they want to do and what they don't.
▶ 1:14:38And republicans don't want to bring your costs down on health care, and they don't want to save your health care. And with that, I yield back. >> gentlelady yields back. The gentleman from virginia is recognized for five minutes. >> Mr. chairman, I didn't really want to engage because under the rules of the house, it's really not something that's before us.
▶ 1:14:57And and it's one of those things that it's why I think we should actually adhere to our germaneness rules right at the beginning instead of we've had gotten into this practice of giving everybody the courtesy, but then we get into these, uh, rhetorical matches where, um, people get excited and they say things maybe they ought not.
▶ 1:15:16And I would just advise everybody that based on what we've been trying to do the last week as a result of rhetoric is let's let's all take a deep breath and, and try to tone down the rhetoric. That's for everybody. But that's why I didn't want to engage, because I find it interesting that some of the arguments my colleagues make, and I know that they're sincere and they're passionate, but that doesn't mean they're right.
▶ 1:15:42And so, notwithstanding the fact that this is not germane, that it's not in our committee's jurisdiction, that it would not be proper and would not be recognized to go forward. And notwithstanding the fact that folks don't want to follow the rules, I understand all that. They just want to get it done. Forget the rules. Forget the rules of the house, forget all of this and move forward. But here's the problem that I'm looking at, mister. I'm looking at. >> will you yield? >> not right this second. >> okay.
▶ 1:16:09>> uh, and the problem that I'm looking at is, is that when we had the reconciliation bill and I know y'all didn't like it, and that's fine, but there were meaningful reforms to the aca exchanges as a part of that. And cbo scored those proposals in the in the tax cuts for working families bill addressing waste, fraud and abuse in the aca marketplace, and said that in their scoring that it would deliver lower premiums to millions of america on the aca exchanges.
▶ 1:16:34And then I would say to everybody, let's listen to what you're actually saying and and take a look at it, because what I heard one of your members say, and I didn't jump in because I wanted us just to tamp it down and let's move forward with what we can agree on. And I think a lot of these bills we're doing today, we can agree on is that if we get rid of the enhanced premium tax credits, insurance will not be affordable.
▶ 1:17:03But understand, this was a program brought about by democrats when they controlled all three branches and they put a five year limitation on it. So the cliff that we're coming up on is a cliff created by my colleagues on the other side.
▶ 1:17:23And it was it was supposed to be a limited program, because it was supposed to address the fact that a lot of people were unemployed because of covid, and they needed premium tax credit help on their health insurance premiums because we were going through an extraordinary period during covid 19, Mr. chairman. And so they created the program. I'm not saying they shouldn't have left it at five years, but that's the that's the length of time they said in the bill. We didn't set that length of time.
▶ 1:17:53Our colleagues on the other side said that length of time, and it was supposed to be an extra. That's why it's called the premium tax credit, an extra tax credit on top of what was already in the so-called affordable care act. I'll wait for Mr. weber to leave. >> he's disgusting. He's tired. >> and so it was supposed to be on top of that.
▶ 1:18:17So when my colleagues say and follow the logic here, when my colleagues say that without the special program that was brought in just for covid 19, the affordable care act is not affordable. They are saying that obamacare, the affordable care act, is broken. I would submit it's been broken from day one, but it's certainly broken. Now. They would say that when when you go on to say that we all know the health care system is broken.
▶ 1:18:47This program has been in place now for about a decade, Mr. chairman. And clearly it has not functioned to the benefit of american families, but just work with us, if you would, when we're trying to make some improvements. And I agree, we shouldn't just pull the rug out on a lot of american families. And I'm hopeful that we will come up with some kind of a a compromise.
▶ 1:19:14But when you argue it's not affordable without something special, you're arguing that the plan you adopted ten years ago is a party. Obamacare is a failure, and I will gladly yield. >> my last. >> 21 seconds. >> the gentleman. >> yield, I yield to the gentlelady. >> so I would point out, number one, Mr. chairman, you know this better than anybody is the majority failed to reserve a point of order against this. And now you're saying we couldn't shouldn't have argued it because of germaneness. And that's just not accurate according to the rules.
▶ 1:19:45>> and reclaiming my time briefly, I. >> would just say this the debate. >> there was an understanding from what I'm told. There was an understanding the amendment would be withdrawn and withdrawn. And that's why I did not raise. >> the I understand that, but then you shouldn't complain. >> I'm just. >> saying these arguments. >> well. >> you shouldn't complain. >> then why why why are your folks complaining?
▶ 1:20:03I would submit when they say that they don't want to hear us saying that it's out of order when they knew from the very beginning, or at least miss castro knew from the very beginning it was out of order, and that we were just being courteous to let you make your arguments. I yield. >> back, and don't blame us, gentlemen. >> time is yield. Uh, gentleman from new jersey. Uh, Mr. pallone is recognized for five minutes. >> let me let me just say this.
▶ 1:20:26Um, I appreciate the fact that the chairman has, you know, willing to recognize the fact that even though this is not before the committee and not germane, that we we should have a discussion about it. Um, in all honesty, regardless of who's to blame for the end, you know, the fact that this expires at the end of the year.
▶ 1:20:46The bottom line is that I believe in most democrats, and I think some republicans believe that the that these tax credits, uh, that went to a little higher income, uh, actually helped a lot of people. And we know that now because of the fact that health care costs are going up so much that if they're not extended, uh, a lot of people are going to lose health insurance. I don't think if anybody wants to argue with that, you can.
▶ 1:21:13But I don't think there's any question, uh, that many people will not be able to afford their insurance when these new rates go into effect. And they don't. And if these advanced tax credits don't exist now, I, I, I believe just from my conversations with other members on the floor, whatever, that there are a lot of republicans who would like to see an extension of these tax credits, whether it's for a year or permanent, which is what I would like to see.
▶ 1:21:37So, you know, I would just hope based on what the gentleman just said, that, um, this becomes part of the debate in the context of the cr, the democrats, both schumer and our leadership in the house have said that, you know, they don't want to support and I don't either, uh, any kind of a continuing resolution or spending bill that does not address health care and the cuts in health care.
▶ 1:22:04And that could be, uh, the medicaid, uh, cuts in the, in the, uh, in the big ugly bill or big beautiful bill. But right now, the most immediate or other things, right, research, all kinds of things that are going on that are creating a crisis with health care right now. But I do think that the biggest concern, because of the fact that these rates are already going out, uh, are these extended tax credits in my state of new jersey, where we have our own exchange.
▶ 1:22:35I think some of the states here use the federal exchange. Right. But in the case of new jersey, we use we have our own exchange. And all the media has been out there all the time with charts very similar to what, uh, miss barragan has said, um, telling them how much these rates are going to go up. The filings have already been made in new jersey in august. Uh, the information's already out there.
▶ 1:22:58Um, so my only hope is that regardless of the germaneness, regardless of, you know, the debate today, uh, that you that the republicans on this committee, you know, make the case to their colleagues, to the leadership in the house, that this is something that needs to be addressed because there's no doubt, uh, that it's going to negatively impact people and make it much more difficult for them to, uh, to have health insurance. They're going to just lose it.
▶ 1:23:26So I'm going to leave it at that. I understand that this is not your main. It's not before the committee, but obviously we're going to have to discuss this in the context of the spending bill, because otherwise otherwise the government is going to shut down. Um, and we feel very strongly as democrats that this is a number one priority that needs to be addressed in the next few days or the next few weeks, uh, because of what's happening out there. This is not ideological. This is not diverse as art.
▶ 1:23:56This is the fact that people are going to lose their health insurance. But I'll leave it at that. Mr. chairman, thank you for thank you for the appreciate. >> and at that, will the gentlelady withdraw her amendment? Uh, the gentleman from new jersey want to be recognized as well? All right. The gentleman from new jersey is recognized. >> thank you. Chairman. And, um, similar to my colleague from virginia, I wasn't anticipating speaking on this amendment, but one I appreciate my colleague, uh, from florida for introducing it.
▶ 1:24:22I appreciate and associate myself with the remarks from my democratic colleagues, especially the ranking member, pallone. But I just do have to point out that if your point on health care in energy and commerce is a germaneness issue, then you're losing the argument on health care and failing to see the issue that so many americans are facing. My colleague from virginia commented that the aca is a failure on reconciliation. You also struck health care from 15 million people.
▶ 1:24:49So if you allow the aca credits to expire, 15 million people already losing health care because of your bill, you're not presenting any solutions to make health care more affordable. As I've said previously in this committee, you know, folks on this side of the aisle have town halls. We actually engage with our constituents. And no one's saying healthcare is too affordable or too accessible. So you may not like democratic solutions, but we present solutions to our constituents. We present solutions to the american people.
▶ 1:25:17You treat healthcare not as a policy consideration, but as a budgetary issue. And healthcare needs to be thought of. As my colleague from california, congresswoman barragan said, as how do we provide preventative care to all americans? How do we create accessible, good quality health care to the american people? The cost should be a secondary consideration. That is your primary consideration.
▶ 1:25:43Every health care conversation that we have, which is why it intersects between this committee and ways and means house democrats will always work to create a more affordable, accessible healthcare system. But if you're going to criticize something, provide an alternative. And republicans have failed to do that. And americans across the country, especially in your districts, are feeling that pain today, and they're going to continue to feel that pain.
▶ 1:26:09And if you want to own 15 million people losing health care, and if you want to own letting these tax credits expire, do so then on your own, because too many americans will feel that pain. Too many americans will be in dire situations, and you will have to own that, not just in 2026, but for years and years to come. With that, I yield back. >> the gentleman yield for a minute. >> I yield.
▶ 1:26:34>> I want to thank the gentleman for your remarks, and I want to just make sure, for the record, I did not say the aca was broken as it was mischaracterized by my colleague. I said the health care system is broken because not everybody has access to health care. The aca was to expand access to health care. It was fought against by every republican. And if you remember, they tried to undo it in 2016.
▶ 1:27:04What 2017? So if you want to say you want to disagree that the health care system isn't broken, then we can have that conversation, but at least characterize what I'm saying accurately. And with that said, um, to if we're going to start in this committee calling argument stupid, uh, that's not turning down the heat.
▶ 1:27:27Uh, so, um, if we speak, maybe we want to exercise what we're what we're actually encouraging happening. So I just want to thank the gentleman, and I yield back. >> and I'll reclaim my time. Because there's one more thing that I forgot to mention. You were talking about jurisdiction. Do you forget that we're in the legislative branch? You've allowed this president to impound appropriated money. You've allowed this president to refuse to spend appropriated money.
▶ 1:27:54You've allowed this president to withhold appropriated money that goes into all of our districts. So if you want to talk about jurisdiction, remember that we're in the legislative branch and we have a role to play, and republicans have a role to play in standing up to this administration and making sure the work that we do here is executed upon by this administration or any future administration. That's the most important jurisdictional issue that we have in this moment.
▶ 1:28:17I wish you cared more about that than the germaneness of ways and means anc, which is what you seem to be fixated on today. I yield back. >> gentleman from alabama is recognized for five minutes to speak on the amendment. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. I do think this is a conversation we need to have because I think that we've got problems in health care system, and a lot of them are the result of the affordable care act. A lot of what is happening, uh, I wasn't in congress at the time.
▶ 1:28:46I was running a think tank, but we anticipated the problems that we have today with the massive increase in, uh, premiums. Uh, the aca was clearly an effort to force people into a single payer system, a government run health care system, basically a higher form of medicaid. Um, and that's that's why we're in the situation we're in now. But I want to go back to the numbers that my colleagues keep pitching out there to keep quoting the congressional budget office.
▶ 1:29:15That's claims and they've inflated the claims a little bit. I think the millions of people that they say will lose health insurance. I want to remind my colleagues that when we passed the tax cuts and jobs act, the congressional budget office projected that we would that 13 million americans would lose their health insurance. 2017 there were 294.6 million people insured by 2024. That's 310 million. That's that's an increase in the number of insured by 15.4 million.
▶ 1:29:42Those are real numbers, not made up numbers. Instead of going down, instead of 13 million people losing their health insurance, 15.4 million more got health insurance on medicaid. The congressional budget office said that 5 million people would lose their health insurance use, lose their medicaid. In 2017, there were 73.8 million people on medicaid. By 2020 5th may of 2025. These are pretty recent numbers.
▶ 1:30:13You're shaking your head down there. Uh, one of my colleagues, I mean, this is simple math. It went up 4.3 million. There's 78.1 million people on medicaid as of may of this year. I mean, it's it's the math. So you keep throwing out. I will not I mean, I've heard enough misinformation, misrepresentation about an issue that is is of paramount importance to the country. And I think we're doing the right thing. Mr.
▶ 1:30:43Chairman, I think we're moving in the right direction. I think we're sincere about what we're trying to do for particularly in rural health care transformation, what we can do. And I think that we need to keep the discussion honest and honestly starts with real math, I yield back. >> gentleman yields back. Is there a further gentlelady withdraw? Gentlelady from washington is recognized for five minutes. >> uh, thank you, Mr. chair. I really appreciate this conversation.
▶ 1:31:12I think it's shed a lot of light. Um, just listening to what each side in this room is saying. You know, if it sounds like we're fired up. Fired up because we're standing up for our constituents. I'm having more town halls than ever. I know my colleagues are having town halls. People are worried about losing their insurance coverage. Small business owners are worried about losing the ability to provide insurance, uh, for, for for their employees.
▶ 1:31:37Um, and it doesn't just impact people who get their health insurance from the affordable care act, either. I mean, just a quick connect the dots here. Uh, you take away the assistance so that people can afford to buy insurance. Uh, is predicted in washington state. 80,000 families are just going to drop insurance altogether. And who drops it?
▶ 1:32:04It's not the people who know they have preexisting medical conditions. It's the healthy young families who probably won't need much care. They roll the dice, they drop out the risk. Pool gets higher. Insurance companies now know they're going to have to spend more on the people who are left. And it's not just those premiums that are going up. It's all of our premiums that are going up. And at the same time, those 80,000 people in washington are losing insurance. We're about to have medicaid cuts.
▶ 1:32:32So people there lose insurance. Now our hospitals are providing free care. That's not sustainable. So somebody has got to pay for it. Who's that going to be? People paying their insurance premiums? I mean, this is really, um, it's taken a hatchet, not just to those people, but to the entire health care system that's already pretty darn broken in this country. So, um, you know, this is a solution. We are happy to talk about better solutions.
▶ 1:33:01But I think the fundamental point here is that we're sticking up for our constituents. That's why we're bringing this up. That's why we're fighting for them. And to hear things about germaneness and costs. It's just like it doesn't speak to the people I'm representing. They're worried about losing health insurance for their families and what they're going to do to make ends meet. Thank you. I'll yield. Back, back. >> the gentleman from ohio is recognized. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. And I yield to the chairman.
▶ 1:33:32>> yeah, it just gets back to if it's not about cost, then my question is. And I don't know why because I wasn't part of the debate. Why is there an expiration date. Why did it expire. Why was it set to expire in the inflation reduction act? >> would you like me to answer that, Mr. chairman? I can do it. Yes, I was here. And a lot of that is because we had hoped that after the pandemic, health care costs might go down.
▶ 1:33:55But sadly, health care costs keep going up and more and more people are relying on these subsidies to be able to pay for their insurance. And so if the republicans who now do control the house, the senate and the white house, if they now stop these subsidies, then all of the people, you know, our our insurance, our uninsurance rate dropped dramatically, dramatically, um, because of the subsidies.
▶ 1:34:24So if suddenly we cut this off, then all of these tens of millions of people are not going to be able to afford their insurance anymore because health care costs, sadly remain high. That's what this committee should be tackling. We should be tackling the high cost of medical care so that everybody could afford their insurance premiums. >> I agree with you. >> that's why. >> you're reclaiming, uh, bob wants to reclaim it. You're right.
▶ 1:34:52That's what we need to fix, is that health care costs go up. You subsidize people to participate, which we need to figure out a way to. People continue to participate. But then it goes up again, which is like college tuition is more we subsidize the more that goes up. So the gentleman from ohio yields back. Gentlemen, any gentlelady from virginia is recognized for five minutes. >> thank you. >> thank you, Mr. speaker.
▶ 1:35:14>> you know, I ran for office because I wanted to solve problems and help people because my parents, who grew up during the depression, saw the best of government and the worst of government and the best of government, looks at a problem and says, how can we come together to fix it and help people who, through no fault of their own, need help? And part of the point of the affordable care act? And I wasn't here when it passed, but I was a state legislator.
▶ 1:35:44I've been a patient. I've been the child. Parent and spouse of patients. I've been on hospital boards. I was on a medicaid provider board, and those experiences showed me circumstances change.
▶ 1:36:04And the affordable care act was intended to ensure that more people got insurance, because insurance is supposed to pull the risk so that people who need access to healthcare can afford it, because all of us are one accident or illness away from economic devastation. That's the bottom line of what we should be focused on.
▶ 1:36:30And the reason that you put deadlines in place, or expiration dates in place, is so that you can come back and say, have the circumstances changed so that the solution needs to change? And rather than saying, will you put the deadline in, maybe we should take this opportunity to look at what's changed in the past five years.
▶ 1:36:56The cost of everything, including health care, continue to go up as the cost of childcare goes up, as the cost of everything has gone up in the past five years. That's because technological advancements, which cost more money, have allowed better care, because the population that is living longer and has more chronic diseases and more complex healthcare needs cost more money.
▶ 1:37:25Some is because of administrative costs, because the people who provide the care often were providing it at wages that didn't allow them to meet their own needs, because drug costs have gone up. And yes, we need to come together and find a solution for the rising cost of healthcare.
▶ 1:37:48But in the meantime, we can't just let millions of americans go uninsured because that is guaranteed to mean those uninsured who will still get sick, they'll come to the hospital when it's too late. They'll come to the hospital when it's too expensive to treat them, or more expensive to treat them.
▶ 1:38:15There'll be more uncompensated care that will put even more of a strain on the healthcare system. And if we don't seriously look at that and address both the long term issue and the shortcut need short term needs, we're going to leave a lot of americans behind.
▶ 1:38:35I spent august particularly talking to rural health care providers, not just in my district, but all across virginia. And the what keeps them up at night is the fact that whether it's because of the medicaid cuts or whether it's because of the expiration of the enhanced tax credits, they're going to see more uninsured people coming into their doors, whether it's the
▶ 1:39:07Dental clinic in abingdon, where 80% of their patients are medicaid and the rest are uninsured, and they have a waiting list of 2800 people who, before that clinic opened, had to wait once a year for a dental clinic to come to get basic needs or dentures. Or whether it's the academic research hospital that says I.
▶ 1:39:34I provide more uncompensated care while dealing with a workforce shortage. Or it's the long term care facility that can't compete in a rural area in waverly that can't compete for workers with with amazon. It's a complex system and complex reasons why the costs are high, but why we fight over how to lower the cost.
▶ 1:39:57We cannot leave 17 million americans to say, if you get sick, if your child gets hurt, you're out of luck. I yield back. >> gentlelady's time has expired. Gentlelady yields back. I'm sorry. Is there any further discussion? Seeing none. The gentlelady from florida is recognized. >> I'm at this. I'm going to withdraw the amendment at this time. But I think you've heard our message. >> without objection, the amendment is withdrawn. Are there further amendments?
▶ 1:40:29Seeing none. If there's no further discussion on the amendment, do you want to vote? Call. The question now occurs on adopting h2493. Uh, rollcall has been requested and the clerk will call the roll. >> Mr. latta, Mr. latta votes aye. Mr. griffith. Mr. griffith votes I, Mr. bilirakis. Mr.
▶ 1:41:00Hudson, Mr. hudson votes aye. Mr. carter of georgia. Mr. palmer. Mr. dunn. Mr. dunn votes aye. Mr. crenshaw. Mr. joyce. Mr. joyce votes I Mr. weber, Mr. weber votes aye Mr. allen. Mr. balderson Mr.
▶ 1:41:34Balderson votes I. Mr. fulcher. Mr. fulcher votes I Mr. pfluger. Mr. pfluger votes I. Mrs. harshbarger. Mrs. harshbarger votes I. Mrs. miller-meeks. Mrs. miller-meeks votes I. Mrs. kat cammack. Mr. obernolte. Mr. john james. Mr. bentz. Mr.
▶ 1:42:08Bentz, votes I. Mrs. houchin. Mrs. houchin votes I Mr. frye. Miss lee. Mr. langworthy. Mr. langworthy votes I Mr. cain. Mr. cain votes I Mr. ruley. Mr. ruley votes I Mr. evans. Mr. evans votes I Mr. goldman Mr.
▶ 1:42:41Goldman votes I Mrs. fedorchuk. Mr. fedorchuk votes I Mr. pallone. Mr. pallone votes I Mr. get Mr. get votes I miss schakowsky miss schakowsky votes I miss matsui miss matsui votes I miss castor miss castor votes I Mr. >> tonko I. >> Mr. tonko votes I miss clark.
▶ 1:43:13I miss clark votes I Mr. raul ruiz. Mr. ruiz votes I Mr. peters. Mr. peters votes I. Miss dingell miss. Dingell votes I Mr. veasey. Mr. veasey votes I. Miss kelly. Miss. Barragan miss barragan votes I Mr. soto Mr.
▶ 1:43:39Soto votes I miss schrier. Miss schrier, votes I Mr. han. Mr. han votes I miss fletcher. Miss fletcher votes I miss ocasio-cortez. Miss ocasio-cortez votes I Mr. auchincloss. Mr. auchincloss votes I. Mr. carter of louisiana. Mr. carter of louisiana votes I. Mr. menendez Mr. menendez votes I Mr. mullen.
▶ 1:44:09Mr. mullen votes I Mr. landsman. Mr. landsman votes I. Mr. mcclellan. Miss mcclellan votes I chairman guthrie, chairman guthrie votes I. >> Mr. carter votes. >> Mr. carter of georgia is not recorded. Mr. carter of georgia votes aye. >> Mr. fry miss lee. >> miss lee is not recorded. Miss lee votes I.
▶ 1:44:40>> Mr. russell fry. >> Mr. fry is not recorded. Mr. fry votes I. >> are the chemex recorded. Did the chemex vote. >> Mrs. carmack is not recorded. Carmack votes I. >> great let's get great to see your young daughter with you today. Yeah. Yeah. Wouldn't want to wake her up. Sorry. Mr. crenshaw. Mr. crenshaw and Mr.
▶ 1:45:11Crenshaw. >> Mr. crenshaw votes. Aye. >> Mr. obernolte. >> Mr. obernolte votes aye. >> Mr. bilirakis, anybody on the other side seeing none. Seeing no others here to answer the roll, the clerk will report. Who's that? I'm sorry. Mr. griffith is not recorded. Are you not recorded? Mr. griffith recorded. Okay, Mr. griffith is recorded. All right. The clerk will report.
▶ 1:46:03>> chairman guthrie on that vote. There were 49 yeas and zero nays. >> the ayes have it, and the bill is adopted. The chair calls up h.r. 3419 and asks the clerk to report. >> h.r. 3419a bill to amend the public. >> without objection. First reading the bill is dispensed with. The bill will be open for amendment at any point so ordered. Does anyone seek to be recognized on the bill? The gentleman from california is recognized for five minutes on the bill. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. It's an honor to speak in support of h.r.
▶ 1:46:333419, led by my colleague and fellow californian representative valadao, this bipartisan bill would reauthorize the telehealth network and telehealth resource centers, grant programs administered by the health resources and services administration. These programs were created to strengthen access to care in communities where patients face real challenges getting the services that they need.
▶ 1:46:55Rural and frontier areas often struggle with shortages of health care providers, limited access to specialists, and long travel distances to the nearest clinic or hospital. That is certainly true in my rural district. It is true in congressman valadao district as well, and I'm sure in many other districts across the country, the grant programs we are reauthorizing today help close those gaps by equipping providers with the resources, training and technical support they need to deliver care through telehealth.
▶ 1:47:23Tens of thousands of patients across the country have already benefited from these initiatives. Patients who no longer need to drive several hours for an appointment, families who can more easily manage ongoing health needs, and providers who are able to serve more people effectively because of the support these programs provide. Already, tens of thousands of patients across the country have benefited.
▶ 1:47:44That means patients who no longer need to drive hours for an appointment, families who can more easily manage ongoing health needs, and providers who are able to serve more people effectively because of the support that these programs provide them. Reauthorizing these programs is a common sense step to ensuring that progress continues. Expanding access to telehealth is not a partizan issue. It is a practical solution that gives patients more flexibility, helps address workforce shortages straining our healthcare system, and strengthens the tools that families need to connect with providers.
▶ 1:48:14Together, these efforts deliver measurable benefits and improve health outcomes across our country. I'd like to thank congressman valadao for his leadership on this important bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it, I yield back. >> the gentleman yields back. Is there any further discussion on the bill, any further discussion on the bill? Seeing none.
▶ 1:48:40The question now comes on adoption of h.r. 3419, as amended. All those in favor say I, I aye, those opposed. No, no. The ayes have it and the bill is agreed to. Oh, we have a roll call. Vote has been requested. >> yes. >> all right. >> the clerk will call the roll.
▶ 1:49:12>> Mr. latta, Mr. latta votes aye, Mr. griffith. Mr. griffith votes aye. Mr. bilirakis, Mr. hudson, Mr. hudson votes aye. Mr. carter of georgia. Mr. palmer. Mr. dunn. Mr. dunn votes aye. Mr. crenshaw. Mr. crenshaw votes aye. Mr. john joyce. Mr. weber. Mr.
▶ 1:49:37Weber votes aye Mr. allen. Mr. balderson, Mr. balderson votes I Mr. fulcher. Mr. fulcher votes I, Mr. pfluger. Mrs. harshbarger, Mr. harshbarger votes I. Mrs. miller-meeks. Mrs. miller-meeks votes I. Mrs. kat cammack. Mrs.
▶ 1:50:06Kalmick votes I. Mr. obernolte. Mr. obernolte votes I Mr. john james. Mr. benz. Mr. benz votes I Mrs. horton. Mrs. horton votes I Mr. fry. Miss lee. Mr. langworthy Mr. langworthy votes I Mr. cain. Mr. cain votes I Mr. rowley.
▶ 1:50:37Mr. rowley votes I Mr. evans. Mr. goldman. Miss. Fedorchuk. Mr. fedorchuk votes I Mr. pallone. Mr. pallone votes I Mr. get Mr. get votes I miss schakowsky miss schakowsky votes I miss matsui miss matsui votes I miss castor miss castor votes I Mr. >> tonko I. >> Mr. tonko votes I miss clark.
▶ 1:51:09Miss clark votes I Mr. ruiz Mr. ruiz votes I Mr. peters. Mr. peters votes I. Mrs. dingell. Mrs. dingell votes I. Mr. veasey. Mr. veasey votes I miss kelly. Miss. Barragan Mr. soto Mr. soto votes I miss schreier. Miss schreier, votes I Mr. han. Mr. han votes I miss fletcher.
▶ 1:51:40Miss fletcher votes I miss ocasio-cortez. Miss ocasio-cortez votes I. Mr. across Mr. clause votes I Mr. carter of louisiana. Mr. carter of louisiana votes I Mr. menendez Mr. menendez votes I Mr. mullen Mr. mullen votes I Mr. landsman Mr. Mr. landsman votes I Mr. mcclellan. Mr. mcclellan votes I chairman guthrie.
▶ 1:52:05Chairman guthrie votes I Mr. >> allen. >> so miss barragan is not recorded. Miss barragan votes I. >> Mr. house Mr. pfluger. >> Mr. pfluger is not recorded. Mr. pfluger votes I Mr. carter of georgia is not recorded. Mr. carter of georgia votes I. Mr. joyce is not recorded. Mr. joyce votes I Mr. I Mr.
▶ 1:52:35Allen is not recorded. Mr. allen votes I Mr. evans is not recorded. Mr. evans votes I. Mr. goldman is not recorded. Mr. goldman votes I. >> all votes recorded. The clerk will report the a's and a's. A's and nays.
▶ 1:53:16>> Mr. chairman on that vote there were 4048 yeas and zero nays. >> the ayes have it. Bill is adopted. And now turn our attention to h.r. 248. No. 28460, and ask the clerk to report. >> h.r.
▶ 1:53:352846, a bill to amend title two of the public health service act, to include as an additional right or privilege of commissioned officers of the public health service, and. >> without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with. The bill will be open for amendment at any point that's so ordered. Does anyone seek to be recognized on the bill? Uh, the chair recognizes Mr. griffith from virginia. >> thank you very much. >> thank you very much, Mr.
▶ 1:54:06Chairman. I rise in support of h.r. 2846, led by representatives houlihan and bacon, the united states public health service commissioned corps serve a wide range of health related specialties within over 20 federal departments and agencies. Their mission is to protect and promote the health and safety of our nation by providing public health, emergency response and disaster recovery support.
▶ 1:54:30These officers are one of the eight uniformed services, and this bill would align their authorized leave benefits with those of the other seven uniformed services. Now, as I said in the subcommittee, when this when this came up, I checked into it because I went, wait a minute, can they be sent to combat zones? Et cetera. And the answer is yes, they can be. And they have been. Further, they also are sending to what I would call disease zones.
▶ 1:54:53So this public, the the united states public health service commission, actually went into the areas with ebola and provided health care there, which helps us because it helps things from catching on and spreading and maybe moving around the globe. So I'm very, very grateful for the important work of the us public health service commissioned corps. Uh, they keep our nation safe. And accordingly, I urge support of this bill. And with that, Mr. chairman, I yield back.
▶ 1:55:24>> the gentleman yields back. Is there any further discussion on the bill, any further discussion? Are there any amendments to the bill seeing? None. The question now occurs on adopting the bill, h.r. 2846, as amended. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed, the ayes have it and the bill is agreed to a roll call.
▶ 1:55:54Vote has been requested. The clerk will call the roll. >> Mr. lada, Mr. lada votes. Aye, Mr. griffith. Mr. griffith votes aye. Mr. bilirakis, Mr. hudson, Mr. hudson votes aye. Mr. carter of georgia. Mr. carter of georgia votes aye. Mr. palmer, Mr. dunn. Mr. dunn votes aye. Mr. crenshaw. Mr. crenshaw votes aye. Mr.
▶ 1:56:22Joyce, Mr. joyce votes aye. Mr. weber. Mr. weber votes I, Mr. allen. Mr. balderson, Mr. balderson votes aye. Mr. folger. Mr. fulcher votes aye. Mr. pfluger. Mr. pfluger votes aye. Mrs. harshbarger miss harshbarger votes aye. Mr. miller-meeks. Mr. miller-meeks votes I Mrs. kat cammack. Mr. obernolte. Mr.
▶ 1:56:56Obernolte votes aye. Mr. james. Mr. bentz, Mr. benz votes aye. Mr. frye, miss lee, Mr. langworthy Mr. langworthy votes aye Mr. cain. Mr. rowley, Mr. ruley votes aye. Mr. evans, Mr. evans, votes aye. Mr. goldman Mr. goldman votes aye. Mrs.
▶ 1:57:27Fedorchuk, Mrs. fedorchuk votes aye. Mr. pallone. Mr. pallone votes aye. Mr. get Mr. get votes I miss schakowsky miss. Schakowsky votes I miss matsui Mr. matsui votes I miss castor. Miss castor votes I Mr. tonko. Mr. tonko votes I miss clark. Miss clark votes I Mr. ruiz. Mr. ruiz votes I Mr. peters.
▶ 1:57:59Mr. peters votes I. Mrs. dingell. Mrs. dingell votes I. Mr. marc veasey. Mr. veasey votes I miss kelly. Miss. Barragan miss. Barragan votes I Mr. soto. Mr. soto votes I miss schrier. Miss schrier, votes I Mr. han. Mr. han votes I miss fletcher. Miss fletcher votes I miss ocasio-cortez. Miss ocasio-cortez votes I Mr. jake auchincloss. Mr. auchincloss votes I. Mr.
▶ 1:58:28Carter of louisiana. Mr. carter of louisiana votes aye. Mr. menendez Mr. menendez votes aye. Mr. mullen Mr. mullen votes aye. Mr. landsman Mr. landsman votes aye. Mr. mcclellan. Mr. mcclellan votes aye. Chairman. Guthrie. Chairman. Guthrie, chairman. Guthrie votes aye. Mr. allen is not recorded. Mr. allen votes I. >> and all members.
▶ 1:58:59>> voted recorded miss horton votes aye. >> anybody else? The clerk will report the ayes and the nays.
▶ 1:59:30>> Mr. chairman, on that vote there were 46 ayes and zero nays. >> the ayes have it. The bill is adopted. Next we take up h.r. 1262. Um, clerk will report. >> h.r. 1262, a bill, a bill to amend the federal food, drug, and cosmetic act with respect to molecularly targeted pediatric cancer investigations. And. >> without objection, first reading bills.
▶ 1:59:59Dispense with the bill, be open for amendment at any point so ordered. Does anyone seek to be recognized on the bill? Miss matsui, you're recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. I move to strike the last word. I'm glad we finally advancing this bipartisan package of rare disease priorities. And I thank chairman guthrie for adding it to the markup today. I know we're all excited about the progress and anxious to make up for lost time.
▶ 2:00:29As co-chair of the rare disease caucus, I met with so many families who are relentless in their fight for their kids health and futures. The worst possible words a parent can hear are that there is no options for their child's care. This bill is called the give kids a chance act, because we know that when the policies in this bill become law, they'll give kids a fighting chance.
▶ 2:00:57The legislation we're considering today will help bring therapies to market faster. It will prevent pharmaceutical companies from gaming the system. It will ensure patients can access the cutting edge therapies that they need. But I have to say this bill should already be law.
▶ 2:01:18We passed it out of this committee last year, passed it on the house floor under suspension, and it was included in the bipartisan december package. But elon musk blew up that package with a few tweets. And the delay to this bill has already caused real harm. Companies have delayed fda applications while they wait for the status of the prv to be cleared up.
▶ 2:01:45That means patients who may benefit from these drugs are stuck in limbo with no end in sight. Meanwhile, other companies have continued to take advantage of another loophole addressed in this bill. My rare act, which is included in this package, prevents pharmaceutical companies from abusing their orphan drug status to keep other innovative drugs from coming to market.
▶ 2:02:15Yet, unfortunately, because of congress's delay, another company has used this loophole to push a competing pediatric epilepsy drug off the market. We're talking about toddlers who are wracked with seizures and had a safe and effective therapy taken away from them. It's long past time we passed the rare act and the rest of this package.
▶ 2:02:39This bill provides long awaited hope to the millions of americans and their families struggling with a rare disease, 95% of whom do not have an fda approved therapy for their condition. So again, I'm thrilled we're finally advancing this bill today and grateful to all of my colleagues who worked on this. I know we all feel the urgency.
▶ 2:03:08I hope we can move this bill quickly to the floor and give kids and their families some hope, because for the rare disease community, every day counts. With that, Mr. chairman, I yield back the balance of my time. >> the gentleman yields back. Is any further discussion on bill? Mr. crenshaw, you recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. And I think we all agree we have a problem with pediatric cancer treatment that must be addressed.
▶ 2:03:36You know, that problem is new drugs reach adults while kids wait years for life saving treatments. And drug companies don't really have the incentives to spend money. Pediatric clinical trials, because it's a smaller patient population. That's a huge problem considering 15,000 children are diagnosed with cancer every year. That's why I support h.r. 1262. It's bipartisan. It's called give the kids a chance act strengthens fda's authority to require pediatric clinical trials for the same drugs that are already approved for adults. And that's common sense.
▶ 2:04:06Of course, we want kids to have the same chance as adults in their battle against cancer, and also extends the rare pediatric disease voucher, which is a program that has brought 60 drugs to market that saves children's lives. This is personal for me. I watched my mom battle cancer and I lost her to that battle. And as a father, I think about what it would mean if my own child faced that diagnosis.
▶ 2:04:30And no parent should ever hear that there are no options for their child, but there are options for others in the science shows that there are. So this bill ensures kids are not left behind when it comes to medical innovation. It gives families real hope. I urge support and I yield back. >> the gentleman from texas yields back. Mr. dingle, you're recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, Mr. chair. I'm proud to co-lead the kyiv kids a chance act. The.
▶ 2:04:57This is very important bipartisan legislation. And I'm co-leading it with reps. Michael mccaul kim, doctor schreier and gus bilirakis. This bill will accelerate pediatric cancer treatment and expand access to life saving therapies for children battling rare diseases. Each year, 16,000 children in the united states are diagnosed with cancer. In fact, children compromise as many of half of those living with rare diseases.
▶ 2:05:29Yet treatment options for children remain extremely limited compared to those for adults. It's impossible to fully express the pain and devastation of family experiences when their child is diagnosed with cancer. Unfortunately, I've been there with too many parents who have lived through it and quite frankly, have lost their child. We know children respond to cancer treatments differently, yet there's limited research on how these therapies impact them.
▶ 2:05:58These children and their families deserve better. We need this bill to offer more children a fighting chance to give kids a chance. Act would reauthorize the food and drug administration's priority review voucher program, which allows pharmaceutical companies to expedite fda review of more profitable drugs in return for developing treatments for rare pediatric diseases.
▶ 2:06:22Since 2011, 53 prvs have been awarded for 35 different rare pediatric diseases and additionally, thousands of successful drug combination therapies are now being studied and developed for adults, but not for children.
▶ 2:06:42The give kids a chance act also authorizes the fda to direct companies to study a combination of cancer drugs and therapies in pediatric trials as well. Together, we can show these young children and their families they're not alone in the fight together. Here.
▶ 2:07:00We're showing them we actually are supporting something in a strong bipartisan way, and I hope that we never let treat tweets stop children from getting help again. I want to thank the 284 co-sponsors for their support, along with the chairman and ranking member who have gotten us here for their assistance and support on this important bill.
▶ 2:07:25Let's pass it here, get it to the floor, and let's tell kids we really are going to give them hope and help. Thank you, Mr. chairman. I yield. >> back gentlelady yields back. I recognize the gentleman from florida, Mr. bilirakis. >> thank you. Thank you, Mr. chair. Appreciate it. I'm proud of colleague the give kids a chance act with my good friend, representative mccaul. A bipartisan bill with 284 co-sponsors and counting.
▶ 2:07:54So I'd like to permission to enter into the record. Mr. mccaul's statement, please, Mr. chairman. >> without objection. >> so ordered. Thank you. So september is pediatric cancer awareness month. I think most of you know that a stark reminder that more than 1500 kids die from cancer in america each year.
▶ 2:08:22The give kids a chance act is a comprehensive pediatric health care package aimed at accelerating the development of pediatric cancer treatments and expanding access to life saving therapies for children with all types of rare diseases. Among many critical provisions, the bill reauthorizes the rare pediatric disease priority review voucher program at the fda.
▶ 2:08:51Since its creation in 2012, the pediatric prv program has resulted in the discovery and development of life saving therapies, leading to the approval of 53 new treatment options for 39 different rare pediatric diseases. The impact of this program is profound, profound for patients.
▶ 2:09:17I'd like to take a moment to recognize the countless families in the rare disease community who have hope, thanks to this provision in the bill. First, the dion family, maggie and her brother peter both have limb girdle muscular dystrophy. The dion family have become a tireless.
▶ 2:09:40They've become tireless advocates for the give kids a chance act and rare disease drug development, creating a foundation to help develop the first ever human clinical trial for their children's disease. Every company that the dion foundation works with cites the prv program to for the reason that they they invest in trials like maggie and peter's.
▶ 2:10:09It gives kids a chance exactly like the title. Another example is a small company in my state of florida that is working on a therapy of hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a congenital heart defect.
▶ 2:10:27This innovator credits the pediatric voucher program as a critical tool needed to get their treatment through the clinical trial process. That means more children with congenital heart conditions will have hope for, again, new cures. Lastly, I want to recognize two florida families in the audience today. Uh, dorothea.
▶ 2:10:54And that, by the way, that is a greek name, a beautiful greek name. It means gift from god. Uh, I was just with the patriarch of constantinople, uh, who is our pope and the greek orthodox faith. And, uh, he gives his blessings as well.
▶ 2:11:10So, uh, dorothea lance and jennifer garcia, uh, but also whose children are in the clinical trials for a prader-willi syndrome drug that is only made possible as a result of the incentives from the prv program. So I want to thank everyone here for their support. Uh, we've been working on this for for many years. Uh, we want to reauthorize this program. So vital gives parents a chance.
▶ 2:11:40It gives kids a chance to families. Uh, and the advocates and the audience for watching as well on c-span. Thank you for all your support. And, uh, we're going to save lives with this particular bill. So, uh, with that, uh, again, I want to thank the members of the committee, and I ask for, uh, for a unanimous vote. Appreciate it very much. And I yield back. >> the gentleman yields back. And I recognize the gentlelady from florida, miss castor. >> thank you, Mr. chairman.
▶ 2:12:10I have an amendment at the desk. Castor, 32. >> Mr. chairman, reserve chairman. >> yeah, we're still talking. >> you know, I'll I'll I'll pause and let the other members speak to the bill first. Yeah. >> okay. >> yes. Thank you, Mr. chairman. >> uh. >> thank you, Rep. castor.
▶ 2:12:38Um, move to strike the last word. And as emergency physician, I have treated patients of all ages with various health conditions. I have seen firsthand that there is unmet need for patients struggling with rare diseases. We need to expand access to care for patients with rare diseases.
▶ 2:13:01We need to prioritize innovation so we can develop new and potentially life saving treatments. And above all, we must not leave behind our most vulnerable patients kids. Uh, that is why I co-sponsored the bipartisan bill to give kids a chance act, introduced by Rep.
▶ 2:13:22Mccaul, bilirakis, dingell, and schrier, and among other important provisions, this bill reauthorizes a key food and drug administration program that incentivizes drug development for pediatric rare diseases.
▶ 2:13:36The rare pediatric disease priority review voucher program so biotech companies can either use or sell their vouchers, and the prv program is frequently used as an indirect way to subsidize costly research and development without using taxpayer dollars.
▶ 2:13:57So this incentive can mean the difference between someone choosing to explore a new treatment or a rare disease or not, and our children depend on it. These vouchers are a critical tool in the quest for new treatments and new hope for children with rare diseases and their families, and congress has a responsibility to protect our most vulnerable citizens, including children. And this bill helps to do just that.
▶ 2:14:24So I urge my colleagues to support it and move the bill in a bipartisan manner. Thank you. And I yield back. >> the gentleman yields back. I now recognize the gentleman from new jersey, Mr. cain, for five. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. chairman. >> I am. Pleased to support the give kids a chance act of 2025.
▶ 2:14:51This bipartisan legislation helps promote research into treatments and cures for pediatric patients, patients which too often does not receive the investment necessary. This is especially true for rare pediatric diseases, and sometimes only affect a couple hundred patients across the entire country. So the reauthorization of the rare pediatric disease priority review voucher is particularly important to these patients.
▶ 2:15:17This program provides companies that develop fda approved treatments for rare pediatric diseases to obtain a priority review voucher, which they can then use to or sell to another company. To speed up the fda's review of other drug allocations. These vouchers are incredibly valuable to our innovators and to companies developing rare pediatric disease treatments.
▶ 2:15:42They're incredibly important for new jersey, to which houses companies that have received rare pediatric disease designations. However, without the authorization this program, these designations will expire next year, hindering innovation and research. Families and children. >> with rare. >> diseases across new jersey and the nation deserve timely access to life saving treatments, and this bill provides incentives for this.
▶ 2:16:09I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back. >> the gentleman yields back. Is there anybody who wants to be recognized? I recognize doctor schreier. For five minutes. >> uh, thank you, Mr. chairman.
▶ 2:16:31Uh, I'm a pediatrician, and, uh, so, of course, having treatment for kids, uh, with rare diseases is incredibly important to me. And I've taken care of many of them. I had a really interesting meeting last week, actually, with the family, uh, of one of my friends from residency. Uh, her son peter. Such smart kid, heading off to the claremont colleges.
▶ 2:16:58He came in lobbying because he also has limb girdle muscular dystrophy. There is currently no treatment. It is progressive and, uh, and has him currently in a wheelchair. He was actually part of a study being funded by nih research dollars. Um, looking for a possible treatment, uh, or even cure.
▶ 2:17:25And I want to mention that thanks to this administration and elon musk and rfk jr, that funding was withdrawn. I also want to mention that the prv program, if a treatment were found, would speed fda review and approval. So, you know, I just wanted to put like a.
▶ 2:17:55A real person's face on this and think about all the other kids out there. And I encourage my colleagues to vote for this, but also to conduct oversight on why that research funding was cut. Thank you. >> the gentlelady yields back.
▶ 2:18:27I recognize Mr. joyce from pennsylvania, doctor joyce from pennsylvania for five minutes. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. >> I wish. >> I wish to speak. >> in support of the bill today. I am pleased that we are considering h.r. 1262, the give kids a chance act, which will reauthorize the rare pediatric disease priority review voucher program.
▶ 2:18:47The ability of companies to sell or redeem a new drug or biologic for priority review is critical to a robust pipeline of treatments for pediatric patients. The vouchers from this program provide a strong incentive to develop drugs with rare pediatric disease designations.
▶ 2:19:07Since the program's inception, these vouchers have been awarded across 39 pediatric diseases, only three of which had any fda approved treatments before the program. Reauthorization of this program is critical to support innovation in rare pediatric space and address an unmet need for children and their families who suffer from these serious conditions.
▶ 2:19:32Many of you are present with us here today, many watching us today as a survivor of a rare pediatric cancer. The importance of this legislation is not lost on me. Innovation is a core pillar of american medicine, and our children and the families of these children deserve nothing but the best in terms of new life saving treatments. And it's incumbent on us as legislators to ensure that the proper incentives are in place for this to be able to occur.
▶ 2:20:02I would also like to highlight the provision included in this bill that will improve oversight of the organ procurement transplant network and further strengthen the ongoing work of hrsa to ensure safety across the system. I urge all of my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time. >> the gentleman yields back. I recognize the gentlelady from massachusetts, Mr. trahan. For five minutes.
▶ 2:20:32>> I move to strike the last word in support of the legislation. Thank you, Mr. chairman. I first want to echo the urgency and the emotion of doctor schreier in her remarks on this bill, as well as the plea for proper oversight of an hhs that has gone completely off the rails while we try to do our jobs, um, instituting programs that will make it easier for people to access the treatments and the cures that they deserve, the give kids a
▶ 2:21:03Chance act advances several important priorities for children's health. It restores one of the most effective incentives we have at the fda the pediatric priority review voucher program. This program is a proven tool to spur treatments for children living with rare and devastating diseases, and it does so at no additional cost to taxpayers. The results of this program speak for themselves.
▶ 2:21:26Since its creation, the prv program has helped bring forward therapies that have reached more than 200,000 patients across nearly 50 different rare conditions, and more than 90% of these vouchers supported drugs for diseases that previously ♪had no approved treatment at all. For parents, that means going from no options to a real chance for hope.
▶ 2:21:52We've seen this in the fight against spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic disease that once robbed infants of muscle function and often their lives before the age of two. Thanks to breakthroughs. Incentivize. Through this program, we now have a gene therapy that allows children to not only survive, but to walk, to run and thrive. Those are the kinds of transformations this program makes possible.
▶ 2:22:18And reauthorizing the prv program is also about sustaining america's leadership in biotechnology. In massachusetts, where research and development is the backbone of our economy. A recent report painted a pretty bleak picture. Companies are laying off workers, and investors are retreating for small, emerging rare disease firms. Programs like the prv can mean the difference between advancing a cure and shutting down a lab.
▶ 2:22:47At a time when our biotech biotech ecosystem is struggling, we can't afford to pull away one of the few proven incentives that works. This program has bipartisan, bicameral support. The fda supports it. It costs taxpayers nothing, and its impact is accelerating when more than half of all vouchers are awarded. In just the past four years. So the science is working. The program is working.
▶ 2:23:18Now. Congress must do its job. Let's give the give kids a chance act across the finish line and give kids battling rare diseases the chance that they deserve. Thank you. I yield back. >> the gentlelady yields back. I recognize the gentlelady from tennessee, miss hershberg. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. I want to speak in strong support of h.r. 1262 the give kids a chance act. This bipartisan pediatric rare disease package is the result of tremendous leadership and a lot of hard work by our colleagues, reps.
▶ 2:23:50Mccaul, bilirakis, trahan, barragan, and members that are no longer serving with us, like representative eshoo and doctor burgess, among many others. I also want to highlight and thank the committee for inclusion in this bipartisan bill. Provisions. I've been leading with reps. Juan vargas and randy weber sr. Scott peters, andy harris and mike levin to move in the direction of ensuring our healthcare supply chains.
▶ 2:24:13Protecting america's medical supplies is a bipartisan national security priority, and we seek to reduce reliance on medical products produced in non-allied nations like china that could weaponize such dependance. We should be looking to the abraham accords countries, robust biopharmaceutical industries to begin near-shoring and help diversify and protect our access to critical medical supply chains that don't rely on china.
▶ 2:24:38While we would love to be able to produce everything domestically, that just isn't possible at this time given capacity constraints. In the meantime, we should engage our allies in a for ensuring capacity. The bipartisan united states abraham accords cooperation and security provisions in section nine of this bill will establish an fda office in the abraham accords region, creating a staging ground for technical assistance and for ensuring collaboration between the us and abraham accord countries for the development
▶ 2:25:09Of and bringing to our markets lifesaving medications. We need to begin this process of fortifying our medical supply chains as soon as possible, and I look forward to enacting the give kids a chance act into law. So thank you, Mr. chairman, and I yield back. >> the gentlelady yields back. Recognize the gentleman from new jersey, Mr. menendez? >> thank you. Chairman. Um, as a father to two young children.
▶ 2:25:39Um, I can only imagine what a family feels when their child is diagnosed with a serious or rare illness. I imagine that first, there's shock and fear and the question of what can be done. And often there are too few options for that family and that child.
▶ 2:25:57But there is something that we can do to give kids a chance at can bring life saving drugs to patients faster, and ensure that children who are facing life threatening illnesses and their families have hope that the development of new treatments is happening as quickly as possible. It would give hope to parents in my district and across the country that are facing limited treatment options.
▶ 2:26:20I've heard from new jerseyans like christina, her husband, and their son, who can spend years searching for a diagnosis for their child, who often travel across the country searching for options for their child's rare condition. They follow academic and medical journals and hope that there is something that will provide them with relief. So for them, this isn't abstract policy, it's real. They support this bill because when we bring a treatment to market faster, it means we give families hope.
▶ 2:26:52Supporting children with life threatening illnesses is simply a moral imperative, and I'm glad we are taking action today. I am a proud sponsor of this bill and will continue fighting for families in my district who deserve hope for a brighter future. Thank you. And I yield back. >> the gentleman yields back. I recognize the gentleman from georgia, Mr. carter. Five minutes. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. Mr. chairman, I rise in support of h.r. 1262 to give kids a chance act of 2025.
▶ 2:27:21This bill helps to support the research and development for drugs that will help kids with cancer and other rare diseases. There are few policies that should rally as much bipartisan support as this bill, and it has passed congress. This bill passed unanimously through the committee and on the house floor.
▶ 2:27:40It has continued to garner bipartisan support and co-sponsorships this congress, reaching over 280 co-sponsors as of this morning, more than half of the house of representatives and is supported by hundreds of organizations. With that, Mr. chairman, I'd like to enter in the following letter of support into the record, signed by nearly 200 patient organizations. >> without objection. The gentleman yields back. Uh, any further discussion on the bill?
▶ 2:28:11Underlying bill. All right, uh, I know, open the floor for amendments. I have an amendment. The clerk will report the amendment at the desk. >> amendment in the nature of a substitute to h.r. 1262 offered by Mr. dunn. Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the following section one short title. >> without objection.
▶ 2:28:40Reading the amendment is dispensed with, and I recognize myself for five minutes. Uh, this amendment adds language, uh, to the bill to increase transparency in the generic drug applications. Uh, this common sense legislation will allow companies working to bring lower cost generics to market.
▶ 2:29:03Clarity from the fda on whether or not their drug is qualitatively and quantitatively the same as the list of drug. What this means is that americans can come and their companies can face less hurdles when they're bringing generic drug to market. In the united states, generic drugs make up over 90% of filled prescriptions. These are really common medicines. Americans use them every day.
▶ 2:29:29Generic medicines are safe, effective, and often far cheaper than branded counterparts. Increased access to these medications will save americans money at the pharmacy and also promote their health and well-being. I want to thank representative kevin mullin for his support of this language. I'm also supportive of the underlying bill that give kids a chance act.
▶ 2:29:53This bipartisan legislation will bring to market new cancer treatments for pediatric patients and save lives. Importantly, this bill also includes an extension of the rare pediatric priority review voucher program. This highly successful program has incentivized new rare pediatric discoveries for many years and is key in encouraging new research into treatments for this patient population.
▶ 2:30:19I urge all my colleagues to support the amendment and the underlying bill to give kids a chance act, and I yield back. Further discussion on the aims or the underlying bill. No. All right. >> mike collins this. >> does somebody want to be recognized? No. Did you miss castor?
▶ 2:30:48You're recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, mister chairman. I have an amendment at the desk. Is it procedurally appropriate? Did you adopt the aims or. >> amended? >> do you have an amendment to the aims? >> I have an amendment to the aims. >> does the clerk have the amendment at the desk? >> Mr. chairman, could the gentlelady please. >> castor, 32. >> read the. >> amendment in the nature of a substitute to h.r.
▶ 2:31:171262 offered by miss castor of florida, page 29. After line 24, insert the following section 12. No modification to immunization schedules resulting in reduction to vaccine coverage. No modification may be made to the adult and child and adolescent immunization schedules. >> without objection. Uh, we're reading amendments dispensed with.
▶ 2:31:43Do we have discussion on the amendment to the aims, miss castor? >> yeah. Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. chairman. I'm in strong support of this bipartisan package. Uh, that will benefit some of our most vulnerable neighbors, including children who are battling pediatric cancer and other rare diseases. This bill will help these heroic families who are desperately searching for hope and options. Uh, and it will help more parents avoid the unimaginable trauma of losing a child.
▶ 2:32:13Uh, one of our top priorities, rightfully in this committee is, uh, supporting policies that help keep children healthy. And. Well, that's why I'm offering my amendment today to ensure that we can keep children's access to one of the most important and most cost effective public health tools we have, and that is safe and effective.
▶ 2:32:35Immunizations at childhood mine amendment would prevent any arbitrary changes from being made by the administration to the current vaccination schedules for children, teens, and adults that would result in people losing access to no cost coverage. This is not business as usual in america right now. This is not normal. Uh, we have watched cancer research slashed by this administration.
▶ 2:33:02We have seen an arbitrary halt to criminal trials. We watched elon musk arbitrarily fire thousands of public servants and public health experts. Uh, the gop reducing access to high quality, affordable health care coverage. I think representative veazey earlier called this a five alarm fire.
▶ 2:33:23I want to pull the fire alarm, and I want everyone to join me in pulling the fire alarm because it really, um, another crazy development was just a couple of weeks ago when the hhs secretary kennedy fired the director of the cdc. I think his conspiracy laden policies, his anti-science agenda are clear and present danger to americans.
▶ 2:33:50Now, the cdc director is is the former director is over on the senate side testifying this morning. But I have a copy of her testimony. She said that, uh, secretary kennedy directed me to commit in advance to approving every advisory committee on immunization recommendation, regardless of the scientific evidence. I responded that I could not pre-approve recommendations without reviewing the evidence.
▶ 2:34:20Tomorrow, the reconstituted uh immunization panel will meet. Its composition has already raised concerns from the medical community. Based on what I've observed during my tenure, there is a real risk that recommendations could be made restricting access to vaccines for children and others in need without rigorous scientific review. The stakes are not theoretical.
▶ 2:34:44We have already seen the largest measles outbreak in more than 30 years, which claimed the lives of two children if vaccine protections are weakened, preventable diseases will return. This quackery now is spreading. I know that many of you were caught off guard, but none more so than us from florida.
▶ 2:35:05When governor desantis and our surgeon general proposed just a couple of weeks ago that they were going to end the safeguards surrounding childhood vaccines so that you're not no longer required to get vaccinated for polio or hep b or diphtheria, measles, mumps, rubella. As you enter schools, the pediatricians say this is unwise.
▶ 2:35:28The doctors say this is unwise, that parents know all of us who have been vaccinated in the past know this is crazy talk. It's dangerous. Are you going to come to your disney world, universal or cruise vacation in florida with your kids? This is an economic threat as well. So, mister chairman and colleagues across the aisle, all of us, this is a five alarm fire, and I'm beseeching you, I reached out to you after.
▶ 2:35:55After the cdc director was fired to say it is our job now to have hearings, to have oversight, to write letters to, to make statements. Uh, it would be the least you could do today is at least make a statement of concern for what is happening. Uh, in healthcare in america. It is our job. It is our job now to be the adults in the room.
▶ 2:36:19Uh, we know that parents want to protect their kids, and we need to make sure that they know that the best way for them to do that is through safe and effective vaccinations. We can't let secretary kennedy upend vaccine coverage for the entire country. Based on quack science. You know, doctor refused to rubber stamp these misguided decisions.
▶ 2:36:44And I hope that that you all can find the the courage and the intestinal fortitude to stand up to this quackery and speak out now. And the least you could do is adopt this amendment to make sure kids stay healthy and well. Thank you, mister chairman. And I yield back. >> the gentlelady yields back. Do we have discussion on the amendment? Yes. I recognize the gentleman from florida, Mr. bilirakis. Thank you. >> thank you, Mr. chairman, I appreciate it. I rise in opposition to this particular amendment.
▶ 2:37:12The give kids a chance act is a critical bill to enhance support for kids with cancer and other rare diseases. We've heard, uh, from both sides of the aisle, uh, how important this bill is and what a priority it is to give our kids a chance. I don't want to risk this particular bill from getting on the floor of the house of representatives. Uh, and, uh, and I think they were a little off topic here.
▶ 2:37:41Now, you know, I respect the gentlelady from florida. She's my good friend, uh, florida fellow, uh, floridian, but also from the great, uh, area, the tampa bay area. But this is not a place for this particular amendment. Uh, so last congress, the bill passed unanimously, folks, through this committee and on the house floor, it has widespread bipartisan support, as you know, 280 co-sponsors and counting.
▶ 2:38:08More than half of the house of representatives is supported by hundreds of organizations. Let's give our kids a chance. Uh, it's vital that we pass this particular bill, uh, today. And I'd love to have the, uh, the gentlelady withdraw the amendment.
▶ 2:38:26I'd be happy to work with her on her topic, but, uh, let's get this bill across the finish line to the house floor as soon as possible so that we can give our kids a real chance. Thank you. And I yield back. >> the gentleman yields back. Do we have further discussion on the amendment? Uh, miss matsui, you are recognized for five minutes. >> um, thank you, Mr. chairman. I move to strike. The last word.
▶ 2:38:54I also want the underlying bill to move forward. I've been working on it for a long time. It's very bipartisan, and it passed in a bipartisan manner. But I do thank my colleague, representative castor, for offering this amendment. You know, we're here about to talk about protecting kids and giving them a chance. Meanwhile, rfk banned the vaccine. Skeptics is gearing up to rob many kids of their future.
▶ 2:39:25Tomorrow, his sham advisory committee will meet to consider vaccines protecting kids against measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis b and covid, and their actions have real consequences if they revoke recommendations for those shots. Parents of newborns are going to be frantically trying to figure out where they can get their children vaccinated and whether their insurance will pay.
▶ 2:39:55As kids head back to school this fall. I've already been getting calls from concerned parents who aren't sure if they'll be able to protect their families against covid and the flu. This isn't giving americans choice. It's taking choice away.
▶ 2:40:14You know, my republican colleagues might say this is not the time to debate vaccines, but the consequences are robbing americans of their choice to get vaccinated or of abolishing of demolishing the public. Trust in vaccines are especially harmful to kids with rare diseases. You know, remember the bubble boy?
▶ 2:40:40His immune system was so compromised that a minor infection for any of us would have been life threatening for him. Now, thankfully, we have better treatment options now, but many people with rare diseases, especially immune diseases, are still highly susceptible to common infections.
▶ 2:41:03And for many of them, vaccines don't protect them as well as they protect you or me. So how would you feel as a parent if you had done everything right to protect your child, fought to get them the treatment for their rare diseases, taking time off of work to ensure they get the best care and they get sick from a disease that should have been eliminated in this country.
▶ 2:41:32All because rfk wanted to impose his beliefs on the rest of the country. Vaccines save lives, and not just the life of the person receiving the vaccine. Republicans are using one hand to pat themselves on the back for protecting kids, while they use the other hand to hide their eyes. While our public health falls apart.
▶ 2:42:02I support this amendment. I yield back the remainder of my time. >> the gentlelady yields back. Is there further discussion on the amendment to the amendment? Okay. On. Yes. Doctor schreier, you're recognized for five minutes. >> uh. >> thank you, Mr. chairman.
▶ 2:42:24I want to first just thank my friend, representative castor, for introducing this amendment to ensure kids and adults will still have access to vaccines and insurance companies and public programs will still pay for them. You can imagine how important this is to me, a pediatrician. Uh, I will not get emotional about this one because I'm not going to talk about specifically the patients I've taken care of with measles, meningitis, rotavirus, congenital rubella.
▶ 2:42:51I will just move on to some of the other information here. I just want to say that thanks to hhs secretary rfk jr, we've already seen how changing recommendations for the covid 19 vaccine have caused confusion regarding insurance coverage and access for people who want to get vaccinated, in addition to putting pregnant women and children at unnecessary risk. Uh, just this week, as representative castor mentioned, rfk jr.
▶ 2:43:20Appointed new members to the previously highly respected advisory committee on immunization practices just in time for tomorrow's meeting where they're going to vote on new vaccination recommendations that could dramatically alter the entire childhood vaccination schedule. Uh, this new community is operating with members who have not been vetted for potential conflicts of interest, as is customary.
▶ 2:43:49Instead, they have been vetted for their support of baseless anti-vaccine rhetoric. This lack of oversight and accountability for this particular powerful group of individuals that make serious, life altering, life threatening decisions about our public health is dangerous.
▶ 2:44:09And I am, I think, justifiably concerned that they're going to restrict access to immunizations, continue to spew misinformation, to sow public distrust, uh, reduce vaccination rates, and then invite the spread of completely preventable diseases.
▶ 2:44:30So this extreme lack of transparency and scientific justification behind changes to vaccine recommendations that are supported by the greater medical community, it just has to stop. The american people deserve to know who's calling the shots, and they deserve to hold hhs and this administration responsible to this really reckless approach to public health guidance. Um, this body can act.
▶ 2:44:57Now, I've already asked multiple times for oversight that that is our responsibility here, uh, and our responsibility not just in this committee, but to our constituents. So, Mr. chairman, I once again ask that you summon rfk jr to appear before this committee to answer for his recklessness when it comes to americans health.
▶ 2:45:18Uh, to explain the kneecapping when it comes to cutting edge medical research, uh, to be held accountable for his firing of the head of the cdc because she wouldn't rubber stamp his dangerous agenda and to answer for any changes that they make to pediatric vaccine recommendations that will affect, uh, our country's health.
▶ 2:45:41I mean, I just want to double click on the fact that vaccinations were one of the greatest advances in medicine, uh, in the 20th century and that they continue to save millions of lives every year. So I want to thank representative castor for introducing this amendment to make sure that all of us can get vaccinated, that those vaccines will be paid for. And I want to encourage all of my colleagues to support this amendment. Thank you. And I yield back.
▶ 2:46:10>> the gentlelady yields back is, uh, Mr. tonko from new york. You're recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, Mr. chair. I move to strike the last word. Um, I do so in, uh, applauding representative castor in offering this amendment. Um, the effort to give kids a chance needs to be is a noble cause.
▶ 2:46:36And let's be bold in that attempt and be multifaceted in addressing from every perspective how we can give kids that chance. Um, there's a lot of misinformation going around about vaccines, and it is indeed scary.
▶ 2:46:50Now, I'm a co-sponsor of this give kids the chance act effort, and I support this amendment because what we do know about vaccines is that before them, about 1 in 5 children, roughly 20%, did not live long enough to celebrate a fifth birthday.
▶ 2:47:12Over the past 50 years, childhood vaccines have saved some 154 million lives, with the measles vaccine having the largest impact. Now, several large scale medical studies show that vaccines are not associated with autism. We must then follow the evidence which shows that vaccines save lives.
▶ 2:47:35Denying that truth harms children in two ways by eroding public trust in vaccines, and by diverting attention from the critical need to understand and support those with autism. So why are we firing our experts at cdc? Why are we dismantling trusted advisory groups with expertise?
▶ 2:47:56Why are we pushing a narrative that will mean more children will suffer the effects of vaccine preventable diseases, or many, tragically, will die? Why are we not including that here as an effort to give kids that truly that fighting chance? This is unacceptable to just allow all of this to happen on our watch. So I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. I support representative castor in this effort.
▶ 2:48:25And with that, Mr. chair, I yield back. >> the gentleman yields back. Uh, further discussion on the amendment. Miss dingell from michigan, recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, Mr. chair. I move to strike the last word. I first want to thank rep castor for offering this amendment and am strongly supporting it because it would prevent modifications to the adult child and adolescent immunization schedules, according to scientific advisers.
▶ 2:48:55I want to thank all of my colleagues, and I'm thankful that we can agree to bipartisan changes to improve the way we research and discover cancer drugs. But I would also hope in a similar way, we can agree how important vaccines are. We've heard time and time again that president trump is weakening our country's ability to stay healthy by making unnecessary changes to the advisory committee on immunization practices.
▶ 2:49:23This is just one story that I've heard from a constituent last week. I have a lot more. She's a lymphoma patient and has had very challenging conversations with her oncologist regarding the covid booster. She scared. She doesn't know if she should get it at a save her life. It could make her sicker. She wanted to be sure with her conditions she'd be safe in getting the vaccine.
▶ 2:49:49She explained how the hhs secretary is playing games with her life and others with cancer who are at risk. She said she just wants clear answers, backed in science, and science doesn't seem to matter anymore. And I guess I agree with her a little or a lot.
▶ 2:50:11Across the country, americans are facing similar confusion to what my constituents faced as a result of this guidance, and this is leading to a serious lack of trust that is is not threatening, but is reducing the overall uptake in vaccines. Let me be clear.
▶ 2:50:28Secretary kennedy's revised covid recommendations have restricted availability and accessibility in many areas of the country, as providers and insurers lack clarity about what they can legally administer. And I'm going to tell you, I hope he doesn't get mad at me. The former chair of this committee, fred upton, texted me two weeks ago. He went into a virginia pharmacy for he and his wife to get covid vaccine.
▶ 2:50:58He's 72 years old. He is over. That's public. Uh, and he was denied his covid vaccine, as was his wife. So let's not say if you're on that or you can get him.
▶ 2:51:13People of all kinds of background are being denied vaccines prior to the secretary's overhaul of the program, acip was compromised of experts who met multiple times each year to make a science based recommendations on what vaccines would help keep americans healthy. Any changes to the immunization schedule should follow the science. The facts, not a political agenda. And thank you, Mr. chair, and I yield back.
▶ 2:51:44>> the gentlelady yields back. I recognize the gentleman from massachusetts, Mr. class, for five minutes for his comments on the amendment. >> no. >> okay. My mistake. Anybody else wish to be recognized on the discussion on the amendment? Oh, yeah. Absolutely. >> uh. >> miss mark alford. Virginia. Absolutely. Go ahead. >> thank you. >> Mr. >> five minutes. Thank you, Mr.
▶ 2:52:16Chair. I want to speak in favor of this amendment because, you know, this bill may not be the right vehicle, but we do need to have this discussion. Um, because there are two really important consequences to any changes that the advisory committee on immunization practices make to the recommended immunization schedule.
▶ 2:52:40And we've already heard part of it is most providers provide no cost coverage for these vaccines if they're on the schedule and if they're not on the schedule and their cost isn't covered, many of them are unaffordable. And even people who want the vaccines will have a difficult time getting them. Uh, especially low income individuals.
▶ 2:53:04But one of the things that I heard while talking to, particularly hospitals in our health care providers that are already worried about a workforce shortage, and I asked open question. I just asked, what are the things that are keeping you up at night? What are the things that you're worried about?
▶ 2:53:24And again, whether it was the academic hospital or the long term care provider, they were worried about the long term effects of reduced vaccine usage and the reemergence of illnesses and diseases that could reach epidemic proportions that impact their workforce.
▶ 2:53:45And now they're worried about if my nurses start getting exposed to diseases that we thought were eradicated, because people aren't getting the vaccines to prevent them, that's yet another hit to my workforce I've got to worry about.
▶ 2:54:04So, you know, I just wanted to bring both of those points to the committee's attention as to why I'm supporting this amendment to a very important bill that I also support. And I yield back. >> the gentlelady yields back. Further discussion on the amendment to the nature of the to the aims. No further discussion. Then the vote is, uh, called for that, uh, amendment.
▶ 2:54:33>> I want to thank my colleagues who weighed in, but I'll. >> withdraw the amendment. >> are you enjoying the amendment? Okay. Thank you. She just withdrew the amendment. >> the amendment has been withdrawn. Any other amendments? Miss, mister, get you recognized for five minutes. >> um. >> first I have to have the amendment reported. I have an amendment at the desk. Mister chairman, it is to get underlined. 025.
▶ 2:55:05>> and. >> mister chairman, I would reserve any points of order. >> all right. Without objection. >> he needs to read the amendment. >> haven't read them. >> the clerk will read the amendment. >> amendment in the nature of the substitute to h.r. 1262. Amendment to the amendment. In the nature of a substitute to h.r. 1262 offered by Mr. get of colorado, page one. >> objection.
▶ 2:55:33The reading amendment is dispensed with, and the gentlelady is, uh, has five minutes to discuss her. >> thank you so much, Mr. chairman. Uh, uh, I want to I want to first of all, say I support this bill very, very, very strongly. I think that, um, it is really, um, very important that we pass the bill.
▶ 2:55:58The give kids a chance act provides incentives to biotech companies to make cures for kids with rare diseases that would also be financially untenable. It requires pediatric studies of cancer drugs that have only been looked at in adults. It's kind of a scandal that this bill is not already in law, because last december is the very latest it should have been in the law.
▶ 2:56:20I would point out anecdotally, though, it's not going to do us any good to require pediatric cancer trials for new drugs when the administration is drastically cutting research for pediatric cancer. And in this article that I put in the record, and I helpfully provided every member of this committee with a copy of the very first thing they talk about in the article is a professor.
▶ 2:56:49She's a professor at the university of massachusetts chan medical school. And, um, she does she does, um, research on an aggressive form of pediatric brain cancer. And her research got cut by the trump administration. The article goes on to talk about the drastic cuts that we've had in bio in, in cancer research. And, um, and it says that the, the and and we all know this.
▶ 2:57:16I think the president's budget called for a 37% cut to the national cancer institute, reducing it to $4.5 billion from $7.2 billion. And as the new york times says, quote, adjusting for inflation, you have to go back more than 30 years to find a comparably sized federal cancer research budget.
▶ 2:57:39I, I have been just struggling, struggling since they came up with these cuts to try to figure out why they would cut money for cancer research. Just when we're on the cusp of finding cures for for cancer, that impacts everybody, but in particular children.
▶ 2:58:02Anyway, that's not what this event that the amendment does, what this amendment does, is it um, it it also would and I appreciate the majority making some of the bills that were in that december package that was cut by doge and elon musk at with, with with the stroke of a couple of tweets. But every bill that was dropped from the end of the year package should have been put on the floor.
▶ 2:58:31All of those bills were vetted. All of us on both sides of the aisle have repeatedly said that we agree with them. And yet the majority decided not to do that. I've been begging chairman guthrie and and and and and congressman carter, when he was the chair of the house subcommittee and now my friend morgan griffith, I've been begging everybody, why can't we put all of these extenders back
▶ 2:59:02In? Why? What are we waiting for? For the diabetes research for type type one and type two, research for the maternal mortality, for all of those extenders that we all agreed to last fall. And so what's, uh, what what, um, what this amendment does, it's the entirety of the health package that was dropped from the december, uh, cr um, as I said, the maternal mortality review committees, which I co-led with Mr.
▶ 2:59:31Carter and the special diabetes programs, which I work on with Mr. bilirakis, alternate obernolte and ruiz. Um, uh, you know, I would think adopting it would be a no brainer. And I, I really my normal way of operating, Mr. chairman, as you know, is to be completely bipartisan and to work across the aisle, which I'm begging you to do.
▶ 2:59:56I don't like the fact that this committee is failing on the health policies that impact all of the americans. I want to have smooth, bipartisan markups like the one that we're supposed to be having today. But I just can't sit by while the health of our constituents. Is it jeopardy? You saw how doctor schrier feels. I think many of us feel the same way. I think we should have a bipartisan process.
▶ 3:00:25Regular order, strong oversight, and a use of this committee that honors its history and potential. If we did that, we could achieve a lot for the american people. And I yield back. >> gentlelady yields back. Is there any discussion on the, uh, on the amendment? Uh, the recognize Mr. griffiths from virginia for five minutes. >> uh, thank you, Mr. chairman. Um, I stand by my reservation.
▶ 3:00:56I don't know what the parliamentarians will determine. I think the amendment is so much larger than the underlying bill and covers so many different subjects that it ought to be not germane. But my view on germaneness does not always equate to what the parliamentarians view on germaneness is. So it might be germane. So we'll figure that out. But I do stand in opposition to the amendment. Republicans have consistently tried to find paths forward for these policies that we previously had worked on in. The gentlelady is correct.
▶ 3:01:25She generally tries to work in a bipartisan fashion. So I appreciate that. And we did have agreement on a lot of these last year. Now some of it's already been taken care of. The fentanyl act that Mr. latta and I pushed for a number of years is now law and signed into law by the president. The medicaid home and community based services policy from the earlier agreement is now law, and not just a demonstration or demo. The support act as passed by the house floor with substantial bipartisan support and is progressing through the senate today. We're moving ahead on the fda.
▶ 3:01:55Portions of that past work. This week, we'll vote on a cr that continues the expiring public health, medicaid and medicare provisions that were part of our december agreement. As we continue to look for longer term opportunities, because that's the short term one. We're working to get all of these items done, and we're having some success.
▶ 3:02:16Alternatively, we know that whether we on this committee like it or not, if you throw everything into the basket at one time, there are various people, uh, in congress and out of congress who find various pieces of it that they have some reason to oppose. And sometimes the weight of a bill can collapse the opportunities to get it passed. So I would ask that we reject the amendment. We'll keep working together to take on the important issues that we do agree on. And a lot of these I can't disagree with the gentlelady.
▶ 3:02:46A lot of these are, in fact, items that those of us on this committee agree on, and we just have to find the best path forward to get it passed ultimately by the house and the senate. >> will the gentleman yield? >> I will yield, yes. >> so so, um, I will withdraw my amendment.
▶ 3:03:00But I want to point out that the continuing resolution that the republicans have proposed does extend all of these things at flat funding, even when there was agreement, bipartisan agreement last fall, to do different things, but it also only extends it through november 21st. First. Yes, ma'am. And the problem with that is, and I feel quite strongly, if you're trying to do research, it's really virtually impossible to do research month to month.
▶ 3:03:30Like now it's almost october. So you're going to say to all of these researchers, don't worry, your program is extended at a flat level for six weeks. That's why I think it's really, really important that we all get together seriously and and figure out the extensions that we've all agreed on before. And you're nodding your head. So I assume you agree, Mr. chairman.
▶ 3:03:57>> well, I certainly hope that we can get together and work things out, not just within the committee, but things that we think that we can actually get passed, because I think that a lot of these programs are things that both sides of the aisle agree on or should agree on. But sometimes if you take them in smaller bites you, you have more success. >> as as I told the chairman, if you put them up on the floor in a package, it would pass on suspension with democratic votes. I'll say it in public, and with that, I'll withdraw the amendment. >> I yield back.
▶ 3:04:28>> the gentleman yields back. Is there further discussion on the amendment, Mr. auchincloss of massachusetts. >> I know, but she he has his amendment. >> it's all right. She withdrew. >> this is. Do you wish to speak on the on Mr. gaetz amendment? >> yes. >> you're recognized for five minutes. All right. >> uh.
▶ 3:04:50>> as my colleague from colorado just proposed, we must ensure that the overwhelmingly bipartisan policies included in the 2024 end of year package make it across the finish line. I heard from the gentleman from virginia that some of them have made it, uh, piecemeal. But obviously the portfolio of pharmacy benefit manager reform bills did not. And this is slam dunk health care policy.
▶ 3:05:16These bills, one take on corporate greed that's raising prices for americans, the pharmacy benefit managers, particularly the big three owned by the fortune 20 health insurance corporations, are taking hundreds of billions of dollars out of the health insurance system each year, despite the fact that they research and develop no new medicines, that they dispense, no medicines that they prescribe, no medicines, their middlemen, and they have taken advantage of their position in
▶ 3:05:46An opaque supply chain to price gouge americans. We were taking bold steps through oversight, accountability and transparency to take on that corporate greed. We were supporting small businesses, the pharmacists who are the cornerstones of their community, who are frontline medical providers, who are in many communities, uh, the most consistent, uh, medical providers to see patients, um, are getting. >> uh.
▶ 3:06:12>> driven into bankruptcy 1 or 2 every week in this country through clawback fees and gag clauses and contracts imposed by these pharmacy benefit managers that are making it impossible to run a small business that serves their patients. These bills were going to support those pharmacists, and then these bills were going to lower co-pays and premiums. Right now, we've got health insurance going up 1,015% every single year, twice as fast as wages at least.
▶ 3:06:37And this was important substantive legislation to actually take a bite out of health care costs for american families. We were we were 12 hours away from passing this legislation. And then elon musk tweeted about it, and the speaker pulled the bill from the house floor. Elon musk then tweeted, quote, what is a pbm? So not at all clear that he actually knew what he was talking about.
▶ 3:07:02But, uh, a billionaire donor to donald trump didn't like some legislation that, uh, that we were going to vote on. And so republicans flinched. And the gentleman from virginia said, we have to find our path to the floor. Well, that that obstacle on that path has been removed. Now elon musk is out of government. Uh, maybe he's still tweeting, I don't know, but he's not in government anymore. So the obstacle for our republican colleagues has been removed.
▶ 3:07:29Now that elon musk can't, uh, impose his will on you, let's get this to the floor and vote on it as the as the gentlewoman from from colorado said it will pass on suspension. Let's pass this legislation for americans. I yield back. >> the gentleman yields back. Uh, the amendment. The amendment has been withdrawn. Do we have any further amendments to the underlying bill? Any further amendments?
▶ 3:08:02>> further amendments? >> uh, then, uh, we're voting on the on the ames at this point. And, uh, all those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? The ayes have it. The angels adopted. And, um, now we. Vote on final passage of the bill. Um, and the roll call has been requested.
▶ 3:08:30The clerk will call the roll. >> Mr. latta, Mr. latta votes I, Mr. griffith. Mr. griffith votes I. Mr. bilirakis. Mr. bilirakis votes I. Mr. hudson, Mr. hudson votes I. Mr. carter of georgia. Mr. carter of georgia votes I Mr. palmer. Mr. dunn. Mr. dunn votes I Mr.
▶ 3:09:03Crenshaw Mr. crenshaw votes I Mr. joyce. Mr. john joyce john joyce votes I Mr. weber. Mr. weber votes I Mr. allen. Mr. allen votes I Mr. balderson Mr. balderson votes I Mr. fulcher. Mr. fulcher votes I Mr. pfluger. Mr. pfluger votes I Mrs. harshbarger. Mrs. harshbarger votes I Mrs. miller-meeks. Mrs.
▶ 3:09:36Kat cammack. Mr. obernolte. Mr. obernolte votes I Mr. james. Mr. james votes I Mr. benz. Mr. benz votes I Mrs. houchin. Mr. frye. Mr. langworthy. Mr. cain. Mr. rowley. Mr. evans Mr.
▶ 3:10:02Evans votes I Mr. goldman Mr. goldman votes I Mrs. fedorchuk. Mrs. fedorchuk votes I. Mr. pallone. Mr. pallone votes I Mr. get Mr. get votes I Mr. schakowsky miss schakowsky votes I miss matsui miss matsui votes I.
▶ 3:10:32Miss castor miss castor votes I Mr. tonko. Mr. tonko votes I miss clark. Miss clark votes I Mr. ruiz. Mr. ruiz votes I Mr. peters. Mr. peters votes I. Mrs. dingell. Mrs. dingell votes I. Mr. veasey. Mr. veasey votes I miss kelly. Miss.
▶ 3:11:05Barragan miss. Barragan votes I Mr. soto Mr. soto votes I miss schrier. Miss schrier, votes I Mr. han Mr. han votes I miss fletcher. Miss ocasio-cortez. Miss ocasio-cortez votes I Mr. across Mr. votes I Mr. carter of louisiana. Mr. carter of louisiana votes I Mr. menendez Mr. menendez votes I Mr.
▶ 3:11:34Mullen Mr. mullen votes I Mr. landsman Mr. landsman votes I miss mcclellan. Miss mcclellan votes I chairman guthrie. Chairman. Guthrie chairman guthrie votes I. Mr. langworthy is not recorded. Mr. langworthy votes I miss miller-meeks is not recorded. Miss Mrs.
▶ 3:12:05Miller-meeks votes I. Mr. rowley is not recorded. Mr. rowley votes I. Mr. palmer is not recorded. Mr. palmer votes I. >> anybody else hasn't voted. All right. The clerk will report the ayes and the nays.
▶ 3:13:01>> Mr. chairman, on that vote there were 47 eyes and zero noes. >> ayes have it. The bill as amended, is adopted. The chair will call up h.r. 3302 and ask the clerk to report. >> h.r. 3302, a bill to amend the public health service act to reauthorize the healthy start initiative. Section one short title.
▶ 3:13:27This act may be cited as the healthy start reauthorization act of 2020. >> without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with. The bill will be open for amendment at any point so ordered. Does anyone wish to be recognized on the bill I recognize miss ocasio-cortez from new york for five minutes. >> thank you so much, Mr. chairman. And I'd, of.
▶ 3:13:50>> course, like to join in the unanimous celebration and happiness in, um, representative kat cammack, uh, and her recent birth and her beautiful baby girl. And, um, you know, I raise it because as well, I'd like to. And and before I move on, I'd also like to thank, uh, chairman guthrie for bringing this reauthorization to the full committee markup, as well as congresswoman malliotakis for her, um, for her partnership in this bill.
▶ 3:14:18Many of you have heard me discuss the healthy start program before. This is a bipartisan program that has existed and actually started under president george h.w. Bush in 1991 to reduce infant deaths across the country. Healthy start is a beautiful, um, and again, bipartisan program that helps moms learn how to breastfeed, learn safe sleep practices, have access to some diapers and formula.
▶ 3:14:47And while the united states experiences some of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, healthy start has been a bright spot in helping reduce those deaths. And this reauthorization is something that is really important, not just to me, not just to congresswoman malliotakis, but it's so essential to families across the country.
▶ 3:15:13And I kind of want to take a moment to take a beat and a pause today and appeal, um, to all of us in this room. I understand that we are in an environment where reauthorizations can't be taken for granted. Uh, that in a republican majority there is a strict and thorough assessment of what merits reauthorization and what doesn't.
▶ 3:15:38And in that sometimes there are meredith people and communities that fall through the cracks. And oftentimes working moms in this country and new moms in this country who are at risk, uh, and have who are at risk for pregnancies with complications, fall through those cracks. These moms don't have lobbyists. They don't have industry.
▶ 3:16:07And this reauthorization, while on its face may seem small, can really change a lot of people's lives. I really don't want to see this fall through the cracks after 30 over 30 years of successful bipartisan work on this.
▶ 3:16:27And to that end, I sincerely want to extend my gratitude to chairman guthrie when there was a moment that this reauthorization may have gotten lost in the weeds, um, he was willing to give it a fair hearing and a fair shot. And I am deeply, deeply grateful that it has made it to this markup. And I'm deeply grateful for the bipartisan support for this reauthorization.
▶ 3:16:53And, again, I don't think that we should take it for granted. And so, um, I want to extend my gratitude for the republican support for this reauthorization. And I would not be a congresswoman if I didn't have an additional ask, which is, um, I would like to ask for, uh, some of my republican colleagues and partners here to help us get this through the senate. Um, I'm really, genuinely concerned.
▶ 3:17:22The healthy start helps working moms in all 50 states. Every single one of us represents or knows families that benefit from it, that would not know how to, you know, put their baby to sleep properly if it wasn't for the federally available resources to teach them these things. And so I ask that we not allow this to fall through the cracks. I ask us to continue the the bipartisan support for this.
▶ 3:17:50And I also ask us, um, to treat this as an opportunity, um, to create a bright spot and hope for people that we can still do good things in such a dark and challenging time. So, um, we have testimony from mothers that have benefited from this program that I would like to submit to the record.
▶ 3:18:13Um, but one mom, uh, has said healthy start has taught me how to care for my baby, understand his needs, and keep him safe. I learned about safe sleep practices, developmental milestones, and how to advocate for my child's health. That guidance gave me something no material item could ever could, which is confidence.
▶ 3:18:34So, um, I seek to submit these stories to the record, and I look forward to trying to get this to the president's desk, and I yield back. Thank you. >> the gentlelady yields back. Is there any further discussion on the bill? Any further discussion on the bill? Okay. Hearing none. The question now occurs on adopting h.r 3302. All those in favor say aye.
▶ 3:19:03I opposed. Is there a request for roll call? There is no, no, no request for anybody opposed okay. The ayes have it. Um. Mr. chairman. Oh, there is a roll call request. Sorry. We have roll call request. The clerk will call the roll. >> Mr. latta, Mr. lot of votes. Aye, Mr. griffith. Mr.
▶ 3:19:33Griffith votes I. Mr. bilirakis. Mr. bilirakis votes I, Mr. hudson, Mr. hudson votes I. Mr. carter of georgia. Mr. palmer. Mr. palmer votes I Mr. dunn. Mr. dunn votes I Mr. crenshaw. Mr.
▶ 3:20:08Crenshaw Mr. crenshaw votes I Mr. john joyce. Mr. joyce votes I Mr. weber. Mr. weber votes I Mr. allen. Mr. allen votes I Mr. balderson Mr. balderson votes I Mr. fulcher. Mr. fulcher votes I Mr. pfluger. Mr. pfluger votes I Mrs. harshbarger. Mrs. harshbarger votes I Mrs. miller-meeks. Mrs.
▶ 3:20:41Miller-meeks. Mrs. miller-meeks, votes I. Mrs. kat cammack. Mrs. kat cammack votes I Mr. obernolte. Mr. obernolte votes I Mr. john james. Mr. bentz. Mr. bentz votes I Mrs. houchin. Mr. miss lee. Mr.
▶ 3:21:05Langworthy Mr. langworthy votes I Mr. cain. Mr. rowley Mr. rowley votes I Mr. evans. Mr. evans votes I Mr. goldman Mr. goldman votes I Mrs. fedorchuk. Mrs. fedorchuk votes I. Mr. pallone. Mr.
▶ 3:21:37Pallone votes I Mr. get Mr. get votes I miss schakowsky miss schakowsky votes I Mr. matsui miss matsui votes I miss castor miss castor votes I Mr. tonko Mr. tonko votes I miss clark. Miss clark votes I Mr. raul ruiz. Mr. ruiz votes I Mr. peters. Mr. peters votes I. Mrs. dingell. Mrs. dingell votes I Mr. marc veasey. Mr.
▶ 3:22:10Marc veasey votes I miss kelly. Miss. Barragan miss barragan votes I Mr. soto Mr. soto votes I miss schrier. Miss schrier, votes I Mr. han. Mr. han votes I miss fletcher. Miss ocasio-cortez. Miss ocasio-cortez votes I Mr. auchincloss. Mr. auchincloss, votes I. Mr. carter of louisiana. Mr. carter of louisiana votes I Mr. menendez.
▶ 3:22:41Mr. menendez votes I Mr. mullen Mr. mullen votes I Mr. landsman Mr. landsman votes I miss mcclellan. Miss mcclellan votes I chairman guthrie, chairman guthrie votes I. >> anyone seeking to enter the roll call. Mr. carter. >> Mr. carter of georgia is not recorded. Mr. carter of georgia votes I. >> Mr. james. >> Mr. james is not recorded. Mr. james votes I. >> anyone on the republican democrat side. Everyone voted.
▶ 3:23:14How's Mr. cane recorded Mr. >> cain Mr. Mr. cain is not recorded. Mr. cain votes I. >> anyone else again the roll call. The clerk will report. >> chairman guthrie on that vote. There were 49 eyes and zero noes.
▶ 3:23:43>> the ayes have it and the bill is adopted. The chair. The chair now calls up h.r. 979 and ask the clerk to report. >> h.r 979. A bill to require the secretary of transportation to issue. >> without objection, the first reading of the bill is dispensed with, and the bill be open for amendment at any point so ordered. Does anyone seek to be recognized on the bill? Mr.
▶ 3:24:14Bilirakis? Mr. bilirakis recognized for five minutes. >> to speak on the on the. Yes, I'll speak on the. >> yeah. So no one speaking on the bills will the clerk will report the anes and then speak on the anes. The gentleman has an amendment at the desk. Gentleman. Mr. bilirakis has amendment at the desk. Yes. The anes for hr nine. The clerk will report the amendment.
▶ 3:24:40You know the number of your amendment. Mr. >> yes, I know it. It's zero for one. >> amendment in the nature of a substitute to h.r. 979. >> that objection reading the amendment is dispensed with and the gentleman is recognized for five minutes. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. I appreciate before I speak on the amendment, I wish to stress the importance of the underlying legislation.
▶ 3:25:08The am radio for every vehicle act of 2025, led by myself and ranking member pallone and supported by 300 co-sponsors, am broadcast radio is critical. It's a critical public safety resource.
▶ 3:25:28The federal emergency management agency issues emergency alerts across many communications channels, as you know, but no channel is more impactful and far reaching than am broadcast radio, particularly in the rural areas coming from florida, my constituents and I know quite well how crucial am radio is for receiving emergency alerts during hurricane season for consumers in rural communities,
▶ 3:25:59Uh, to to to people stuck without electricity or internet during a national disaster. Uh am radio is their lifeline to critical and life saving information. This bill makes sure that consumers don't lose that lifeline. It's really critical, Mr. speaker. Mr.
▶ 3:26:22Chairman, by requiring the department of transportation to issue a rule that requires automakers to include am broadcast radio in their cars, we can protect americans and ensure this critical service remains available. So this amendment represents a bipartisan agreement and a compromise across industry.
▶ 3:26:44It adjusts the sunset provision from ten years to eight years, shortens the timeline for automakers to comply with the rule, and requires dot to examine the potential impacts to automotive innovation and motor vehicle safety.
▶ 3:27:05With these changes, we are future proofing the legislation and making sure we have the bipartisan consensus product that will truly do what is intended to do keep drivers safe and connected to alert messages during emergencies. I want to thank ranking member pallone for working with me on this. Uh, and, uh, and I want to thank all the co-sponsors.
▶ 3:27:32I know we have quite a few on the committee, uh, for really advocating to get this on the the floor of the house as soon as possible. But first things first. We passed it out of the committee today. So I urge a yes vote, of course, on the anes and the underlying bill and. >> the gentleman. >> yield times. Yes, yes, absolutely I will. >> Mr. bilirakis, as you know, I support this bill. I think it's a great effort.
▶ 3:27:57But can you share with or collaborate with with us the distinction why would we move it from 10 to 8 years? What what what's the magic of reducing? >> well, uh, yes, it was negotiated between the parties. Uh, and it is a compromise. Now, the fact that, uh, they have to deliver, uh, the rulemaking has to deliver, uh, sooner will help matters. But again, I gotta move this bill forward.
▶ 3:28:27Uh, you know, eight years is better than, uh, than zero. Okay. Well, uh, so, so again, you know, you gotta compromise. You gotta negotiate. You've gotta find common ground, uh, amongst, of course, the members of the legislature, the congress, but also, uh, stakeholders. So, uh, to get this on the, on the floor of the house as soon as possible and pass out of the house, uh, we, uh, agreed to the eight years.
▶ 3:28:58>> will yield one second more. >> yes. >> and I understand the compromise. I understand the necessity to compromise. What I don't understand is the argument for eight versus ten. That's what I'm trying to understand. >> yeah. >> well, again, uh, you know, we can work through that. Uh, but again, I don't want to risk. No. >> I. >> get that the. >> bill answer why? It's ten versus eight versus ten. >> yeah. The gentleman yield to me. >> well, yeah. >> so so here's the issue.
▶ 3:29:26Is that in the automotive in all of technology, things are changing so quickly. And it just is updated. So we got the autonomous vehicles that are coming out. And we do have sort of some language in there about this. But and so the question just is, you know some people didn't want any limit that it's always am radio. Some people wanted lower because they said, uh, um, they just want it lower because technology changes so quickly.
▶ 3:29:51And so this was an agreed upon, um, eight instead of ten because they wanted it was ten. And, and there was groups of people that wanted lower and said, well, we'll have a, we'll have a new, different, a completely different car could have in five years or six years. So it was just how long could we have it? Given that things are changing so much? It was just a kind of a split. The difference between what people wanted, what both sides kind of wanted. >> thank you. >> it's all about negotiation, uh, folks.
▶ 3:30:19And uh, again, public safety is the utmost important. So I'll actually yield back, Mr. chairman. Thank you. >> gentleman from new jersey is recognized for the gentleman from new jersey recognized for five minutes to speak on the amendment. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. I'm pleased we're considering this bill. And, uh, I want to thank our subcommittee chair, bilirakis, for introducing it with me as the the chief democrat.
▶ 3:30:46We've heard from countless public safety officials that am radio is a critical lifeline in times of crisis, especially in rural areas, or when cell signals and other forms of internet connectivity stop working something that regularly occurs during weather related emergencies. So this bill, as you know, requires vehicle manufacturers to include a am radio in all passenger cars made or sold in the united states at no extra cost to consumers.
▶ 3:31:11Just last week, we heard from a north carolina public safety official and a florida broadcaster who are on the front lines of disseminating information during natural disasters about the importance of am radio access and vehicles. They emphasize the vast reach of am radio and their continued reliance on am radio as a communications tool during emergencies. And I don't care whether it's california, texas, north carolina, florida and including my home state of new jersey.
▶ 3:31:40Communities across the country face more hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and other emergency situations and know that access to timely information saves lives. And unfortunately, these disasters, as I said, are only becoming more frequent. So we have to ensure people have access to information when they need it at no extra cost. So again, I want to thank chairman bilirakis, chairman guthrie, for working with me on this bill. Uh, as Mr. bilirakis mentioned, we have over 300 co-sponsors, bipartisan.
▶ 3:32:08And of course, I would prefer, um, as I know, my colleague from louisiana, I would prefer that this amendment not include an eight year sunset provision. And I know many of you on both sides of the aisle feel the same way. Um, but look, am radio is going to remain a critical element of our nation's emergency alert infrastructure for the foreseeable future. The real truth is, there's currently no replacement as reliable or able to reach as many communities as am radio.
▶ 3:32:38So I just I firmly believe that to protect the safety of the american people, we need to will probably need to revisit this act. Uh, Mr. carter, before the sunset expires, to ensure that americans continue to benefit from easy and free access to am radio. But my understanding is that this bill will not move to the floor unless it contains this eight year sunset provision. So that's why we all agreed to it.
▶ 3:33:05Um, and we want to make sure that we're protecting access to am radio for all the reasons. So I support the amendment, and I encourage all members of the committee to support it as well and yield back the balance of my time. >> so anyone seeking recognition for the purpose of discussion, uh, Mr. carter is recognized for five. Mr. carter of georgia is recognized for five minutes. >> Mr. chairman, I move to strike the last word. Mr. chairman, I'm proud to support and co-sponsor h.r. 970 9 a.m. Radio.
▶ 3:33:32For every vehicle act of 2025, am radio includes over 4000 stations with an estimated 47 million listeners. It's an important part of our emergency alert infrastructure, as the federal emergency management administration relies on am for the national public warning system. When a national when a national disaster strikes. Cellular and wireless internet communications are not always an option.
▶ 3:33:56Am radio reaches further than any other signal and is more resilient during natural disasters such as hurricanes, like we experienced in my district. Plus, in many rural areas, there's already a lack of reliable connectivity. Not to mention, many of our georgia farmers are relying on am radio for weather alerts and more. This is a big priority for me, and I would encourage all of my colleagues to support this bill.
▶ 3:34:20I look forward to passing this legislation out of this committee today, and I remain committed to preserving am radio for all americans. Thank you, Mr. chairman, for holding this markup. And I urge all my colleagues in this committee to vote in support of h.r. 979, the am radio for every vehicle act of 2025. Thank you, Mr. chairman, and I yield back. >> gentleman. Gentleman yields back. The gentlelady from california is recognized for five minutes. >> thank you very much, Mr. chairman.
▶ 3:34:49I move to strike the last word. >> gentlelady's recognized. >> thank you. More than 82 million americans, including nearly one third of all californians, tune into am radio each month when the power goes out, when cell service stops working, when internet connections go down, am radio remains our most reliable emergency communications backbone.
▶ 3:35:11Am radio signals can travel much further than any other types of radio, reaching isolated communities with life saving information, including severe weather warnings, evacuation routes and emergency shelter locations. When catastrophe strikes. Am radio is a communications lifeline.
▶ 3:35:32Just this year, during the california wildfires and texas floods, am radio stations provided round the clock updates to support impacted families and first responders. That's why I'm supporting the am radio for every vehicle act today. But in protecting access to emergency communications, we can't lose sight of another pressing responsibility. Advancing sustainability. Electric vehicles are central to that mission.
▶ 3:36:01They reduce emissions, cut down on traffic noise and help us build a healthier planet. As co-chair of the sustainable energy and environment coalition, I'm proud to lead efforts to expand ev infrastructure and encourage zero emission vehicles. But unfortunately, we can't require am radio and every ev poses a sticky technological challenge.
▶ 3:36:26Electromagnetic interference from ev components can significantly compromise am radio reception. This problem doesn't have a quick or easy fix. So while proudly supporting this bill today, our our work is. I recognize our work is far from complete. I am committed to finding solutions that balance these two essential priorities emergency communications and sustainability.
▶ 3:36:51Unfortunately, I have to point out that the trump administration seemed not to care about either of these priorities. He's destroying our public safety communications infrastructure, including gutting public media funding and federal disaster response agencies like fema for an am radio to be of any use in an emergency, we need the broadcast networks to transmit emergency communications and first responders on the ground.
▶ 3:37:23I urge my colleagues to think about the big picture here. Let's not allow partizan politics to weaken the very systems that save lives during disasters. Thank you and yield back the balance of my time. >> gentlelady yields back, and the chair will recognize Mr. palmer for five minutes to speak on the amendment. >> I move to strike the last word. >> gentleman is recognized. >> uh, in reference to what the gentlelady from california said. Uh, there is 80, over 82 million people listen to am radio on a monthly basis.
▶ 3:37:53That's from the nielsen ratings. 57% of those are news talk listeners, uh, where they are getting their news. And particularly in times of crisis, one of, uh, five listeners and 141 markets are am radio listeners. Uh, in san francisco, it's 2.5 million people on a monthly basis.
▶ 3:38:15One of the advantages of am radio versus, uh, fm radio is, uh, they're not obstructed by, uh, geography and other structures, which accounts for, uh, being able to listen to am radio and, you know, hundreds if not a thousand miles away from the station. Growing up, I worked at night when I was in high school, and I drive home, I listened to buffalo, new york, philadelphia, saint louis, des moines, san antonio.
▶ 3:38:42Um, I think that, uh, everyone here on committee should support this bill to maintain the am radio and automobiles. And with that, Mr. chairman, I yield back. >> the gentleman yields back. The chair recognizes miss castor for five minutes to speak on the amendment. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. I move to strike the last word. I'm pleased to see the committee working in a bipartisan fashion to advance the am radio for all act.
▶ 3:39:08Am radio is vital to our neighbors back home. Uh, we've everyone's kind of chimed in on on understanding the importance at times of crisis, but I can really speak to directly to this because we're approaching the one year anniversary of hurricane helene and milton. Um, about well over a third of my neighbors in my district flooded out after helene.
▶ 3:39:37They you had about 1 million family people lose power after helene. Across ten states, 6 million people lost power. What also happens is that your internet goes down. You don't really think of that. People are constantly picking up their phones trying to get information, and you can't because you don't have wi-fi and you don't have power. You don't have a way to to charge. Uh, what I did last year is I dug out my old walkman that I had in the back of the closet.
▶ 3:40:08I keep it there just for this reason with batteries, and I could get all of the updates that I needed. But for the people that have their vehicles, uh, ready, ready to go for first responders, even that am radio in the car is the lifeline. That is the way you get information. That's the way we determine which bridges were open that we could share, where you could get food distribution, where you could get, uh, clean water. What?
▶ 3:40:36You know, they were at one point they were guarding gas stations, uh, with law enforcement. And people needed to know eventually. How do I get fuel to get around? So this is this is clear and it's consistent with what we heard from the the witness testimony. We heard from randall wright last week from florida. Uh, how access to local broadcaster life saving.
▶ 3:40:58We heard from melanie spann cooper with the national association of broadcasters about how the broadcasters share that important information. Uh, seven passed. Fema directors also weighed in to say to remind congress that that we've spent we've invested millions of dollars creating and boosting the national public warning system to communicate with the public. At times of crisis.
▶ 3:41:25Most of that goes out over am radio in vehicles and those old walkmans in the in the closet. Uh, so for all of these reasons, I support the bill and, and commend the the committee for moving it forward. Thanks so much. >> gentlelady yields back. The chair recognize Mr. weber from texas for five minutes. >> thank you, mister chairman. I'm going to vote for this. I'm not happy, but I am happy.
▶ 3:41:48I guess, in one sense, I'm glad that all the weather experts have determined that after eight years, we'll have no more storms. That where we need am radio. I yield back. >> gentleman yields back. Well, well. Come. In eight years we'll be able to assess whether we need more. Um, so the gentleman, um, Mrs. dingell, the gentlelady from michigan, is recognized for five minutes to speak on the. >> thank you, Mr. chair. I move to strike the last word. >> the lady is recognized.
▶ 3:42:19>> I want to thank. Begin by thanking chair guthrie, ranking member, pallone, chair bilirakis, and ranking member schakowsky for their leadership and for working out a strong bipartisan compromise on h.r. 979, the am radio for every vehicle act. We should be working together to identify and tackle the real challenges we face, and craft legislative solutions that will actually make it across the finish line.
▶ 3:42:48I'm very, very supportive of this aims as written, and I'm looking forward to its adoption and ultimately seeing this bill signed into law. Let me be clear am radio remains a vital tool for communities across the country, constituents and stakeholders alike have underscored its importance, particularly for delivering life safety information during emergencies. Every consumer must have reliable access to these alerts.
▶ 3:43:16When this issue was raised in the last congress, I personally engaged with the automakers and their ceos about the critical role am plays, and they told me directly that they would continue offering it in their vehicles and work in good faith with us on a path forward. And they kept their word. That's why we're here today. This is the product we are advancing today.
▶ 3:43:43I have spoken to the broadcasters who actually are the ones that first brought it to my attention. Automakers and other stakeholders. And there is broad agreement that this compromise aims is the best path forward to enactment. My goal has always been to put consumers in the driver's seat, ensuring that they have access to emergency information, while also making sure federal policy is rooted in common sense.
▶ 3:44:11This ames represents the best of bipartisan, practical policymaking. It does include a sunset recognizing that technology evolves and that congress must regularly revisit and reassess mandates to ensure they make sense for the future, which my republican colleagues tell us all the time.
▶ 3:44:34If am radio continues to provide value decades from now, then congress can and should act again. It strengthens compliance timelines to make sure automakers follow through.
▶ 3:44:50Consumers deserve reliable access to emergency alerts without delay, and it also requires the study submitted to congress and made public on the potential impacts on safety and innovation, from requiring am radio in autonomous vehicles. I know you guys can't wait for that discussion. Along with possible solutions manufacturers could adopt so that our decisions are guided by data and evidence.
▶ 3:45:16We could have gone down a path that might have blown up this whole process and risk losing the support needed to pass this bill and get it enacted into law. But instead, we had tough conversations and found a compromise. And that is why I believe this is the version that can and will get enacted.
▶ 3:45:39As we think about the future of emergency communications, we must ensure we maintain broad and comprehensive coverage and reliability. Here's the reality 99% of the 286 million vehicles on the road today have am radio, and 90% of those new vehicles still included.
▶ 3:46:01With the average age of vehicles on the road over 12 years old, the vast majority of americans will continue to have am radio in their cars for decades to come. And this is reminder of how vital am radio remains to our communications network.
▶ 3:46:20This is about ensuring widespread access to life saving alerts, supporting a proven technology, and keeping consumers consumers in the driver's seat. This bill reflects a strong bipartisan compromise. It reflects the input of all stakeholders and reflects our committee at its best, finding common ground and getting the job done.
▶ 3:46:46That's why I strongly support this change. I'll be voting to advance it out of committee and hope we bring it to the floor quickly. This is a strong bipartisan compromise, and I'm going to quote a certain chairman of this committee from the who. The rooms named after compromise is not a dirty word. It's good to see this committee working together to get this right. Thank you, Mr. chairman, I yield back. >> thank you. And thank you for quoting the dear former chairman, your dear husband.
▶ 3:47:15So thank you. So the next person to speak, Mr. obernolte, you're recognized for five minutes to speak on the amendment. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. Um, unfortunately, I rise in reluctant opposition to h.r. 979, and I recognize the good intentions of the bill sponsor and my colleagues who have spoken in support of it. But my problem with this bill is that it forces american consumers to buy a product that they may or may not want an am radio.
▶ 3:47:44In the past, that has not been a big deal, because the incremental cost of including an am radio on a conventional vehicle is very low. So it's not a big deal for auto manufacturers to just include it. And it doesn't add appreciably to the cost of the vehicle. But that is not true of next generation vehicles like electric vehicles. Am radio is a very low frequency signal. That's why it travels over long distances. So.
▶ 3:48:10Well, uh, but evs include powerful electric motors that operate at high voltages and currents, and those voltages and currents create electromagnetic interference on the same frequencies that am radio travels on, uh, mitigating that interference is going to be very costly. It's going to require, uh, the development and engineering of filters, the installation of those filters and shielding on the electric motors to prevent them from interfering with the am radio signal.
▶ 3:48:39And if that was a low number, I think that this bill could be supportable. But according to the center for automotive research, it's estimated that, uh, just complying with this bill would cost about $3.8 billion over the next several years. Billion with a b, and that money would have to be amortized and passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices on electric vehicles. And folks, we're not talking about a few dollars here.
▶ 3:49:04That's potentially hundreds of dollars of additional cost that we are forcing american consumers to pay. Now, it's been offered that the reason, the justification for doing this is that we want to be able to have people receive alerts in the case of emergencies. But, uh, already americans have many different channels for getting those. And it's been mentioned, I think, by one of the previous speakers that the fema alerts can be received on am radios.
▶ 3:49:33Well, it's interesting, fema did their, uh, test alert last october, and it's estimated that only 1% of the people that received that test alert did so on an am radio. In fact, 95% of the people who received that alert did through that through their cell phones. Uh, most cell phones now include a backup mode that allows reception from satellites. And I think with the advent of several different low earth orbit satellite constellations very shortly, uh, most cell phones will have that capability.
▶ 3:50:03So there's no reason to force americans to make that decision. America was founded on the concept of freedom and liberty, and I think american consumers should have the liberty to decide for themselves whether or not they want to pay the incremental cost of including an am radio in their vehicle. And that's why I'll be voting no on the bill today. I yield back. >> gentleman yields back. And the chair will recognize Mr. soto for five minutes to speak on the amendment. >> thank you so much, Mr.
▶ 3:50:34Chairman. Every day central floridians tune in to am and yes, fm radio for music, sports, traffic, community announcements, politics and weather, especially weather. We get hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, even hail, yes, even hail. Ice raining from the sky in florida. Uh, a lot of it exacerbated by climate change. Uh, most of us have been there at one point or another. The power's out. Uh, unfortunately, cell phone service is down.
▶ 3:51:01Uh, or your battery died, and you climb into your car and you get critical information on emergencies. Uh, we also heard the innovative work being done by local gainesville radio station on just in our last committee meeting. And so I think this is a critical compromise as we continue to push forward in innovation in automotives as well as, uh, keep am radio alive and well for our constituents who continue to want to have access to it. And with that, I yield back.
▶ 3:51:30>> gentleman, yields back in the chair. Recognizes Mr. cane from new jersey for five minutes to speak on the amendment. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. I'm pleased to support the am radio for every vehicle act of 2025. Am radio is a fundamental technology in our communications infrastructure, and we need to continue to provide reliable access to emergency information during severe weather events and other emergency situations. From new jersey perspective.
▶ 3:51:57Includes 911, uh, superstorm sandy and many other emergencies that impacted constituents across new jersey and across this country. Uh, radio remains a lifeline for those who rely on it for news, talk shows, sports and emergency communications.
▶ 3:52:18The am radio for every vehicle act makes it clear that am radio remains an important technology that must be included in all passenger motor vehicles. I urge this committee to support this important legislation and I yield back. >> gentleman yields back. And the chair recognizes Mr. carter from louisiana for five minutes to speak on the amendment. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. I move to strike. The last word. >> was recognized. >> as the author and founder of the bipartisan congressional disaster preparedness and recovery caucus.
▶ 3:52:46I'm proud to co-sponsor and support the am radio for every vehicle act of 2025. This legislation is vital for public safety and saving lives when disaster strikes. Whether it's hurricane in the gulf coast, wildfires out west, or tornadoes across the midwest, am radio is one of the most reliable, accessible, and resilient ways to get critical information to the public in real time.
▶ 3:53:16Unlike cell networks or internet service, which can go down when the power grid fails or towers are damaged, am radio is built to withstand these emergencies. It reaches people in their cars, trucks, and evacuation routes. When other communication systems have already failed. In my district of south louisiana, we know the devastation. We know what devastation hurricane brings during storms like katrina, rita, ida, and many others.
▶ 3:53:43Am radio stations were often the last lifeline, delivering evacuation orders, weather updates and emergency instructions. While families had no other source of information. This bill ensures that as auto manufacturers modernize, we do not leave behind this critical public safety tool. We.
▶ 3:54:05Removing am radio from vehicles will put lives at risk, especially for those in rural communities and vulnerable populations that rely on it the most. At the end of the day, this is not about nostalgia, it's about preparedness and public safety. By guaranteeing that am radio remains accessible in every vehicle, we're making a commitment to communities for resilience and help when they need it most.
▶ 3:54:33I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation that no family, no matter where they live or where they drive, will be left without access to life saving information during and after a disaster, I yield. >> gentleman yields back. The chair will now recognize Mr. langworthy of new york for five minutes to speak on the amendment. >> thank you, Mr. chairman. I move to strike the last word. >> gentleman's recognized. >> uh, to my constituents.
▶ 3:55:05>> in new. >> york's 23rd congressional district. >> am radio. >> is much. >> more than entertainment. >> it's about survival. >> when storms rip through our region, whether. >> it's. Lake effect blizzards. >> off of lake erie or floods on the allegheny cell towers fail, power lines go down. And broadband is knocked out. Uh, but am radio keeps broadcasting. Uh, in, uh, winter storm elliott, a blizzard that hit over christmas. Um, that I cited often in this committee and is one of the reasons I. Sought to serve on this committee.
▶ 3:55:35Uh, am radio and our primary am radio station in the buffalo region. Wben was the lifeline for the community. It wasn't the television stations. It wasn't, you know, the npr affiliates. It was that am radio station that literally saved lives. Uh, they were around the clock, live and local. And in this age of. Media consolidation and media. >> failures.
▶ 3:56:00>> from newspapers to television stations, am radio keeps our content locally and hyper locally focused. And it is absolutely essential to my district, uh, stripping am radios from automobiles would be a death blow to the am radio industry. This legislation makes sure that every new vehicle sold in america continues to have that trusty am radio as standard equipment, and it is essential.
▶ 3:56:26Uh, that means when it's a farmer in the field, a trucker on the highway, or a family driving down a back road, they will still have access to the emergency information that they need in real time. But am radio's value goes far beyond emergencies. It serves as the community's public square, a place where local voices are heard on local topics. Small town broadcasters stay connected with their neighbors, and diverse perspectives are shared.
▶ 3:56:52Um, I might add, I object to the, um, eight year sunset on this bill. I think this needs to be something that, uh, goes on and should be made permanent, but be that, as may other speakers have cited that as well. But we must pass this legislation to make it law by passing h.r. 979. We safeguard both public safety and free expression, guaranteeing that no community, no matter how rural or remote, is left behind.
▶ 3:57:20I urge my colleagues to to join us and support this bipartisan common sense bill. And thank you. And I yield back, Mr. chair. >> the gentleman yields back. Is there further discussion on the amendment? The gentleman from texas seeks recognition. >> yeah. Just very. >> briefly, amendment. >> just very brief comments. Uh, Mr. chairman, um, unlike the other texans that are on the committee, uh, in dallas fort worth, you know, we have to worry about tornadoes coming through.
▶ 3:57:46And anytime we have that sort of inclement weather, particularly if it's bad thunderstorms or tornado, the first source of, uh, news choice is definitely am radio. And so, uh, I like this bill. I like the compromise that's been worked on. I do want to tip my hat to the gentleman from california, Mr. obernolte. Uh, because of the way that he the way that he laid out his argument against it, I thought was very eloquent. And I think that there was a lot of a lot of sense that he made. And he was very consistent in his orthodoxy.
▶ 3:58:16Uh, on why he didn't support it. Um, uh, but I still think this is a this is a good bill. And so I want to be for it. And, uh, we'll sign out with my favorite. >> will the gentleman yield? >> I will, I will yield, yes. >> I thank the gentleman from texas. You know, you all have tornadoes. We have hurricanes. >> y'all have hurricanes. >> I'm glad that somehow we're going to guarantee that we'll lose all hurricanes and tornadoes in eight years. Yeah, I yield back. >> and, Mr. chairman, I'm going to sign off with my favorite am.
▶ 3:58:45I'm not a p1 listener anymore because I have to I'm here all the time. But for my favorite am show. Duly noted. And I will sign off. Thank you. >> thank you. The gentleman yields back. The chair will recognize Mr. bentz from oregon for five minutes to speak on the aims. >> uh, thank. >> you, Mr. chair. I move to strike the last word. >> so my. >> district is, I think, the second. >> largest district. It's not a state in the united states. 70,000mi.
▶ 3:59:13When I hear people talk about 10,000 square mile districts, I laugh, uh, 70,000mi. It takes 13 hours to drive from one corner of my district to the other. And many of those hours, there is no cell service. And so, of course, I support this bill. Uh, am radio is essential to my district. Uh, people listen to it still, because many times that's all they really have to listen to. So, uh, I support this bill. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
▶ 3:59:41And again, I do wish there was cell service in all parts of my district, but there literally are hours that go by when I'm driving where it's not available. Therefore, that particular argument, at least at this particular time, doesn't work. Please support this bill. Yield back. >> gentleman yields back. Is there further discussion on the amendment seeing none. Oh I'm sorry. Oh I'm sorry. The gentlelady from virginia is recognized for five minutes, Mr. mclellan, for five minutes to speak on this.
▶ 4:00:11>> thank you, Mr. chair. I just wanted to make a point. Probably in eight years, we're not going to see, uh, no more hurricanes, tornadoes or extreme weather. But what might change in eight years is technology. And so I think while it would be nice to not have a sunset at all, a sunset is appropriate to at least look and see if technology changes between now and eight years from now might require a different solution.
▶ 4:00:38And so I just wanted to make that point that. >> thank you. The gentlelady yields back. Is there further discussion on the amendment seeing none if there's no further discussion? This is on the aims, not on the final bill. The if there's no further discussion, the vote occurs on the amendment in the nature of a substitute, all those in favor signify by saying I, I all those opposed, nay, the ayes have it and the amendment is agreed to.
▶ 4:01:07Are there any further amendments? Seeing none. If there's no further discussion, the vote occurs on the. Excuse me amendment that we just did that uh, the question now occurs on adopting h.r 979, as amended. All those in favor? Do you want a roll call vote? So a roll call vote has been requested and the clerk will call the roll. >> Mr. latta. Mr. griffith, Mr.
▶ 4:01:42Griffith votes aye. Mr. bilirakis. Mr. bilirakis votes aye. Mr. hudson. Mr. hudson votes aye. Mr. carter of georgia. Mr. carter of georgia votes aye. Mr. palmer. Mr. palmer votes aye Mr. dunn. Mr. crenshaw, Mr. crenshaw votes aye. Mr. john joyce. Mr. weber.
▶ 4:02:13Mr. weber votes aye. Mr. allen. Mr. allen votes aye Mr. balderson. Mr. fulcher, Mr. fulcher votes aye. Mr. plueger. Mr. pfluger votes I. Mrs. harshbarger, Mrs. harshbarger votes I. Mrs. miller-meeks. Mrs. miller-meeks votes I. Mrs. kat cammack. Mr. obernolte. Mr.
▶ 4:02:45Obernolte votes no. Mr. james. Mr. bentz. Mr. bentz votes I. Mrs. horton. Mrs. horton votes aye. Mr. frye, miss. Lee miss lee votes I Mr. langworthy. Mr. langworthy votes aye Mr. cain. Mr. cain votes I Mr. ruley. Mr. ruley votes I Mr. evans. Mr. evans votes aye Mr. goldman Mr.
▶ 4:03:18Goldman votes I Mrs. fedorchuk. Mrs. fedorchuk votes I Mr. malone. Mr. malone votes aye Mr. get Mr. get votes I miss schakowsky miss schakowsky votes I miss matsui miss matsui votes I miss castor. Miss castor votes I Mr. tonko I Mr. tonko votes I miss clark. Miss clark votes I Mr. ruiz. Mr. ruiz votes I Mr. peters. Mr.
▶ 4:03:49Peters votes I. Mrs. dingell. Mrs. dingell votes I. Mr. veasey. Mr. veasey votes I miss kelly miss kelly votes I miss barragan. Miss barragan votes I Mr. soto. Mr. soto votes I miss schrier. Miss schrier, votes I Mr. han. Mr. han votes I miss fletcher. Miss fletcher votes I miss ocasio-cortez. Miss ocasio-cortez votes I Mr. jake auchincloss. Mr. clause votes I.
▶ 4:04:20Mr. carter of louisiana. Mr. carter of louisiana votes aye. Mr. menendez Mr. menendez votes aye. Mr. mullen Mr. mullen votes aye Mr. landsman Mr. landsman votes I miss mcclellan. Mr. mcclellan votes I chairman. Guthrie, chairman guthrie votes I. >> anyone seeking to be recorded. Mr. latta. >> Mr. lott is not recorded. Mr. lot of votes I. >> doctor dunn. >> Mr. dunn recorded. Mr. dunn votes I.
▶ 4:04:50>> doctor joyce. >> Mr. joyce votes I Mr. balderson Mr. balderson votes I. >> anyone anyone on the democrat side seeking recognition for answer the roll call. Lock your door is opening there. We'll make sure everybody's covered. Okay. I believe that's it. So the clerk will report.
▶ 4:05:27>> the. Are you. >> Mr. chairman, on that vote? There were 50 ayes and one no. >> the ayes have it, and the bill is adopted. Without objection. The staff is authorized to make technical and conforming changes to the legislation approved by the committee today. So ordered and without objection, the committee stands adjourned. Thank you everybody.