State Health Care Premium Reduction Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. WENSTRUP. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for yielding and for his leadership.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to this bill.

I grew up watching a show called ``Medical Center'' as a kid. It led me to wanting to become a doctor because I wanted to help people.

After I graduated and completed my surgical residency, I owned a small practice with two employees. Eventually, I merged with a larger provider group, in part because the administrative burdens of complying with new laws and regulations were just too costly for my solo practice.

That wasn't the end, though. Costs continued to rise, and my physician-owned surgery center was ultimately sold to a local hospital. Medicare reimbursement rates nearly doubled overnight, including an increase in patient co-pays.

When I got to Congress, I joined the GOP Doctors Caucus, and I am now proud to serve as the vice chair. Most of us in the Doctors Caucus agree that one of the reasons we came to Congress is because of the mountains of red tape, red tape involved in practicing medicine that has killed much of the joy of providing care to patients.

Now, the bill we are debating today is another perfect example of an attempt to expand Big Government, making it harder on the medical community. In this case, it is patients who rely on prescription drugs who stand to lose the most.

In the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak and responses, we rush toward finding treatments and a vaccine. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to pass a bill that will result in fewer cures for Americans in need.

That is right. The CBO analysis concluded that this bill would result in fewer cures coming to market to help the American people. Drug manufacturers that may feel government isn't willing to pay a reasonable price for their product would have their revenue taxed at astronomical rates, essentially coercing the drugmaker into submission or cease to exist.

The reason America leads the world in producing new medicines is because we allow competition, competition to drive innovation.

Right now, Congress needs to be fostering innovation through competition, not imposing one-size-fits-all Washington mandates that accomplish just the opposite.

We have already proven that we can do some work together. Last year, the Ways and Means Committee marked up a bipartisan drug-pricing legislation bill only to have it die because of partisan leadership. I know the Energy and Commerce and Judiciary Committees have done the same. Let's debate and find compromise on that legislation, which actually stand a chance of becoming law.

I urge my friends on the other side of the aisle to work with us on bipartisan legislation that would result in finding more cures for the American people because cures save money and save lives. I oppose this legislation.

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