Senate Judiciary Chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)says he’s disappointed that the Republicans have decided to postpone the Sotomayor confirmation vote but he says they have that right.
By Courtney Ann Jackson-Talk Radio News Service
The issue of promoting competition and preventing rising health care costs was discussed by the Consumer, Product Safety, and Insurance Subcommittee during a hearing Thursday morning.
“For too long, too many health care decisions have been made behind closed doors with industry profits, not the patient’s best interests in mind,” said Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.V.). “It is no surprise that without any transparency or the force of competition to keep them honest, industry profits soared, as have consumer costs and the barriers to necessary medical care.”
Representatives from various organizations including the Federal Trade Commission, New America Foundation, Center for American Progress, Arkansas Pharmacists Association and Galen Institute testified at the hearing.
Richard Feinstein, Director of the Bureau of Competition at the Federal Trade Commisssion (FTC), highlighted the need to prevent or stop anticompetitive agreements that raise health care prices. He said anitrust enforcement saves money that consumers, employers, and governments could spend on health care. All the panelists agreed that reform is needed, and more should be done to create more health care incentives for the public.
Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) also held a health care discussion of his own Thursday. Barrasso and Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) are hosting a new online show entitled “The Senate Doctors Show.” Barrasso and Coburn are the only doctors in the Senate and their new show will feature them answering questions from the public about health care proposals under debate in Congress.
“I think you ought to take the bill home, read it, talk to people about it. The best ideas don’t come from Washington…I think the American people have a right to expect to see the bill, read the bill, think about the bill, and come up with some suggestions,” said Barrasso.
“The Senate Doctors Show” is streamed live at http://republican.senate.gov/doctors every Tuesday and Thursday at 4:00 p.m. EDT.
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) tells Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor that he’d like to avoid code words and is looking for her to give a simple pledge to use the broad discretion of a Supreme Court Justice wisely. (0:31)
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) tells Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor that her previous speeches are troubling to him. He specifically highlighted her “wise Latina woman” comment and said that it is important to see how a judge thinks about life, even when they’re outside of the court room and out of the robe. He says if he had made a statement even remotely like that, his career would have been over. (0:24)
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) explains that Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor’s record shows her judicial modesty. He says it is the judicial record, more than speeches, statements and backgrounds, that measures judicial modesty. Sotomayor “more than measures up,” in Schumer’s opinion. (0:31)
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said during the first day of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor’s confirmation hearings that he’s not looking to support a creative justice who will allow his/her background and personal preferences to decide cases. (0:15)
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) says one of the most important qualities a Supreme Court Justice should have is courage, primarily the courage to stand up to the President and to Congress in order to protect the Constitutional rights of the American people and preserve the rule of law. (0:14)
Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) says a Supreme Court Justice should realize that decisions handed down by the Court affect real people with real problems. Kohl adds that [Justices] must have a connection with and an understanding of the problems that people struggle with on a day to day basis. He says, “justice after all may be blind but it should not be deaf.” (0:18)
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) says during day one of confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor that he hopes the American people follow the hearings closely. He notes that he would like for the public to consider the question: If I were to go to court one day what kind of judge do I want ruling in that case? (0:39)
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) speaks to Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor during the first day of her confirmation hearings. Despite his criticism of the nominee he tells her, “Unless you have a complete meltdown, you’re gonna get confirmed.” (0:04)
