Pallone, Neal and Scott Announce Lower Drug Costs Now Act’s Historic Investment in Medicare and Search for New Cures

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 5, 2019



Washington, D.C. – Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ), Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) and Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) released the following joint statement today announcing the historic investments in Medicare and the search for new cures that will be included in H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act when it goes to the House floor for a vote next week:

“When the House of Representatives takes up the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act next week, Democrats will not only deliver on our promise to lower prices For the People, but we will also make historic investments in Medicare and the search for new cures and treatments.

“Based on guidance from the Congressional Budget Office, we anticipate that H.R. 3 will save approximately $500 billion over the next ten years that we plan to reinvest in the American people.

“Today we are proud to announce that the Lower Drug Costs Now Act will include transformative expansions of Medicare’s benefits to include dental, vision and hearing for the first time in the history of the program. It will also include critical funding to assist innovation in the search for new cures and treatments, as well as funding to combat the opioid crisis.

“These significant investments are made possible as a result of our promise to finally empower the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices for the American people. We look forward to following through on our promise next week.”

Summary of H.R. 3’s historic investments can be found here.

E&C Democrats Introduce Infrastructure Package Aimed at Combating Climate Change, Expanding Broadband Access & Protecting Public Health and the Environment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 15, 2019

Committee Also Announces Hearing on The LIFT America Act

Wednesday, May 22

Washington, D.C. – All 31 Democratic members of the Energy and Commerce Committee today introduced a sweeping infrastructure package, the Leading Infrastructure For Tomorrow’s America Act, or LIFT America Act, that will rebuild America through investments in combating climate change, expanding broadband access and protecting public health and the environment.

Full Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. also announced that the Full Committee will hold a hearing on the bill on Wednesday, May 22, at 10 am in the John D. Dingell Room, 2123 Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled, “LIFT America: Modernizing Our Infrastructure for the Future.”

“We cannot wait any longer to act on climate or to modernize our nation’s aging infrastructure. The LIFT America Act makes significant investments in rebuilding our country and takes an important step in combating the climate crisis by moving us towards a clean energy future and reducing our carbon emissions,” said Pallone. “This legislation will strengthen our economy for the future by creating good paying jobs, making critical investments in our nation’s broadband network, and bringing critical improvements to our drinking water and health care infrastructure.”

The LIFT America Act includes investments in several key areas, including:


Action to Combat the Climate Crisis and Protect Our Environment:

• Over $33 billion for clean energy, including $4 billion to upgrade the U.S. electric grid to accommodate more renewable energy and make it more resilient. It also includes $4 billion for the expansion of renewable energy use, including $2.25 billion for the installation of solar panels in low-income and underserved communities. LIFT America also includes $23 billion for energy efficiency efforts – namely retrofitting and weatherizing buildings, including schools and homes, to ensure they produce fewer carbon emissions – and funding the nationwide deployment of more clean energy fuels.
• $2.7 billion to spur the development of Smart Communities, including $850 million in technical assistance to help cities and counties integrate clean energy into their redevelopment efforts, and $1.4 billion to support the development of an electric vehicle (EV) charging network.
• More than $21 billion to protect Americans’ drinking water, including $2.5 billion to establish a new grant program allowing PFAS-affected communities to filter the toxic chemicals out of their water supplies. LIFT America also expands upon the passage of the 2017 Safe Drinking Water Act by extending and increasing authorization for the State Revolving Loan Fund, and other safe water programs.
• $2.7 billion for Brownfields redevelopment to revitalize communities and create jobs by returning valuable land to productive use.

Expanding Access to Broadband Internet:

• $40 billion for the deployment of secure and resilient high-speed broadband internet service to expand access for communities nationwide and bring broadband to 98 percent of the country.
• $12 billion in grants for the implementation of Next Generation 9-1-1 services to make 9-1-1 service more accessible, effective, and resilient, and enable Americans to send text messages, images, or videos to 9-1-1 in times of emergency.
• $5 billion in federal funding for low-interest financing of broadband infrastructure deployment through a new program that would allow eligible entities to apply for secured loans, lines of credit, or loan guarantees to finance broadband infrastructure build out projects.

Investing in America’s Health Infrastructure:

• $2 billion in funding to reauthorize the Hill-Burton hospital infrastructure program, including targeted assistance to support cybersecurity in the health system.
• $1 billion for Indian Health Service infrastructure projects to reduce health disparities in Indian Country.
• $100 million to support state labs on the frontlines of fighting infectious diseases.
• $100 million to establish a community-based care infrastructure program and to develop teaching health centers and mental health care centers.
• $3.5 billion to improve public health infrastructure at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and at state, local, tribal and territorial health departments.

The LIFT America Act is sponsored by Energy and Commerce Committee members Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Bobby Rush (D-IL), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Mike Doyle (D-PA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Kathy Castor (D-FL), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Dave Loebsack (D-IA), Kurt Schrader (D-OR), Joe Kennedy III (D-MA), Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Scott Peters (D-CA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Annie Kuster (D-NH), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Nanette Barragán (D-CA), Donald McEachin (D-VA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Darren Soto (D-FL) and Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ).


A section-by-section of the bill is available HERE, and the text of the bill is available HERE.





Information for next week’s hearing on this legislation, including the Committee Memorandum, witness list, testimony and a live webcast, will be posted HERE as they become available.

Pallone Introduces Bill to Eliminate PFAS from Americans’ Drinking Water

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2019



Washington, D.C. – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, announced the introduction of H.R. 2533, the Providing Financial Assistance for Safe Drinking Water Act (“PFAS Drinking Water Act”) today. The new legislation delivers sweeping investments for water infrastructure, creating a grant program to upgrade the country’s drinking water systems with treatment technology that can remove perfluorinated compounds (PFAS). The funding will allow affected communities across the country to effectively and affordably filter the dangerous chemicals – and other hazardous pollutants – out of their drinking water.

PFAS are a class of industrial chemicals most commonly used in the production of products such as Teflon and Scotchguard, and used for decades by the Department of Defense in firefighting exercises. The toxic chemicals have been linked to cancer, immune system effects, liver failure and birth defects, and pose increasingly serious public health risks to communities throughout the country as their presence in drinking water has become more prevalent.

“The Trump EPA’s failure to regulate the manufacture, use and disposal of PFAS chemicals has put countless Americans’ health at risk, and left drinking water systems struggling to provide safe water. It is time for Congress to act,” said Pallone. “This bill will ensure communities across the country have the resources they need to eliminate the toxic chemicals from their water. Americans deserve to know their drinking water is safe.”

The bill would amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to require the EPA Administrator to establish, within 180 days of enactment, a program to award grants to PFAS-affected water systems to pay the capital costs associated with eligible treatment technologies. The legislation further directs the EPA Administrator to create a list of eligible treatment technologies, defined as those which can remove all detectable amounts of PFAS from drinking water.

Bill text is available here.

Pallone Touts Opioid Legislation As It Becomes Law

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 24, 2018

New Law Includes Provisions Sponsored or Pushed by Pallone

Long Branch, NJ – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) touted H.R. 6, the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act as it was signed into law today by President Trump. Pallone, the Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, was one of the lead negotiators on the final bipartisan bill that overwhelmingly passed the House and Senate earlier this fall.

“The opioid package being signed into law today makes important, incremental changes to support those affected by the opioid crisis,” Pallone said. “I’m particularly proud of several Democratic-led provisions that will expand access to treatment for those suffering from opioid use disorders. Specifically, the new law will expand access to medication-assisted treatment, one of the major challenges that we continue to face in the fight against this epidemic, and it will improve coverage under Medicare and Medicaid. The law also includes strong, new enforcement tools that will allow the Food and Drug Administration to combat illicit drug importation. All of these provisions make a real difference in the fight against the opioid epidemic.”

Monmouth and Ocean Counties are among the highest 5 counties in New Jersey with substance abuse treatment admissions. In 2016, there were 1409 opioid-related overdose deaths­­­ in New Jersey. Heroin-related deaths rose from 97 deaths in 2010 to 850 deaths in 2016. In New Jersey, more than 184,000 individuals have been admitted to substance abuse treatment facilities for heroin or opioid abuse since 2010 and more than 5,000 have died from heroin-related deaths since 2004.

The final bill also includes two provisions authored by Pallone. The New Jersey congressman co-authored a provision that expands Medicare coverage of Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) and medication-assisted treatment (MAT). Currently, OTPs are not recognized as Medicare providers, meaning that beneficiaries receiving MAT at OTPs for their opioid use disorders must pay out-of-pocket. In 13 states, the highest rate of opioid-related inpatient hospital stays is among individuals over the age of 65. Under H.R. 6, Medicare will pay OTPs through bundled payments made for holistic services, including necessary medications, counseling, and testing.

Pallone also authored a provision known as the SCREEN Act, which will give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the ability to take action against illicit controlled substances coming in through International Mail Facilities across the country. FDA will now be able to prohibit the importation of drugs by people who have repeatedly imported illicit drugs. It also allows the agency to cease distribution of or recall controlled substances, like opioids, if they are endangering patients.

The bill will expand the type of providers who can treat patients with buprenorphine for opioid use disorder (OUD). Currently, only physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants can use buprenorphine (one of the drugs used in MAT) to treat patients with OUD. H.R. 6 would expand access to MAT by authorizing clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse midwives, and certified registered nurse anesthetists to treat patients with OUD with buprenorphine for five years.

While Pallone is pleased with this opioid legislation, he remains concerned by efforts by President Trump and Congressional Republicans to undermine our nation’s health care system, which will directly impact people suffering from opioid use disorders.

“Despite touting this new law today, President Trump and Congressional Republicans continue to threaten to undermine the health care that Americans rely on for opioid treatment,” Pallone continued. “It is disingenuous at best to promise relief to people struggling with opioid addiction while also attempting to cut funding for Medicaid and eliminate protections for people with pre-existing conditions, which include opioid use disorder. Rather than cutting funding for those seeking treatment and allowing insurance companies to discriminate against people struggling with addiction, we should be focused on protecting people’s access to health care and making sure they can get treatment.

“While this opioid package builds on our prior work to respond to the opioid crisis, we cannot forget the tremendous harm Republican policies would inflict on the same people this package seeks to help,” Pallone concluded.

Pallone Announces Forthcoming NIH Study on Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Addiction

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 7, 2018


Washington, D.C. – Today, Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) released a letter from National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Francis Collins announcing the agency will ask the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to conduct a study on Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). The announcement comes in response to a request from Pallone earlier this year asking NIH for a review of all available evidence on the use of MAT for treating opioid addiction.

“The National Institutes of Health and the rest of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are in full agreement about the importance of and continued need for aggressive research and dissemination efforts about Medication Assisted Treatment,” Director Collins wrote to Pallone. “This is the only way to ensure that patients and providers have the knowledge to make fully informed decisions about which treatment options are best for them and their patients.”

Dr. Collins continued, “To address a number of the questions in your letter, NIH will ask the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study on MAT for Opioid Use Disorder. Our hope is that this approach will take full advantage of the National Academies’ reputation for independent, expert advice on pressing scientific and medical issues.”

In his letter, Director Collins also announced that NASEM will convene a public meeting with an array of government agencies and stakeholders as part of their comprehensive review of Medication Assisted Treatment for opioid addiction.

“I am grateful NIH and Director Collins accepted my request to conduct a comprehensive review of all available evidence on the use of Medication Assisted Treatment to address opioid use disorders,” Pallone said. “Despite MAT being an invaluable tool in our response to the opioid crisis, misunderstanding and suspicion of this life-saving treatment continues to persist. This review will play a vital role in increasing public awareness and understanding of the lifesaving role MAT plays in treating opioid use disorder. Efforts such as this are important to reversing this tragic epidemic taking the lives of more than 115 Americans each day.”

Medication Assisted Treatment combines the use of medications along with behavioral therapy to treat substance use disorder. For example, medications such as Buprenorphine, Methadone, and Naltrexone are all Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved to treat people struggling with an opioid use disorder.

Read NIH’s letter HERE.

Read Pauline’s letter HERE. 

Pallone on Latest Facebook Privacy Reports

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 4, 2018


Washington, D.C. – Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) released the following statement today after new reports disclosed that Facebook gave phone and electronic device makers access to vast amounts of user data:

“It’s deeply concerning that Facebook continues to withhold critical details about the information it has and shares with others. This is just the latest example of Facebook only coming forward when forced to do so by a media outlet. Our Committee is also still waiting for a lot of answers from Facebook to questions Mr. Zuckerberg could not or would not answer at our hearing. The Federal Trade Commission must conduct a full review to determine if the consent decree was violated. Facebook and other data collectors, including these device manufacturers, should be prepared to come before Congress so that we can get a better grasp of the entire data collection ecosystem, and how people’s personal information is being shared and used.”

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified before the Energy and Commerce Committee in April following reports that the company allowed third party app developers widespread access to millions of users’ personal information. Following the hearing, Committee Democrats sent hundreds of follow up questions to Facebook. Facebook has yet to respond to the Democrats’ questions.

Pallone: Trump’s Drug Price Proposal is a Sham

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 11, 2018



Washington, D.C. – Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) released the following statement today in reaction to President Donald Trump’s speech on lowering prescription drug prices:

“After promising to take on the drug industry and lower costs, today’s proposal is an empty gesture that will not meaningfully reduce the cost of prescription drugs for everyday families. In fact, some of the proposals outlined today may increase drug costs by undermining the 340B program.

“While Trump campaigned on a promise to take on prescription drug prices, all he has done since taking office is conspire with Congressional Republicans to shower drug companies with billions of dollars in tax breaks that ballooned the national debt.

“If President Trump was serious about lowering the cost of drugs, he would work with Congress on a bipartisan basis to change the law to allow Medicare to negotiate for lower prices and curb abuses used by brand name drugs to delay or block generic competition. Instead, all we are getting is more broken promises and cheap talk while drug prices continue to skyrocket.”

E&C Announces Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Will Testify April 11th

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 4, 2018


Washington, DC – House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) released the following statement after confirming that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify before the committee on Wednesday, April 11th, at 10:00 a.m. regarding the company’s use and protection of user data.

“This hearing will be an important opportunity to shed light on critical consumer data privacy issues and help all Americans better understand what happens to their personal information online. We appreciate Mr. Zuckerberg’s willingness to testify before the committee, and we look forward to him answering our questions on April 11th," said Walden and Pallone.

More details on the hearing will be posted here as they are available.

Pallone, Kennedy, Northeastern Representatives Introduce Legislation to Shield Sandy Gasoline Reserve from Elimination by Trump

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 14, 2017


Washington, DC –Congressmen Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Joe Kennedy III (D-MA) together with Reps. Michael E. Capuano (D-MA), Mike Doyle (D-PA), Eliot Engel (D-NY), William R. Keating (D-MA), Ann McLane Kuster (D-NH), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH), Albio Sires (D-NJ), Paul D. Tonko (D-NY), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) and Peter Welch (D-VT) today introduced legislation to create in law a Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve. The Reserve, which would hold up to one million barrels of gasoline, is critical to ensuring that the region is protected from a disruption in the supply of gasoline due to a natural or manmade disaster.

The Members of Congress stressed that the move was necessary because President Donald J. Trump has moved to eliminate the reserve created in 2014 in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy by President Barack Obama and then-Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz.

“President Trump’s effort to eliminate the Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve is as outrageous as it is shortsighted. Given how severely limited access to gasoline was in the wake of Sandy, it is imperative to defend a measure that can save our economy and even save lives in an emergency.

“The legislation we’re introducing will protect the Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve from being wiped out by establishing it in law as part of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.”

The legislation:

· Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA) to create a Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve (NGSR) of one million gallons as part of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

· Initially covers the states of New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire.
· Provides the Secretary of Energy with authority to add additional, contiguous states to be covered by the reserve.

· Permits the Secretary to use the reserve upon a finding by the President that a severe energy supply interruption exists or is likely to exist in the region within the next 30 days.

· Requires the Secretary to sell the gasoline at fair market value with no loss of revenue to the United States.

· Directs the Secretary to transmit to the President and Congress a plan within 60 days of enactment describing the acquisition of storage and related facilities for the NGSR. 

· Authorizes the Secretary to acquire, store, and transport refined petroleum products acquired by either purchase or exchange.

Pallone and Kennedy said that with the 2017 Hurricane season already producing monstrous Atlantic storms like Irma, it was even more critical than ever to ensure that the Northeast had in place a reserve and other mechanisms to make the region more resilient when another storm strikes. They noted that it was particularly important to have a reserve in place in light of the fact that updated predictions by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have called for above average activity this year, including 11-17 named storms, five to nine of which would become hurricanes.

Pallone, who is the Ranking Democratic Member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce with jurisdiction over Federal energy policy, said:

“Maybe being whisked to Bedminster by federal vehicles and tax dollars might have caused President Trump to forget the devastation that Sandy brought to New Jersey and the northeastern United States, but we and our constituents have not. Access to gasoline was severely limited in the aftermath of the storm, causing major problems in the region impacting homeowners, businesses and emergency personnel. We learned hard lessons from this experience and put in place a plan to make the region more resilient when another storm strikes.”

Kennedy, who also serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee added:

“After every natural disaster, once rescue and recovery efforts have ended, our country and our government not only reflect on the strength of our response, but study our shortcomings and promise never to repeat them. Once the winds and rains of Sandy subsided, a shortage of gasoline hampered recovery efforts and compounded the suffering of our neighbors throughout the Northeast. If this gasoline reserve is eliminated for political reasons, it will leave our constituents vulnerable and our local governments unprepared when the unexpected arrives again.”

Pallone on Updated Trumpcare CBO Score

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 25, 2017

Washington, D.C. – Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) issued the following statement today after the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issued an updated score on the impacts of the amended Trumpcare bill that was passed in the House of Representatives earlier this month:

“Today’s CBO analysis further confirms that Trumpcare is a looming disaster for the American people. It’s clear that changes made at the last minute to garner the necessary votes in the House did nothing to blunt the devastating impacts of Trumpcare. In fact, the new analysis indicates that individuals with pre-existing conditions would be priced out of the individual market as a result of the decision to allow states to waive out of the Affordable Care Act’s insurance market reforms.

“At the end of the day, 23 million Americans could lose health care coverage, millions will pay more for less as premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs rise, and millions will once again be discriminated against because of their pre-existing conditions. This analysis shows the cruelty of Trumpcare’s dramatic changes to the Medicaid program, stripping $834 billion away from seniors, children, pregnant women and people with disabilities in order to give a nearly trillion dollar tax cut to the wealthiest few.”

Pallone Commends House Passage of Public Health Bills

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 9, 2015


Legislation Originating in Pallone’s Committee Advances through House with Bipartisan Support

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, commended yesterday evening’s House of Representatives passage of four public health bills, which originated in his Committee and which were approved with strong bipartisan support.

“Despite partisan divisions in much of Congress, I am glad that we have found ways in our Committee to bring Democrats and Republicans together to develop and advance legislation that will help millions of Americans,” said Congressman Pallone. “Whether it is caring for hearing-impaired children, combatting prescription drug abuse and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, or matching patients for bone marrow and blood transplants, all of these bills passed by the House would have a significant and positive impact on the public health of New Jersey and the entire country.”

Pallone is the coauthor of one of the bills – National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting (NASPER) Act – and has long-led Democratic efforts for its reauthorization. With prescription drug abuse on the rise, the legislation provides grant funding to states for prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs). PDMPs aid in combatting the growing prescription drug abuse epidemic by helping prescribers, pharmacists, and law enforcement officials track the misuse of prescription drugs.

“NASPER is especially important to New Jersey, which, along with many other states, is facing a serious prescription drug epidemic,” continued Pallone. “By helping to ensure prescription drugs are used only for intended purposes with legitimate prescriptions, NASPER will combat this devastating and growing epidemic, which accounts for over 20,000 deaths in the United States each year.”

The effects are being felt throughout the country, and while New Jersey has the 11th lowest rate of prescription drug abuse, it is no exception. According to the most recent statistics, 3.9 percent of the state’s population over the age of 12 uses prescription drugs for nonmedical purposes. Furthermore, the number of drug overdone deaths – a majority of which are from prescription drugs – in New Jersey increased by 51 percent since 1999.

As the top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee, Pallone helped usher through three additional public health bills that passed the House yesterday evening.

The Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act of 2015 would reauthorize a program that gives children early access to interventions and treatments that are critical in minimizing a hearing-impaired child’s risk of developmental delays, especially communication, social skills and cognition. Prior to the creation of this program, less than 50 percent of all newborns were regularly screened for hearing loss, and since its implementation about 97 percent of newborns now receive a hearing screening.

The Protecting Our Infants Act of 2015 would address the urgent need for a comprehensive strategy for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), a harmful outcome of the nation’s opioid epidemic that has been increasing steeply over the past decade. The legislation would require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop recommendations for the treatment and prevention of prenatal opiate abuse and NAS. It would also require the collection of data to better monitor the problem.

The Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act would continue federal support for a program that includes a matching registry for people in need of bone marrow and umbilical cord blood transplants. The registry currently has nearly 12.5 million registered bone marrow donors and more than 209,000 umbilical cord blood units. The program also supports the collection and use of transplantation data to advance medical research.

Pallone Statement on Selection as Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 19, 2014


Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) issued the following statement today after being nominated by the House Democratic Caucus to become the next Ranking Minority Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee:

“I am deeply honored to have been chosen by my colleagues to serve as Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

“I am so grateful for this opportunity to lead my party in promoting the values that first compelled me to enter public service and that continue to motivate me today. I am fully committed to developing real solutions to the challenges that average Americans face, while building an agenda that will make our party stronger for years to come.

“Over the last year, it has been a privilege to speak with members of the caucus about our shared vision for the futures of both the committee and our party. I am excited to work together to make this vision a reality.

“I want to extend my profound appreciation and deepest gratitude to the entire Democratic Caucus, especially those who have encouraged me along the way. The outpouring of support has been humbling.


“I look forward to working closely with Congresswoman Eshoo and all of my colleagues to continue delivering on the Democratic promise to the American people.”

***********

Congratulations Congressman Pallone on being selected as the ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee over Nancy Pelosi's wishes!!

Pallone Statement on Proposed EPA Regulations for Power Plant Emissions

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released the following statement today upon an announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of a proposal to reduce greenhouse gas emission from U.S. power plants by 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030:

“EPA’s proposed regulation to curb the amount of greenhouse gasses produced by power plants marks our nation’s most significant move to date to address climate change. These regulations will offer meaningful changes while allowing states and industry the flexibility to find ways to meet the new standards.

“Lower power plant emissions will have many benefits, specifically, improving public health by making the air we breathe cleaner and helping to reduce breathing related illnesses like asthma, which is increasingly affecting more and more Americans, particularly children. New clean energy jobs will be an additional positive outgrowth of this change, as the rapidly expanding field of energy alternatives will boom to meet the demands of adjusting to lower emissions standards, giving our economy a much needed boost.

“As a Representative and lifelong resident of one the areas hardest hit by Superstorm Sandy, my constituents and I know all too well the serious impact climate change is having on our lives, economy, health and wellbeing. Without addressing climate change, sea levels will continue to rise, resulting in enormous costs from damage to coastal areas and devastating the tourism industry, which is critical to the economies of places like the New Jersey Shore. The costs of inaction in dealing with climate change are simply too high to ignore. EPA’s proposal today is an important step forward toward taking action on one of the most important issues of our time.”

Pallone Rips GOP's HealthCare.gov Hearing As 'Monkey Court'

GREAT JOB FRANK!

From Talking Points Memo:

During the House Energy and Commerce Committee's hearing on HealthCare.gov's launch, Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) ripped the hearing as a "monkey court" used by his Republican colleagues to bash the Affordable Care Act.

He seized on a line of questioning from Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), who suggested that the private health information of Americans was at risk because of the website's poor design.

"I started out in my opening statement saying there was no legitimacy to this hearing and the last line of the questioning certainly confirms that. HIPAA only applies when there's health information being provided," Pallone said. "That's not in play here today. No health information is required in the application process. And why is that? Because pre-existing conditions don't matter. So once again, here we have my Republican colleagues trying to scare everybody."

"If the gentleman will yield..." Barton interjected.

"No, I will not yield to this monkey court or whatever," Pallone barked.

"This is not monkey court," Barton objected.

"Do whatever you want. I am not yielding," Pallone said.

The full exchange is below.

Pallone Calls for Action On Gun Violence Prevention With New Legislation

Washington, DC — Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), top Democrat of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health joined with the Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Democrat, Rep. Henry Waxman (CA-33), to introduce new legislation, "The Gun Violence Prevention and Reduction Act of 2013." The bill will protect American children and their families from the epidemic of gun violence by banning access to certain weapons, strengthening the nation's mental health infrastructure, and improving the understanding of gun violence.

“Now is the time for Congress to act to take steps to keep our families and communities safer,” said Pallone. “While we can never prevent all crimes or gun violence, we can work together to find ways to limit losses of life with common sense solutions, and this bill does just that. Far too many times, we have seen the shocking images of unspeakable tragedies in communities across the country, which is why I will not give up this fight in Congress.”

The bill would authorize additional research on serious mental illness, improve access to mental health services for all, and reinforce existing government authorities to carry out public health research on gun violence. The legislation would also prohibit the sale of gun kits like those used in the Santa Monica shooting earlier this year, which allowed the shooter to exploit a loophole in state and federal gun laws to purchase a partially completed gun online.

The full text of the bill is available online here. A bill summary is available online here.

Pallone: WWOR Has Failed New Jerseyans

With Cancellation of Last Truly Local Nightly News Program, Pallone Calls on FCC to Take Immediate Action

Washington, DC – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee whose jurisdiction includes telecommunication by broadcast and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), sent the following letter yesterday to Acting Chairwoman of the FCC, Mignon Clyburn regarding the recent decision of WWOR-TV, Channel 9 in New Jersey to cancel its nightly news program:


July 8, 2013

The Honorable Mignon Clyburn
Acting Chairwoman
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554

Dear Acting Chairwoman Clyburn:

I am writing to bring to your attention an issue of critical concern to the state of New Jersey: recent actions by WWOR-TV, Channel 9 in New Jersey, to cancel its 10 pm half-hour of news with absolutely no notice to its viewers.

As you are no doubt aware, WWOR is the state’s only commercial high-powered station. Meanwhile, because the state doesn’t have a designated market area or DMA, its nearly 9 million residents are forced to share two out-of-state DMAs. This means WWOR is our constituents’ only ability to get true local news coverage.

Unfortunately, despite this reality, WWOR has failed for over a decade to live up to its broadcasting obligations to New Jersey. Studies have shown that WWOR has provided less coverage of New Jersey politics than most of the New York-based television stations and has failed to provide adequate coverage of New Jersey news and public affairs. In addition, since purchasing WWOR in 2001, News Corporation, now 21st Century Fox, has done everything they can to avoid any commitment to serve as a truly New Jersey station.

Now, WWOR has pulled the plug on the only newscast the station had left. This action deserves immediate enforcement by your agency. In fact, considering the license renewal application of WWOR is pending before the FCC, I believe that the current license should be revoked until you can place additional conditions on the station to ensure that WWOR is both based in New Jersey and provides local news coverage to the state.

The late Senator Frank Lautenberg had repeatedly called upon your Commission to ask that you hold WWOR accountable to its licensure requirements in New Jersey. He also asked that you conclude your investigation regarding potential misrepresentations included in their license renewal application. None of which the FCC has done to date.

As a member of the Committee of jurisdiction with oversight over broadcast issues and the FCC, I have followed WWOR closely. Now, I intend to continue the work of the Senator to ensure that WWOR does not get away with these irresponsible actions.

I urge you to take serious and immediate action against WWOR. Thank you.

Sincerely,

FRANK PALLONE, JR.
Member of Congress

Pallone Named Ranking Member of the Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health

WASHINGTON DC – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today was named the Ranking Member of the House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health for the 113th Congress. Pallone previously served as the Subcommittee’s Ranking Member during the 112th Congress and as its Chairman during the 111th Congress.

The subcommittee has sole jurisdiction over Medicaid, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and shares jurisdiction of Medicare with the Ways and Means Committee. It oversees public health, biomedical programs, food and drug safety, mental health and research, hospital construction and all health care homeland security-related concerns.

“I am honored to continue to serve as the Ranking Member of the Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health in the 113th Congress,” said Pallone. “This subcommittee has an important role shaping health policy and I am proud to help lead it and fight for legislation that will expand access to high-quality, affordable health care.”

While the Chairman of the Health Subcommittee, Rep. Pallone served as a principal author of the Affordable Care Act, which expands coverage to millions of Americans, improves health benefits and instates patient protections. During the 112th Congress he introduced the bipartisan FDA Safety and Innovation Act, which will result in critical advancements for the FDA, millions of patients across the country, and the medical industry as a whole.

According to an analysis prepared by the Democratic staff of the Energy & Commerce Committee, of the 30 bills negotiated by the Democrats and Republicans together, 18 became law. However, just two of the 30 bills Republicans reported from the Committee without Democratic support became law in some form.

“I look forward to building on past legislative accomplishments and working on a bipartisan basis with my subcommittee colleagues to address remaining health policy issues. As we know, when we work together, we are much more successful in improving our nation’s health system and lowering overall health care costs,” Pallone added.

Rep. Pallone: New Jersey Seniors Saved $198 Million on Prescription Drugs since 2010

Savings made possible by the Affordable Care Act

LONG BRANCH, NJ – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Senior Democrat on the House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health and a primary author of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), today announced Medicare beneficiaries in New Jersey have saved $198,051,968 on their prescription drugs since 2010, and $64,480,926 since January 2012, an average of $829 per patient so far this year. The savings are made possible by the Affordable Care Act, which provides discounts on prescription drugs to seniors who fall in the Medicare Part D ‘donut hole.’

The Affordable Care Act currently provides a 50 percent discount to Medicare beneficiaries on brand-name drugs when they fall into the “donut hole” coverage gap. The discounts will gradually increase until the donut hole is fully closed in 2020. In addition, Medicare beneficiaries are now eligible for free key preventive services such as mammograms and colonoscopies, and a free annual wellness visit as a result of the Affordable Care Act. In the first seven months of 2012, 648,260 Medicare beneficiaries in New Jersey took advantage of one or more free preventive service.

“Millions of seniors in New Jersey and across the country with Medicare are already seeing the benefits of the Affordable Care Act, whether through savings on their prescription drugs or access to preventive services like mammograms and colonoscopies free of charge,” said Pallone. “Clearly, the Affordable Care Act strengthens Medicare and we must protect these important benefits so our seniors receive quality, affordable health care.”

Nationally, nearly 5.4 million seniors have saved more than $4.1 billion on prescription drugs as a result of the Affordable Care Act. In 2011, an estimated 32.5 million people with traditional Medicare or Medicare Advantage across the country received one or more preventive benefits free of charge, and in 2012 alone 18 million people have received at least one free preventive service.

“With the economy struggling and so many seniors living on fixed incomes, these prescription drugs savings are critical to helping our seniors stay healthy. The Affordable Care Act will continue to improve Medicare in the years ahead as more benefits are available and the ‘donut hole’ is completely closed,” added Pallone.

Congressman Pallone Applauds Public-Private Partnership to Improve Primary Care and Save Money in New Jersey

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, June 4, 2012

New Jersey selected to participate in Affordable Care Act Comprehensive Primary Care initiative


Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Senior Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, today praised New Jersey’s selection as one of seven markets to participate in the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Comprehensive Primary Care (CPC) initiative. Congressman Pallone urged CMS to include New Jersey in the program, which launches a partnership between CMS and New Jersey primary care practices to provide more Americans with quality health care at a lower cost.


The Comprehensive Primary Care initiative, an outgrowth of the Affordable Care Act, allows CMS to work through a public-private partnership to pay primary care practices and state, federal and corporate insurance plans an additional fee to provide quality primary care.


“Programs like the Comprehensive Primary Care initiative improve care, save costs and ultimately save lives,” said Pallone. “Primary care is where people often receive initial diagnoses, checkups and preventive care, so it is critical that we improve access to affordable, quality primary care to keep New Jersey residents healthy.”


In addition to New Jersey, seven other regions were selected to participate in this initiative including Arkansas, Colorado, Oregon, New York’s Capital District-Hudson valley Region, Ohio’s and Kentucky’s Cincinnati-Dayton Region and greater Tulsa, Oklahoma. Approximately 75 primary care practices will be selected to participate in each market.


“This program is another success of the Affordable Care Act and I’m pleased to have been able to help bring this important initiative to New Jersey,” said Pallone. Improving access and lowering costs to primary care through the Comprehensive Primary Care initiative will ensure that more people seek health care and make New Jersey healthier.”

Congressman Pallone Kicks off Summer on the Jersey Shore by Encouraging Smart Sun Protection

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, May 24, 2012

Calls attention to risks posed by indoor tanning and provides tips for staying sun safe

LONG BRANCH, NJ – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) visited Pier Village at the Jersey shore today to launch the summer season with an educational event to encourage smart sun protection. He was joined by Dr. Fred Jacobs, of the American Cancer Society/former New Jersey Health Commissioner and Dermatologist Dr. Robert Paull, MD to raise awareness of skin cancer, the most common of all cancer types, and provide tips for avoiding sun damage.

There are over 2 million new cases of skin cancer every year, but when caught early, skin cancer has a 98% cure rate. In addition to protecting skin in the sun with a broad-spectrum water-resistant SPF of at least 30 and wearing protective clothing, beach-goers can also protect themselves with frequent skin cancer screenings.

“We love the sun at the Jersey shore, but that doesn’t mean we can’t stay safe from its harmful effects too,” said Pallone. “Simple steps, like generously applying a SPF of at least 30 every two hours, will go a long way towards protecting skin from dangerous sun damage.”

Congressman Pallone also called attention to the dangers of indoor tanning beds, particularly the risks posed to teenagers. Seventy-six percent of melanomas are attributable to the use of a tanning device.

With colleagues on the Energy & Commerce Committee, Congressman Pallone released a report in February that found evidence of false and misleading health information provided to teenagers by many in the indoor tanning industry minimizing the dangerous effects of indoor tanning. For example, 90 percent of the salons contacted for this report stated that indoor tanning did not pose a health risk.

“The findings of this report on indoor tanning are startling, particularly when we know that tanning beds to pose a health risk. I encourage everyone to prevent skin cancer by being sun-safe outside and avoiding harmful tanning beds inside,” Pallone added.