Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I was not recorded because I was absent due to a prior family engagement. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 10, NAY on Roll Call No. 11, and YEA on Roll Call No. 12.

personal explanation

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in

which to revise and extend their remarks and submit extraneous material on the subject of this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues here today to honor the life and legacy of my good friend, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, from the great State of Washington.

Through her 20 years of service, she has made an incredible impact in the Halls of Congress and touched the lives of so many Members who have had the privilege of working alongside of her.

I will begin by just giving my remarks. Mr. Speaker, it has been an honor to serve in the Halls for the past few years, but an even greater one to do so beside my colleague, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers.

Cathy has served in Congress for nearly 20 years, and she has made incredible sacrifices, accomplished incredible feats, and dutifully served her constituents every step of the way.

As I have gotten to know Cathy, I have learned that she leads with a servant's heart. It is her incredible affinity for helping others that has allowed her to find success and accomplish so much during her time here. She never sought the spotlight or the prestigious position she held in Congress for her own gain, but did so because of her colleagues who encouraged and trusted her.

She has paved the way for countless women in the GOP, inspiring us with her leadership, wisdom, and dedication, and she has achieved some of the highest levels of success, become a beloved friend to countless colleagues, and in my opinion, leaves us 20 years too soon.

Thank you, Cathy, for everything you have done for us. I might add, I am going to miss our prayer time, and I am going to miss walking around the Capitol praying for our Nation and just the incredible mentor you have been to me.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie), our new chairman of Energy and Commerce.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Tonko).

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Cammack).

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis).

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs. Miller).

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), the ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Thank you, Ranking Member Pallone.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Balderson).

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Moore).

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop).

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Exactly. Exactly.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the work and legacy of my dear friend and colleague, Congresswoman Debbie Lesko, from the great State of Arizona.

I have had the privilege of working alongside Congresswoman Lesko for almost 4 years. In that time, I have had the opportunity to get to know her, working on the Energy and Commerce Committee and the caucuses we share.

Congresswoman Lesko is a true civil servant, leader, and dedicated mother and grandmother to a wonderful family. I know they will be grateful to be able to spend more time with her at home.

Throughout her career in Congress, Mrs. Lesko has dedicated herself to defending the very principles that our Nation was founded upon. She stood up for religious freedom, speaking boldly in favor of faith-based institutions faced with encroachments from the Federal Government.

She has defended life, introducing legislation to prevent the dismemberment of unborn children in the womb. She stood up for justice, launching the Protect Kids Caucus to defend the innocent children in our schools' healthcare and government programs.

Mr. Speaker, Congresswoman Lesko's unwavering commitment to faith, family, and freedom has left an incredible mark on these Halls and the lives of countless Americans. While her leadership will be deeply missed, her legacy of service will continue to be remembered for years to come.

Thank you, Debbie, for being a wonderful friend to me. I will miss you.

We are going to charge for the seat you are going to vacate if somebody wants to sit there. Okay?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and co-chair, Representative Tokuda. You know, there is not a whole lot of difference--there is as far as distance--between Hawaii and Tennessee, but we have the same health challenges in rural health to be exact.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Rural Health Day and to highlight the work and cause of the Congressional Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus, which I am proud to co-chair with my colleague, Representative Tokuda of Hawaii.

Over 60 million hardworking, everyday Americans live in rural communities throughout the United States, and as my co-chair, Representative Tokuda, is fond of citing--with nearly 97 percent of our Nation being designated as rural.

Compared to their counterparts living in urban and suburban areas, rural Americans experience lower life expectancy, poorer health status, and more difficulty accessing quality and affordable healthcare.

Rural patients face these challenges due to the limited number of rural healthcare providers; higher rates of people being underinsured and uninsured, and long journeys to healthcare providers, sometimes people lacking transportation entirely.

Having served as a community pharmacist in rural east Tennessee for over 37 years, I understand the unique

healthcare challenges and obstacles faced by our patients and healthcare providers each and every day.

It is crucial that Congress takes action to address the issues that rural healthcare providers and patients grapple with, such as workforce shortages, supply scarcities, and reimbursement challenges, limited access to telehealth, and difficulties ensuring their patients receive the care they need.

The Congressional Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus is here to provide a forum for Members of Congress to advocate for legislative action that will help increase access to quality, affordable healthcare and mental health services for all rural Americans.

As co-chair, I will continue to work to advance the cause of ensuring the long-term sustainability of rural communities.

This Congress, I introduced the bipartisan Rural Physician Workforce Production Act, which improves Medicare reimbursements and enhances the current structure of the Medicare-funded graduate medical education program, bringing more medical residents and doctors to rural areas in need.

I also worked with my fellow colleagues in the Tennessee delegation to introduce the Rural America Health Corps Act, which would provide incentives for healthcare professionals to work in rural health facilities in exchange for forgiving medical school loans.

In addition to these bills, I am a proud cosponsor of the Save Rural Hospitals Act, bipartisan legislation that will aid in curbing hospital closures in rural communities by ensuring fairness in Medicare hospital payments.

This legislative work is absolutely critical. This week, I am pleased to help introduce with Representative Tokuda and other members of the Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Rural Health Day.

National Rural Health Day is the third Thursday of every November, and it was established to honor rural communities and the contributions and efforts of rural healthcare providers to address the unique challenges faced by the patients they serve.

Given the healthcare disparities faced by rural Americans and the continued difficulty experienced by rural healthcare providers in just keeping their doors open, it is vital that Congress prioritizes improving patient care and access in rural areas.

Our rural healthcare professionals and patients showcase a selfless and community-minded spirit, and it is altogether fitting and proper that we celebrate rural healthcare providers and the millions of Americans that rural healthcare providers serve.

In recognizing and celebrating National Rural Health Day, we join a diverse coalition of rural healthcare stakeholders to express a commitment to advancing policies to improve healthcare accessibility and affordability in rural areas in our country.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Tokuda and my colleagues for joining in this cause.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3433, the Give Kids a Chance Act, which is bipartisan legislation to help speed up the process for getting treatments to children with cancer and other rare diseases.

I am pleased that this bill also includes a modified version of bipartisan legislation I have been leading with Democratic Representative Juan Vargas: the United States-Abraham Accords Cooperation and Security Act.

This section of H.R. 3433 will establish a U.S. Food and Drug Administration office in the Abraham Accords region, creating a staging ground for technical assistance and friend-shoring collaboration between the U.S. and Abraham Accords countries, for development of and bringing to our markets lifesaving drugs.

I thank House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chair Rodgers and Ranking Member Pallone for working with me to advance this important initiative. Chair Rodgers has been a strong ally in developing this.

Our continued dependence on adversarial countries like China for pharmaceutical products endangers our medical supply chains and jeopardizes our national security. More than 80 percent of the active pharmaceutical ingredients for drugs sold in the U.S. are imported from foreign countries, primarily China and India.

As our country works toward securing critical healthcare supply chains from reliance on adversarial countries like China, the strategy of friend-shoring or near-shoring has emerged as part of the solution for industries where domestic production is not yet fully available.

Leveraging the Abraham Accords countries' robust biopharmaceutical industries to help diversify and protect our access to crucial medical supply chains that don't rely on China is a commonsense step to work with our natural allies in our quest to safeguard our access to vital medical products.

We need to begin this process of fortifying our medical supply chains as soon as possible because we have a big hill to climb. With adoption of H.R. 3433 and establishment of an FDA technical assistance office in the Abraham Accords region, we begin climbing that hill.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5526, the Seniors' Access to Critical Medications Act.

I thank my co-lead, Democrat Representative Wasserman Schultz, and House Energy and Commerce Chair Rodgers and Ranking Member Pallone for allowing me to advance this important legislation.

I spent 37 years working as a pharmacist in almost every area of pharmacy, and I know firsthand the importance of providing patients with serious illnesses timely and reliable access to their lifesaving medications.

Under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' interpretation of the physician self-referral law, which is known as the Stark Law, it states that it is unlawful for a medical practice, such as a community oncology practice, to deliver a prescribed and filled drug to a patient by mail or courier, UPS or Fed Ex. CMS' interpretation doesn't even allow for a family member or a caregiver to pick up the patient's drug on their behalf.

For Medicare seniors living in rural areas who don't have transportation or who are too sick to pick up their lifesaving drug, they are just simply out of luck in a lot of cases, or they are forced to rely on a nameless or faceless mail order pharmacy benefit manager, where these ``distant middlemen'' cannot quickly fine-tune necessary short-term changes or adjustments in their therapies.

Some patients will go without their oral chemotherapy medication because they can't get transportation to pick their prescription up. It can change the entire outcome for those patients. We shouldn't have obstacles in the way of patients receiving the medications they need.

The bipartisan Seniors' Access to Critical Medications Act simply ensures that cancer patients, as well as other patients, have timely access to the appropriate oral medications they need by allowing delivery of these medications or allowing family members or caregivers to pick up their medicines.

I have heard from dozens upon dozens of Tennessee oncologists and other specialty physicians and patients, as well as others around the country, who have been deeply impacted by the unnecessary hurdles created by CMS' misguided interpretation of the Stark Law.

During the pandemic, CMS recognized these barriers and issued a Stark waiver, lifting the restrictions that hindered patient access to these crucial medications.

This bill restores those flexibilities, and I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 5526 to protect Medicare beneficiaries' ability to receive the medications they need when they need them.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have been hard at work removing statues and renaming military bases because they believe they can and should erase history.

The Board on Geographic Names was initially designed to be a part of the United States Geological Survey to ensure uniform naming on maps.

However, when Secretary Haaland took over as Secretary of the Interior, she immediately repurposed the Board on Geographic Names to the Interior Department's woke renaming board. One of the Secretary's top priorities was to deem the word ``squaw'' derogatory and remove any word with ``squaw'' in it from any geographic landmark or unincorporated town. She pursued this policy using the Board on Geographic Names.

This affected my district because the board changed the name of unincorporated ``Squawberry'' to ``Partridgeberry'' despite the opposition of local leaders.

This is complete government overreach, and it is unacceptable to allow the Federal Government to force their ideals down the throats of east Tennesseans.

This is not what the Federal Government is supposed to be tasked with, and I question how long it will be until Secretary Haaland decides to turn her attention to every geographic landmark named for Columbus or Washington or Jefferson.

I do not trust this administration to discontinue using the Board on Geographic Names to push their agenda onto Americans, and for this reason, I believe that we need to prohibit funding for the Board on Geographic Names.

Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues to support the passage of this important amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, this is really, really a simple concept. If you don't think the Federal Government should be changing the names of localities, especially with the opposition of locales, then support my amendment. This is Federal overreach plain and simple.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, our Founding Fathers believed that democracy and our system of government could only prosper in a Western society guided by Judeo-Christian values. I raised my son with these values, and he is raising his sons with this same set of values. For nearly 30 years, I have instilled these same values to our youth as a Sunday school teacher.

As we have all observed, America is at a social and political crossroads, which stems from a profound loss of traditional Judeo- Christian values that make up the foundation of our families and, therefore, our Nation. Religious devotion among Americans is collapsing. More than a third of the country declines to attend religious services. Less than 75 percent of the country holds strong, solid religious beliefs.

Is there any wonder we see the crime rates continue to surge and America's mental health crisis continue to worsen? The conclusion is simple. It is the direct effect of the erosion of our Christian values, and it started with taking prayer out of the schools.

America needs spiritual guidance now more than ever. Christian values promote personal responsibility, compassion, and a sense of community. These are the essential pillars missing in today's society. When these values are absent in a family or in a society, you will see a decline in morality that can be generational.

We, as leaders, need to not only remind ourselves but our colleagues and constituents that restoring the Judeo-Christian values that our country was founded upon offers a pathway for our country to heal. If our country or our families fail to embrace the principles that made our Nation great, our Nation risks further division and decline.

That is why I am proud to co-chair the Congressional Family Caucus, which seeks to restore the guiding Judeo-Christian values and principles that exemplify our Nation's greatness by promoting God- driven and family-focused policies.

It is time to reinstate the teachings of Jesus Christ and chart a course toward renewal, reconciliation, and revival for our great Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 80th anniversary of the Bloomingdale Baptist Church, who serves as a beacon of faith and hope to the residents of East Tennessee, as the oldest Baptist church in the region. Since its founding, the church has been a cornerstone of spiritual guidance and unwavering support to the Bloomingdale community.

On April 2, 1944, a council of eight preachers and thirteen deacons answered the call for faith services and formed the Bloomingdale Baptist Church, the first Baptist church in the area. Since then, thirteen charter members, in an assembly of letters, statements, and baptisms, built community service, faith, and charity as the strong foundations to rest the church. To this very day, these spiritual values live loudly within the hearts of Bloomingdale Baptist Church congregants and its leadership.

Throughout Bloomingdale Baptist's history, a tradition of devoted leadership has remained a perennial source of inspiration and renewal. The first elected pastor, James Taft Richards, led worship services with a passion and faith that invigorated church members until 1950. His successor, Pastor Joseph William Byrd, renowned as a symbol of resolve, served as the longest-tenured Southern Baptist pastor to lead a single church. Following Pastor Byrd's tenure, Pastor Phillip R. Whittemore helmed the church, upholding its enduring legacy of faith and community service until his retirement in 2023. Now, as the church looks forward, Pastor Wade Childress provides stability and an uplifting vision for the future as Bloomingdale Baptist Church's interim pastor.

Bloomingdale Baptist Church has not only served as a place of worship, but a welcoming center for community life. It has witnessed countless baptisms, marriages, and gatherings, each event enriching the lives of its congregation and the Bloomingdale community at large. As Bloomingdale Baptist Church celebrates this remarkable milestone, we recognize its steadfast and profound impact for generations of church members, instilling faith, love, and service to the community it serves and beyond.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Bloomingdale Baptist Church on its 80th anniversary. I wish Pastor Childress and the entire congregation another 80 wonderful years of continued faith and service in the Bloomingdale community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. William ``Bill'' Greer, a distinguished leader, educator, and advocate for higher education who has announced his retirement as the 15th President of Milligan University. Dr. Greer's exemplary tenure, spanning more than 13 years, is marked by significant transformation, growth, and achievement for Milligan University.

A proud alumnus, Dr. Greer graduated from Milligan in 1985 and returned to his alma mater in 1994 as a Professor of Economics and Business. With a wealth of experience after a decade in the private sector, Dr. Greer led the institution's business initiative as the founding director of Milligan's MBA program. His leadership as Vice President for Institutional Advancement was instrumental to the success of the ``Forward Ever'' campaign, raising $28 million for the university in its first phase of implementation.

Since assuming the role of president in 2011, Dr. Greer has been a visionary, guiding Milligan University to unprecedented levels of achievement. Under his leadership, the university has received recognition as one of the Best Regional Universities and Best Values in the South. In 2020, Dr. Greer helmed the impressive modernization and expansion of 25 additional academic programs, elevating Milligan's status from a college to a university.

Dr. Greer's presidency is highlighted by a series of significant accomplishments, including record enrollment, giving, and endowment growth. He presided over the integration of Emmanuel Christian Seminary, the establishment of Milligan Village, and the growth of multiple academic and athletic facilities. His efforts have significantly increased the university's footprint to 355 acres and brought numerous national recognitions to Milligan.

Additionally, Dr. Greer's focus on Milligan's mission as a premier, Christian liberal arts institution has resulted in the education and support of thousands of students, overseeing nearly 4,000 graduates under his tenure. Furthermore, his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic exemplified compassion and resilience, guiding the university through unprecedented challenges.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Dr. Bill Greer for his outstanding service to Milligan and our region. His retirement marks the end of an era of exceptional service and dynamic leadership. I am certain his legacy will continue to inspire current and future generations of Buffs. I wish him and his family all the best in his retirement and his continued service as Chancellor of Milligan University.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituent Captain Kevin Mitchell of the Kingsport Fire Department in Kingsport, Tennessee, who is retiring after more than 26 years of dedicated service to our community.

Captain Mitchell began his Journey with the Kingsport Fire Department on September 2, 1997. Over the span of his illustrious career, he has not only served as a firefighter, but also advanced to become a paramedic serving in this capacity for over two decades. His dedication to continued education extended far beyond his immediate duties as a respected instructor in both fire service and medical fields, where he taught crucial lifesaving techniques such as CPR, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and more.

Beginning his career as a firefighter, Captain Mitchell was soon promoted to the position of engineer, where he was responsible for driving and operating complex firefighting vehicles. He continued to rise through the ranks in recognition of his exceptional service, culminating in his promotion to Captain, a role he held until his retirement. His commitment to safety and excellence led him to join the Kingsport Fire Department Technical Rescue Team, where he specialized in Search & Rescue, Swift Water Rescue, Confined Space, High & Low Angle Rope Rescue, Trench Rescue, and Structural Collapse. His leadership and expertise in these areas earned him the role of Technical Rescue Team Leader.

In addition to his remarkable service at the Kingsport Fire Department, Captain Mitchell also dedicated eight years as a member of the State of Tennessee Emergency Service Board in Nashville, where he played a pivotal role in regulating EMS activities across the state.

His service to the community extended well beyond his professional obligations to include his participation with the Big Brother/Big Sister Program of East Tennessee, H.O.P.E. (Help Our Potential Evolve), the Kingsport Life Saving Crew, and the Kingsport Firefighters Association Local 2270. His advocacy efforts also saw him participate in state legislation, lobbying for the rights and welfare of firefighters across Tennessee, advocating on critical issues like PTSD and cancer.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Captain Kevin Mitchell for his outstanding service to the Kingsport Fire Department and the citizens of Kingsport, Tennessee. His retirement marks the end of an era of exceptional service and leadership, and his legacy will continue to inspire current and future generations of public servants. We wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.

Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of Chair Rodgers' Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act, which addresses the Federal Government's discriminatory practices toward disabled and chronically ill patients through the use of quality-adjusted life years.

Quality-adjusted life years are used by bureaucrats and healthcare administrators to assign a numerical value to an individual's life, which is then used to make coverage decisions for medical treatments and services.

Current law already largely prevents the Department of Health and Human Services from using this metric in Medicare ``in a manner that treats extending the life of an elderly, disabled, or terminally ill individual as of lower value.'' This discriminatory metric has even been proposed to be used by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The bottom line is this: The Federal Government should not play a role in determining the value of a patient's life.

As a pharmacist for over 30 years, I understand that ensuring patients with disabilities and chronic illnesses have continued access to quality care is of utmost performance.

The Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act will ban the use of quality-adjusted life years in Federal healthcare programs, expanding access to healthcare for Americans and protecting patients across the country.

As a healthcare provider, we take an oath to first do no harm. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this landmark legislation led by Chair McMorris Rodgers and put the interests of patients first.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituent and a true American hero, Major Jeffrey Eggers of the United States Marine Corps, as we celebrate his retirement after twenty-seven years of distinguished service to our Nation.

Major Eggers was born in Elizabethton, Tennessee to Jerry and Diane Eggers. A leader from his early days, he served as the student body president at Unaka High School, excelled as a star athlete on the football team, achieved academic excellence, and graduated with honors. His commitment to education continued at East Tennessee State University, where he majored in Biomedical Engineering while serving in the Marine Corps Reserves.

Major Eggers quickly rose through the ranks of the Marine Corps, beginning as an infantryman in Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment to achieving the prestigious distinction of a commissioned officer. His journey sent him from Basic Training on Parris Island to the Basic School in Quantico, and finally to flight school in Pensacola. As a skilled aviator, Major Eggers mastered the AH-1 W attack helicopter and flew numerous missions as support for our troops and allies across the globe.

His service record is nothing short of remarkable. Major Eggers served in a critical role during the non-combatant evacuation of Lebanon, supported operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and provided vital aid during NATO operations in Libya and classified missions in the U.S. Central Command Area of Responsibility. His leadership and skillset in these challenging environments earned him numerous commendations, including the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and several Air Medals as testament to his bravery and dedication.

Beyond his distinguished military career, Major Eggers is a man of faith and community. His involvement as a youth leader, deacon, and Bible study leader reflects his commitment to service, both in uniform and in his community. His beautiful wife, Stacy and his two wonderful children, Charles and Elijah have provided constant and unwavering support to him throughout his career.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Major Jeffrey Eggers for his outstanding military service to our nation. His retirement marks the end of an era of exceptional service and fortitude. We are certain his legacy will continue to inspire current and future generations of United States Marines. We wish him and his family all the best in his well-deserved retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to posthumously recognize and extend gratitude to Airman Bobby Ray Stinson for his honorable military service during the Vietnam War Era.

Airman Stinson was a man defined by his resolute and enduring love of country. Airman Stinson joined the United States Air Force in August 1964. Soon after, he was assigned to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. During this assignment, Airman Stinson served as an aircraft mechanic. He dreamed of one day becoming an Air Force Pilot like his father-in-law. However, due to a service-related injury, Airman Stinson instead received an honorable discharge from the Air Force.

Following his military service, Airman Stinson returned home to his beloved wife, Shirley Jean in Tennessee. As a stalwart patriot, he made sure the American Flag flew high in their front yard in Blountville. In his civilian life, Airman Stinson served a multidecade career at Eastman Chemical. At Eastman, Airman Stinson's leadership and character proved indispensable. He helmed the maintenance division, where he oversaw and managed large-scale machinery repair and power operations until his retirement in 1998.

Airman Stinson's word was his bond. His colleagues, friends, and neighbors knew him as a man of integrity, honor, and conviction. As a father, he taught his three sons, Mike, Travis, and Jeff Stinson of Blountville, Tennessee the difference between right and wrong, the value of hard work, and to never take the easy way out.

Even in his retirement, Airman Stinson's duty of service never wavered. Both as an active member of the Ruritan Club and a dedicated volunteer to the Blountville First Baptist Church, he would always lend a hand whenever he could. Airman Stinson loved to spend time with his family, especially his six wonderful grandchildren. A year before his passing, Airman Stinson and his wife celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary. He is remembered by all who knew him as a great Christian man, who always stood true to his faith in God.

Please join me in honoring the life of Airman Bobby Ray Stinson and for his patriotic service to our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the rising cost of healthcare due to inflation and the need to address Medicare physician payments to ensure quality care for our seniors.

Adjusting for inflation and practice costs, Medicare physician pay has declined over 25 percent since 2001.

Despite this important statistic, Medicare payment updates are scheduled for all healthcare providers except physicians in 2024.

Last November, CMS finalized a rule that would decrease Medicare reimbursement for physician services by 3.37 percent this year. Combined with 3 years of consecutive cuts to Medicare and the rising practice costs, Medicare payments have been cut by nearly 10 percent.

Mr. Speaker, what physician will continue to practice when their salaries are being cut by 10 percent?

It is critical that Congress takes action to address these unsustainable Medicare cuts immediately in order to ensure that patients continue receiving quality care.

The negative effects of these cuts will hit our seniors living in rural areas the hardest; areas that already face significant healthcare challenges.

As a community pharmacist in one of the country's most rural districts and co-chair of the Rural Healthcare Caucus, I urge the House and Senate to act

swiftly on passing legislation that would stabilize Medicare payments to physicians and other providers to ensure that our seniors maintain access to quality healthcare.