Kurt Schrader

Madam Speaker, I rise today in complete support of H.R. 5376, the Inflation Reduction Act.

During my time in Congress, I have dedicated my service to improving our healthcare system and working to lower the cost of prescription drugs. I am ecstatic that the bill before us today includes my and Representative Peters drug price reduction framework that will finally rein in the cost of prescription drugs for our seniors and protect pharmaceutical innovation, contrary to what the other side will tell you.

The Medicare drug cost reductions will be transformative. The bill will allow Medicare to finally negotiate drug prices and the practice of raising prices in the Medicare program beyond the rising inflation and provide lasting financial relief to our most vulnerable seniors by establishing a $2,000 out-of-pocket maximum for spending on prescription drugs.

The prescription drug cost portions of this bill will also preserve scientific creativity and the innovation ecosystem that has been essential to the domestic job-preserving development of life changing and lifesaving treatments and cures.

And the close to $300 billion in deficit reduction from this portion of the bill will be huge for the overall viability of our troubled Medicare system going forward. This will be the biggest improvement to Medicare since the inception of part D almost 20 years ago. I am proud to have been a leading advocate to deliver relief on the high cost of prescription drugs.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleagues in both Chambers who worked with me directly to get this across the finish line.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the life of Ralph Grolener. Ralph served Oregonians as a Clackamas County Commissioner, state legislator and was a leader in Oregon's labor movement with AFSCME, helping make Oregon one of the most union states in the country.

Ralph was a Christmas baby, born Dec. 25, 1941, to George and Mary Groener in Oregon City, Oregon. He attended local schools and graduated from West Linn High School in 1960. He spent four years in the U.S. Air Force and was awarded the Airman's medal for heroism.

In 1965 he married Sharon Rich, of Oregon City. Initially attending Portland Community College, they moved to Eugene where Ralph attended and graduated from the University of Oregon. While in college, Ralph worked part-time at a local Safeway, and became a member of the retail clerk's union. Upon graduation in 1969 he worked as a community organizer for the war on poverty, taking his first steps on a lifelong pathway fighting for the underprivileged and working families.

Ralph was elected to the state legislature in 1972, where he served two terms in the Oregon House of Representatives. In 1973 Ralph was an original co-sponsor of the first Gay Rights Legislation to be introduced in the nation. He was also instrumental in the passage of SB 100, Oregon's landmark land conservation legislation, as the bill's carrier on the House Floor. Ralph was then elected to the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners, where he served tirelessly for eight years advocating for children and senior citizens.

In 1990 Ralph found his way back to the Capitol, where he served as a political coordinator and lobbyist for AFSCME for nearly three decades. One of Ralph's favorite bible passages was Matthew 25:40--Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me. It is not hard to see this principle guided him for over three decades fighting on behalf of working Oregonians.

Ralph was a force of nature. He loved to talk. He could out-talk anyone, anytime, anywhere. A familiar sight and sound roaming the halls of the state capitol, he was rarely without his trademark smile or partner Mary Botkin. His son, Chris shared with me that he used to say--keep your chin up and never let them see you sweat. I never saw Ralph without his chin up. Ralph retired from AFSCME in 2018.

Ralph's career was filled with dozens of awards and accomplishments:

United States Air Force Airman's Medal, 1963; Oregon State Sheriffs Association Award of Valor--Three-time recipient; Outstanding Youth Leader of Clackamas County, 1972; Distinguished Service Award from the American Association of Retired Persons, 1972; One of the Outstanding Young Men of America, 1973 and 1975; Oregon's Outstanding Educator- Statesman Award, 1975; Oregon League of Cities ``Friend of Cities Award, 2005; NW Senior and Disability Services Advocacy Award, 2018

Ralph passed away on June 1, 2022, losing a dogged fight to cancer. He is survived by his wife, Sharon; daughter Hilary Groener; son Chris Groener; and granddaughter Cassidy Hedger and her husband, Corey Hedger. Ralph is also survived by hundreds of his union brothers and sisters, friends and colleagues from the political and legislative world. I mourn with them on his passing.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Pulp and Paperworkers' Resource Council on its 30th anniversary.

The PPRC is a grassroots organization made up of hourly employees of the U.S. forest products industry whose members work in mills and converting plants, manufacturing sustainable paper and wood products that Americans rely on every day.

Founded in 1991, the PPRC works to ensure real-world perspectives are considered in all policy and regulatory decisions that impact their jobs and our communities.

As co-chair of the bipartisan, bicameral House Paper and Packaging Caucus, I am honored to meet with the PPRC representatives every year when they come to Washington, D.C., to advocate for their priorities and promote this important sector of our economy.

I am pleased to congratulate the PPRC for 30 years of hard work on behalf of such an essential industry.