World for Prescription Drugs. So that is the reality of this bill. What do we do . Well, if we are serious about responding to what the American People want and the polling that i have seen, its like 70 to 80 of the people understand that Prescription Drugs are much too high. They want us to act. This bill, unfortunately, does not do that. If we are serious about reducing the price of Prescription Drugs, we know exactly how we can do it. For over 30 years, the Veterans Administration has been negotiating with the pharmaceutical industry to lower the cost of Prescription Drugs. Moreover, for decades virtually every other country on earth has been doing the same thing. The result of where we are today is that medicare pays twice as much for the exact same Prescription Drugs as the v. A. And people all over this country. In some cases, as i mentioned earlier, we may pay up to ten times as much for a particular drug. In other words, when it comes to reducing the price of Prescription Drugs under medicare, we do not have to reinvent the wheel. We can simply require medicare to pay no more for Prescription Drugs than the v. A. That is not a radical idea. That is a simple idea. You got one Government Agency doing what theyre doing for 30 years. All we have to do is have medicare do the same. And if we did that, if we did that, we could literally cut the price of Prescription Drugs under medicare in half in a matter of months, not years. And that is why i am introducing an amendment today to do just that. Under this amendment, we could save medicare 900 billion over the next decade. This is nine times nine times more savings than the rather weak negotiation provisions currently in the bill. We can save 900 billion by negotiating rather than 100 billion. The reason that we pay the highest prices in the world for Prescription Drugs is not hard to understand. During the past 20 years, the pharmaceutical industry has spent over 5 billion on lobbying and over half a billion dollars in campaign contributions. Further, the pharmaceutical industry has over the years mounted an unprecedented lobbying effort in washington and in states all across this country. Now, what is unbelievable if you want to know what a corrupt political system is about, if you want to know what money in politics is about, if you want to know what corporate greed is about, if you want to know why we pay the highest prices in the world for Prescription Drugs, please understand that right now at this moment, the pharmaceutical industry has more than 1,700 wellpaid lobbyists on capitol hill to protect their interests, including former congressional leaders of both Major Political parties. They buy democratic leaders, they buy republican leaders, they buy former members of congress. 1,700 wellpaid lobbyists to make sure they continue to rip off the American People and charge us the highest prices in the world for Prescription Drugs. That is over three lobbyists for every one member of congress. 535 members of congress, 1,700 lobbyists. Mr. President , just yesterday and this is really interesting. It brings it all out. The c. E. O. Of pharma, his name is steve ugal, i think basically said, and i appreciate his honesty and straight affordness, he says, anybody who votes for this incredibly tepid bill, we are going to go after you. He stated and i love this kind of modesty he said fewer organizations have all the tools at the disposal as pharma does, end of quote. If you dare to vote in any way to lower the cost of Prescription Drugs, were going to spend all of the money we have and we have endless, unlimited amounts of money against you. That is what a corrupt political system is about. Thats what corporate greed is about. Basically, the c. E. O. Of pharma says, you vote for this bill, you can expect millions and millions of dollars of 30second ads against you. Thats where we are in the state of our democracy today. Madam president mr. President , Prescription Drugs is a huge issue, but its not the only issue that is dealt with inadequately in this legislation. It is my view i think it is the view of the majority of the American People. It is certainly the view of the Scientific Community that Climate Change is an existential threat to the planet. Now, that sounds like a big word, existential. What that means, if we dont get our act today, there may not be a planet that is healthy and habitable for our children and grandchildren. It is essential to protecting future generations. Mr. President , this legislation provides 370 billion over the next decade to combat Climate Change and to invest in socalled Energy Security programs. You know, the good news and it is good news is that this legislation, as currently written, would provide more funding for Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Energy than has ever been invested before. That is the good news. But, mr. President , the bad news is that this bill, as currently written, includes a huge giveaway to the fossil fuel industry both in the reconciliation bill that we are considering and in a size deal that was just made public a few days ago. Mr. President , under this legislation, the fossil fuel industry will receive billions of dollars in new tax breaks and subsidies over the next ten years on top of the 15 billion in tax breaks and corporate welfare that they already receive every year. And, interestingly enough, mr. President , that may well be the reason why b. P. , one of the Largest Oil Companies in the world, supports this bill. It may be the reason why shell, another huge oil company, supports this bill. And it is the reason, i suspect, why the c. E. O. Of exxonmobil is pleased by many of the provisions included in this deal. So weve got to think a little bit about what it means when major Oil Companies who are in the process of destroying the planet support this legislation. Under this bill, up to 60 million acres of public waters must be offered up for sale each and every year to the oil and gas industry before before the federal government could approve any new offshore wind development. To put that in perspective, 60 million acres is the size of the state of michigan. Further, under this bill, up to two million acres of public lands must be offered up for sale each and every year to the oil and gas industry before leases can move forward for any Renewable Energy development on public lands. In total, this bill will offer the fossil fuel industry up to 700 million acres of public lands and waters to oil and gas drilling over the next decade. Far more than the oil and gas industry could possibly use. And, mr. President , that is not all. The fossil fuel industry will not just benefit from the provisions in the reconciliation bill, as currently written; a deal has also been reached to make it easier for the fossil fuel industry to receive permits for their oil and gas projects. This deal would approve the . 6 billion Mountain Valley pipeline, a fracked gas pipeline that would span over 300 miles from West Virginia to virginia and potentially on to north carolina. This is a pipeline that would generate emissions equiv willent to that released by 37 coal plants or by over 27 million cars each and every year. Mr. President , let me quote from the a july 29 letter from over 350 environmental organizations, including friends of the earn, food and water watch, and the Climate Justice alliance expressing concerns about this bill. And i quote any approval of new fossil fuel projects or fasttracking of fossil fuel permitting is incompatible with climate leadership. Oil, gas, and Coal Production are the core drivers of the climate and extinction crises. There can be no new fossil fuel leases if we have any hope of preventing everworsening climate crises, catastrophic floods, Deadly Wildfires and more, all of which are ripping across the country as we speak. We are out of time. Therefore, we these 350 organizations are calling on you in other words, the president , leadership of congress to fulfill your promise to lead starting with the nine approvals for the mountain valuely is pipeline, rejecting all new federal fossil fuel leases onshore, in the gulf of mexico, alaska, and everywhere else and preventing any fasttrack permits for fossil fuel projects. Mr. President , i would ask unanimous consent to insert the full letter into the record. The presiding officer without objection. Mr. Sanders thank you. And here is what the center for biological diversity had to say on this bill. Quote this is a climate suicide pact. It is selfdefeating to handcuff Renewable Energy development to massive new oil and gas extraction. The new leasing required in this bill will fan the flames. Climate disasters torching our country and its a slap in the face to the communities fighting to protect themselves from filthy fossil fuels, end quote. Now, mr. President , in my view, we have got to do everything we can to take on the greed, the irresponsibility, the destructiveness of the fossil fuel industry, not give billions of dollars in corporate welfare to an industry that has been destroying our planet. And that is why i will be introducing an amendment today to strike all of the benefits to the fossil fuel industry that are in this bill and i will be asking for a roll call vote on it. And, mr. President , let me say a word about some of the other amendments that ill be introducing. I will be introducing an amendment that is widely popular the concept is widely popular and that is to expand medicare to provide dental, vision, and hearing benefits. This amendment is fully paid for by demanding that at wealthiest people start paying their fair share of taxes. Further, i will be introducing an amendment to provide 30 billion to establish the civilian conservation corps, which would create 400,000 jobs for young people to combat Climate Change. The entire Younger Generation wants to roll up their sleeves and get involved in the effort to transform our Energy System away from fossil fuel. And this amendment and the establishment of a civilian conservation corps would allow them to do that. And, further, mr. President , i will be introducing an amendment to expand the 300amonth Child Tax Credit for the next five years by restoring the top Corporate Tax rate from 21 to 28 . As you know, we made significant progress in lowering childhood poverty in america. We reduced it by 40 with the establishment of a Child Tax Credit. But, unfortunately, that was not continued in this year. And i this i it needs to do so. So, bottom, this is where we are at. The American People are hurting. Tens of millions of workers are falling further and further behind. The elderly are hurting. The kids are hurting. And people are looking to their elected representatives in washington to finally address the crises that they are facing. And in a reconciliation bill, where we only need 50 votes and the Vice President , we have the capability, if we pass these amendments, of taking a giant step forward, not only in addressing the needs of our kids, our elderly and working families, but it may be, just maybe, beginning to restore the confidence of the American People in their democracy, in believing that their elected officials are listening to them and not just lobbyists and wealthy campaign contributors. So i would look forward to offering these amendments, and getting them passed, and i thank the president very much and yield the floor. The presiding officer the senior senator from South Carolina is recognized. Mr. Graham thank you very much mr. President. I yield myself 20 minutes from the bill. So, where to start . Well, ive thought long and hard about how to explain this to the American People, and the only thing i can tell you is insanity is defined as doing the same thick and expecting a different outcome. So here we are, with the same people coming up with a plan to help you. How well did that work out the last time these 50 people were going to save you and your family . Youll eventually come to the conclusion, i hope, they generally dont know what theyre doing. And the best way to stop a drunk driver is to take the keys away before they get in the car. The best was i to stop this taxand the best way to stop this taxandspend spend inflationary madness is to fire some of the 50 so they cant keep doing this to your family. March of 2021, we had a debate. Senator sanders, very good, good man, and everybody over there told us if we pass the American Rescue plan your life will be dramatically better, and as 1. 9 trillion passed with democratic votes alone in march of 2021. Not one republican voted for it. Since then, weve been able to pass a infrastructure bill in a bipartisan manner. We passed legislation trying to keep guns out of the hands of mentally unstable people and generally help were that problem. Weve come together around the ukraine to help them beat the russians. Weve come together to designate russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. My oligarch friend up there, the guy who hates oligarchs more than anybody, weve come together to try to go after the assets of the putin cronies. So its not like we cant Work Together. But what youre not going to get from our side is buyin to really bad ideas. So, to the American People, the same people telling you what this bill is going to do for you are the same people who told you the American Rescue plan would work. Lets go down memory lane here for a second. Heres what the Vice President said about the 1. 9 trillion American Rescue plan passed in march, 2021 with democratic votes alone help has arrived for the families that have struggled to put food on their table, for the Small Businesses that have struggled to keep their doors open. Help has arrived, america. This was said in 2021. She promised you help is on the way if you pass the democratic American Rescue plan. Heres what senator schumer said, weve heard a lot about how the American Rescue plan will prime the American Economy to come roaring back. Economists are already projecting that Economic Growth could double as a result of the American Rescue plan, march 16, 2021. I dont know where the economists are today, but i hope theyre not in the economy business, because they sure as hell didnt know what they were talking about. Whats happened from those statement to now . Instead of help being on the way, helping you put food on the table, see if that makes sense to you. The American Rescue plan has helped put food on the table, that help is on the way for business. In march of 2021, before the American Rescue plan, inflation was at 2. 6 . Today its at 9. 1 . Tdo you think its an accident this has happened . If you do, you probably shouldnt be driving. Youre a danger to yourself or others. We told you, and by god, god knows the republicans are by no means perfect, but we told you what was going to happen, that we had a struggling economy because of covid, and this taxandspend growing the government throwing money to everything is going to come back to bite us in the ass and it did. Take a hundred bucks and go to the Grocery Store, see what you get for it. You got to get a mortgage on your house to fill up your car. This is no accident. And the same people who told you then they had it figured out for you are telling you something now that i think is throwing gasoline on the fire that youre living with. Thats why every republican will vote no. Senator sanders is reluctantly going to vote yes. Im going to enthusiastically vote no. I dont mind working with democrats when it matter and it helps, but this to me is insane. So, heres where we find ourselves as a nation. We find ourselves as a nation in a recession. If a republican would be president , i doubt if most of the media would doubt were in a recession. And its defined as a period of temporary economic decline during which trade and industrial activity are reduced, generally identified by a fall in gdp in twoive quarters. The First Quarter was 1. 6 negative growth, the Second Quarter 0. 9. Over time, unfortunately, its probably going to get worse because well have to raise Interest Rates to control rampant inflation, and thats going to make it harder to borrow money and invest in the economy. On top of that, theyre about to pass a bill without one republi