Congressman Doggett Cracks Down on $100 million in Government Waste in Medicare Part D
I have been seeking answers from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) about whether $100 million paid to private Medicare Part D plans for retroactive coverage for certain low-income Medicare beneficiaries, but for which beneficiaries were not notified of their eligibility, actually made it into beneficiaries’ pockets. During that time, CMS and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have done nothing but pursue a strategy of stonewalling or releasing inadequate information immediately after they could have been questioned about it in a direct and public exchange. I recently questioned the Chairman of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), an independent Congressional agency that advises Congress on Medicare payment policy, about whether CMS has also denied them the information they need to advise Congress. Medicare’s Chief Actuary also testified that releasing this information would be useful, but that internal discussions have not yet resulted in any action. You can view those exchanges by clicking here.
Release of "Trouble in Toyland" Report on Toy Safety
Every holiday shopping season, I partner with TxPIRG to announce the annual
"Trouble in Toyland" Report highlighting the dangers posed by unsafe
toys and the need for government oversight.
Click here for my oped on
the December 2007 release of the report.
Support for our Nation’s Veterans
In honor of Veterans Day, click here
for my oped that details efforts to support our veterans with record
increases in funding for the Veterans Administration and increased
incentives for home ownership among veterans.
Congress Passes College Cost Reduction Act
Click here to view my floor speech about increasing funding for federal
student aid. I strongly supported the College Cost Reduction Act, which
Congress passed and the President signed into law. As a result, the
maximum Pell Grant will increase by $490 next year and by at least
$1,090 over the next five years. This law also halves the interest rates
of federal need-based loans, saving the average student $4,400 over the
life of the loan.
Click here to calculate what this could mean for your student loans.
Doggett Speaks in Favor of Health Care for Children and Seniors
Click here to view my floor
speech about the endorsement by the Lance Armstrong Foundation of the Children’s Health and Medicare Promotion Act.
My remarks are introduced by Congressman Pete Stark, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee.
Doggett Speaks on Airline Passenger Bill of Rights
In response to increasing delays and poor service in airline travel, I
have worked with other Members of Congress to enact an Airline Passenger
Bill of Rights. This legislation requires airlines and airports to
release passengers after excessive delays, and provide passengers with
food, clean drinking water, usable bathrooms, proper ventilation and
medical care during delays. Click
here for my oped on this issue.
Fighting Crime: National Night Out
Every August, I participate in National Night Out activities throughout
Central Texas.
Click here for my op-ed, “Local Citizens and Local Law
Enforcement Fighting Crime Together”
Reform of the Alternative Minimum Tax
Congress is working on efforts to prevent 23 million middle class
Americans from being forced to pay the Alternative Minimum Tax.
Click here for my oped "AMT Unfairly
Burdens Middle Class Taxpayers"
Doggett Speaks in Favor of Lobbying Reform
Click here to view my floor speech to close loopholes that favor
"stealth lobbyists.”
Doggett Speaks in Favor of Requiring
Department of Health and Human Services to Negotiate for Lower Prescription
Drug Costs
Click
here to view my floor speech in favor of requiring the Department
of Health and Human Services to negotiate for lower prescription drug
costs.
Doggett Speaks in Favor of Increasing Minimum Wage
Click
here to view my floor speech in favor of increasing the Minimum Wage.
Doggett Speaks in Favor of Implementing 911 Committee Recommendations
Click
here to view my floor speech in favor of implementing the 911 Committee
Recommendations.
Doggett Speaks in Favor of Ethics Reforms
Click
here to view my floor speech from the first day of the new Congress.
Click here for my oped "Spring Cleaning
in Congress Started in January.
Doggett Votes Against Grossly Misnamed Patriot
Act
Click
here to view my floor speech against the renewal of the Patriot Act.
For more issues, please visit my homepage by clicking here.
