Legislative Program

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, I rise for the purpose of inquiring of the majority leader the schedule for next week. I yield to my friend, the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), to talk about the schedule for next week.

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Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for that update. As it relates to tomorrow's schedule, as the gentleman from Maryland said, it could be fluid, depending on how the CR is processed in the Senate. If the CR does not pass the Senate tonight, are there bills that are specifically designated to come up tomorrow, or is that a to-be- determined issue?

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Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for that update.

As it relates to the debt ceiling, we had a discussion a few weeks ago relating to the debt ceiling. Would there be a bipartisan negotiation? We haven't had that so far. Is there anticipation that there would be a plan to try to engage both sides in a negotiation on the debt ceiling, or is this something that we are just going to have to wait to see next week?

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Mr. SCALISE. Well, then we will see what develops from that discussion.

As it relates to the National Defense Authorization Act, and as the gentleman pointed out, we are aware there are bipartisan negotiations between both the House and Senate, Republicans and Democrats.

I share the hope and expectation that they can come to an agreement. There are a few final details that both sides are trying to work out. I think they have already agreed, which we both share, that our troops deserve a pay raise, need a pay raise, and that number has been agreed to.

Hopefully, that is part of this, as well as the proper funding levels for our Nation's defense as we see threats emerging throughout the world. We also know the detriment of not having proper defense funding because they can't enter into the contracts that are necessary.

Both of those conversations seem to be, from what we are hearing, going well. Hopefully, that is a bill that can come to the floor next week, and we can all come together to help pass that.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman for any comments.

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Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, there are two specific pieces of legislation I would like to ask the gentleman to look at.

One is, by the end of the year, as you know, there are some potential cuts coming to entities like Medicare if Congress doesn't take action. There is a bipartisan bill that members of the Doctors Caucus and other members of the Committee on Energy and Commerce and other committees of jurisdiction have worked on. It is H.R. 6020. That would stave off those cuts to our healthcare providers.

It would need to be passed by the end of the year--otherwise, those cuts would automatically kick in--if the gentleman could take a look at that bill and see if that is something we could do in a bipartisan way before we leave for the year.

Another would be, you and I have had this conversation successfully on other legislation dealing with ALS. The Steve Gleason Act was one of those; there are others. I have spoken to Steve Gleason recently. There is a piece of legislation that we were able to work on that got out of the Committee on Energy and Commerce unanimously. It is H.R. 3537, the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies for ALS Act.

I would just ask if the gentleman could look at that bill.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman.

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Mr. SCALISE. Well, that would be great news to so many people across the country.

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Mr. SCALISE. I yield to the gentleman.

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Mr. SCALISE. Madam Speaker, I share that sentiment the gentleman had, and hopefully, we can achieve those bipartisan victories.

As you mentioned, H.R. 3537 would be a tremendous victory for people who struggle with ALS to continue to seek out new therapies and be able to live their lives in the best way possible. I appreciate the gentleman's past efforts as well as the offer to bring that bill to the floor next week.

Madam Speaker, if the gentleman doesn't have anything else, I thank the gentleman, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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