June 19, 2000

The Honorable Tom Bliley
Chairman
Committee on Commerce
2125 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Mr. Chairman:

In his June 9 letter to you, Speaker Hastert stated that one of his highest priorities is the expansion of the prescription drug benefit in the Medicare program, and asked that the Members of the Commerce Committee give the issue our immediate attention. He further requested that the other Committee priorities be scheduled after we have dealt with this issue. Accordingly, you postponed consideration of legislation on electric utilities.

As Ranking Members of the Committee and Subcommittee, we concur with this priority, and commend you for holding an informative hearing on the subject last week. Providing a meaningful voluntary prescription drug benefit to all people enrolled in Medicare is our priority as well. We note that a bill, H.R. 4680, introduced on June 15, was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means and our Committee. It is our understanding that the Ways and Means Committee is likely to mark up the bill this week. While this is an extremely short timetable, we stand ready to work with you to ensure this bill can receive a timely markup through regular order in the Commerce Committee.

Sincerely,

JOHN D. DINGELL
RANKING MEMBER
COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE

SHERROD BROWN
RANKING MEMBER
SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH
AND ENVIRONMENT