Congressional Record—Senate S4706
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S4706 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE July 9, 2019 families if Washington mostly stays season. Some are hit by balls; others on all 30 Major League Baseball teams out of the way. are injured trying to escape being hit to extend the protective netting to the We needed the Federal Government by a ball. This is far too many. right- and left-field corners. to stop creating so many economic On May 29, a 2-year-old girl was hit Folks who complain that extending headwinds and start creating a few by a foul ball at Houston’s Minute the safety netting to the foul poles will tailwinds. So we achieved historic tax Maid Park. She suffered bleeding, create an obstructed view ignore the reform, major regulatory reform, and bruises, and brain contusions from the obvious—right now, the most expensive all kinds of economic policies geared ball’s impact. Her skull was fractured. seats in baseball are behind the nets, toward helping workers and middle- She continues to suffer seizures. and people don’t complain. It is some- class families earn more and then send What makes her injuries even more thing you get used to, and you can get less to the IRS. disturbing is that they likely could used to the safety of it as well. We The way Republicans see it, these have been prevented had the safety should be reminded that the most ex- ideas are actually no-brainers. So as netting behind homeplate been ex- pensive and popular seats have been be- long as you believe in the promise and tended. hind netting for decades. potential of American workers and Cubs outfielder Albert Almora, who In 2002, a 13-year-old girl named small businesses, this is clearly the hit the ball, was so devastated by the Brittanie Cecil died after being struck way to go, and the results continue to little girl’s injuries that he could bare- in the head by a hockey puck at a Na- speak for themselves. ly speak. One will never forget the tional Hockey League game in Colum- image of his head bowed, crying, when bus, OH. The National Hockey League f he saw the damage that was done to responded quickly, ordering protective RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME this innocent little 2-year-old girl by a netting behind the goal. Major League The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under foul ball that he hit. Baseball should show equal concern for the previous order, the leadership time What did he say afterward? ‘‘I want its fans. is reserved. to put a net around the whole sta- Ensuring the safety of fans at base- dium.’’ ball stadiums is a tradition that f In the weeks following, we have seen stretches back to 1879, when the Provi- CONCLUSION OF MORNING more injuries in the stands. On June 10, dence Grays put up a screen behind BUSINESS a woman was struck by a line drive at homeplate to shield fans from the area Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago. Two that was called ‘‘the slaughter pen’’ at The PRESIDING OFFICER. Morning weeks later, a young woman was hit by that time. business is closed. a foul ball at Dodger Stadium in Los The increasing number of fans hit by f Angeles. balls makes it clear that new safety EXECUTIVE SESSION A survey by the polling organization standards are needed at ballparks. FiveThirtyEight found that 14,000 more Today, we will see Major League foul balls were hit in 2018 than 1998, and Baseball’s finest players at the All- EXECUTIVE CALENDAR there is just no way—no way—for fans Star game. Baseball fans deserve the to entirely protect themselves. Here best too. I urge Commissioner Manfred The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under come these baseballs at 105 miles an and all baseball teams to extend safety the previous order, the Senate will pro- hour off the bat. Even if you are watch- netting at Major League Baseball ceed to executive session and resume ing it intently, you just can’t protect parks to the foul poles. Let’s not wait consideration of the following nomina- yourself or the people you love who are until next season. Increasing fan safety tion, which the clerk will report. watching the game with you. Bryant is a win for everyone. The senior assistant legislative clerk Gumbel made that point on his cable PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS read the nomination of Daniel Aaron TV show on this very subject. Madam President, if you ask the Bress, of California, to be United If fans can’t do more, baseball teams American people about issues they States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Cir- can. In 2017, after a child was hit by a truly care about, let them volunteer cuit. line drive at Yankee Stadium in New what they think about, what they The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen- York, I wrote a letter to Major League worry about, the No. 1 item on the list ator from Illinois. Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred. I is the cost of prescription drugs. MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PARK SAFETY urged the league to extend safety net- We all know the problem. You reach Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, if ting at all Major League Baseball sta- a point where you need a drug or some- you are a baseball fan, and many of us diums past the home plate to the far one in your family needs a drug, and are, this is a big day—the day of the edge of each dugout. To their credit, then you face the reality of what it is All-Star game. the league did exactly that. going to cost. If you are lucky, and you I would like to spend just a few mo- It is now clear, however, that is not have a good health insurance plan, it ments reflecting on an important issue enough. The little girl at Minute Maid covers the cost—no worries—but for for the fans of baseball across America. Park was 10 feet beyond current net- many people, that is not the case. They Thirty-five million people every year ting. have copays and deductibles or some- enjoy one of America’s great summer In June, the Chicago White Sox be- times no real coverage when it comes experiences—seeing a game at a Major came the first Major League Baseball to the cost of prescription drugs. League Baseball park. Fans join their team to announce it is going to extend Of course, the prices of these drugs friends and family to eat hot dogs, netting to the foul poles. Let me tip are way beyond our control. You go to nachos, peanuts, and so much more. We my hat to Jerry Reinsdorf, the owner a drugstore, and you are shocked to sing the national anthem together at of the Chicago White Sox, for leading learn that what sounded like a great the start of the game and ‘‘Take Me the way with this safety measure. The idea in the doctor’s office turns out to Out to the Ball Game’’ at the seventh Washington Nationals, the Texas Rang- be a very expensive idea at the cash inning stretch, a tradition started by a ers, and the Pittsburgh Pirates are all register. For some people, it is an in- man named Harry Caray in a place planning to do the same, and the Los convenience, an annoyance, but for called Wrigley Field. Angeles Dodgers are conducting a other people, it is a burden they just Some—the more dedicated fans— study before making a protective strat- can’t bear. They can’t pay the cost. It keep scorecards of home runs, RBIs, egy permanent. is just too much. and earned run averages. Sadly, there I commend all these clubs for their Some of these drugs are just not is another statistic that has been see- leadership and commitment to fan minor additions to your life; they may ing more and more attention lately— safety, but I think we need more. We be matters of life and death. In those injuries to fans. need a leaguewide standard. circumstances, what are you to do? A Bloomberg report from 2014 esti- Last month, my colleague from Illi- I am reminded of people I have met mated 1,750 fans suffer injuries in nois, Senator TAMMY DUCKWORTH, and I across my State of Illinois as I have Major League Baseball parks every wrote to Commissioner Manfred calling talked about this issue. One group VerDate Sep 11 2014 23:35 Jul 09, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G09JY6.002 S09JYPT1 July 9, 2019 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S4707 stands out because there are many of GRASSLEY last year. Think about this. has to tell the cost of the drug. Well, them—people who are suffering from Have you ever seen an ad for drugs on that is progress—a rule in that direc- diabetes. television? If your answer is no, it is tion. Of course, they know that using insu- because you obviously don’t own a tele- Do you know what happened yester- lin and taking care of themselves is the vision. You can’t turn it on without day? In a Federal court hearing in way to have a good, normal life, but it seeing a drug ad, right? And if you Washington, the judge struck down turns out that the cost of insulin has watch during the day, when many sen- that rule. The judge said: Congress, gone up dramatically.