Back from Washington D.C., United States Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy recently discussed the issues she will continue to fight for on the federal level. Among them are gun safety and healthcare.

Fighting the high costs of prescription drug prices may be an uphill battle, but the congresswoman vows something needs to be done, especially when it comes to senior citizens who may be jeapardizing their health because of the astronomical costs of prescription drugs. "Many seniors aren't taking their medication because they can't afford it," McCarthy said.

In a 1999 study prepared for McCarthy by the minority staff of the Committee on Government Reform, it stated that older Americans pay inflated prices for commonly used drugs. Take Zocor, which is manufactured by Merck and is used to control cholesterol, for instance. The study points out that the average price for drug manufacturers' favored customers, including large insurance companies, HMOs and certain federal government purchasers is $27. However, the average price of the same drug for Long Island seniors is $102.38, a 278 percent difference.

In addition, in a press release from March, McCarthy stated that many women on Long Island with breast cancer pay extremely high prices for lifesaving prescription drugs. The findings of the study, "Pricing of Breast Cancer Drugs on Long Island," reveal price discrimination by drug manufacturers which forces Long Island woman to pay inflated prices for breast cancer drugs, the press release said. Drug manufacturers, not pharmacists, are primarily responsible for the high prices charged, the study said.

"They [the drug companies] spend more on advertising than they do on research and development," McCarthy said.

The Congresswoman, therefore, is hoping for a plan to be passed next session that will gives those on Medicare buying power to purchase their drugs at the same low price that HMOs and veterans enjoy.

"Healthcare should not be a money making business," she said.

McCarthy said she will fight for a plan that would create a guaranteed Medicare benefit for prescription drugs and also supports a plan that offers seniors a choice of affordable drugs, with no annual deductible required for those drugs.

Another one of the issues Congresswoman McCarthy will fight for is campaign finance reform. She said she believes in full disclosure when it comes to contributions made to groups who don't have to, by law, disclose who their donors are. One rich company or special interest group can dump millions and millions of dollars into attack ads aimed at influencing the political process for their own gains, according to McCarthy's office.

"I believe in full disclosure," McCarthy said. "People could see where monies are coming from."

Full disclosure would reveal what groups or corporations are behind certain political "attack ads," and would possibly prevent certain biases from affecting the political process, according to McCarthy's office.

Congresswoman McCarthy applauded New York State Governor George Pataki for helping to pass legislation that will tighten up on gun safety in New York. However, McCarthy said she will work toward having some of New York's initiatives on the federal level. Arms are still coming in from states with weaker laws, she said.

McCarthy was recently successful, however, in helping Congress defeat an amendment that would have prevented the Department of Justice from expending any funds related to its agreement with gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson. The agreement states that guns will have child safety locks; smart gun technology will be funded to prevent gun accidents; guns cannot be marketed to children; background checks must be performed on all sales; and gun stores must secure guns and ammunition to prevent their theft. The amendment, she said, had it passed, would have been a blow to gun safety on the federal level.

Congresswoman McCarthy said childcare is going to be a big issue in the next election and hopes a children's day care and safety improvement act will pass both houses this year. The bill would authorize the Department of Health and Human Services to issue grants to states in an effort to improve the health and safety of children in child care. The amount of the grants would figure to be $200 million for the fiscal year 2001.

The money given to the states can be used for everything from improving day care centers to doing background checks on childcare providers. States can also train and educate childcare providers to prevent injuries and illness; strengthen and enforce child care provider licensing, regulation and registration; reinforce child care providers' ability to serve children with disabilities; conduct criminal background checks on child care providers; and provide information to help parents choose a safe and healthy setting.

"Day care is so hard to find and we have to make sure it is safe and educational," McCarthy said.

For more information on the issues, Congresswoman McCarthy is working toward, you can visit Congress' web site at www.house.gov, then click on her name. Also, you can email her at www.house.gov/writerep/.