While Congress is rightfully focused on the war in Iraq and ensuring that we are prepared for potential terrorist attacks at home, we must not lose sight of important domestic priorities. As a nurse, I know these priorities include attaining a Medicare prescription drug for our seniors.

Recently, I joined 20 of my centrist Democratic colleagues to introduce the Medicare Rx Now Act of 2003, a bill to create a universal, affordable prescription drug benefit under Medicare. This common sense plan is an important first step in providing a universal benefit for our seniors that is fiscally responsible and achievable.

The Medicare Rx Now Act of 2003 provides a prescription drug benefit within existing Medicare Part B coverage by offering universal benefits through an enhanced drug benefit for beneficiaries with more than $4,000 in total drug costs (rather than out-of-pocket expenses), a benefit for low-income seniors with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level and the use of Medicare-approved prescription drug card plans that will provide anywhere from 10 to 30 percent in savings.

In addition, this proposal delivers eligibility for all Medicare Part B recipients and does not increase premiums. In regard to cost, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the price of this proposal at $367 billion.

The unveiling of this plan comes on the heels of my own bill, The Pharmaceutical Fiscal Accountability Act, which I reintroduced last month. My bill increases competition while lowering costs and helping generic drugs get to the market quicker.

Similar to my own bill, the Medicare Rx Now Act of 2003 places a strong emphasis on generic drugs as well as an individual's personal financial situation. Most importantly, this bill is a guaranteed prescription drug benefit under Medicare, not through private insurers.

The gridlock in Congress on this issue must end. Long Island seniors have waited too long for the prescription drug coverage they deserve. Congress needs to act now.

Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy (NY-4) announced Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola was awarded a $252,390 grant from the National Institutes of Health for Heart and Vascular Research.

Funds from this grant are intended to foster research and prevention, education, and control activities related to heart and vascular diseases and to develop young scientist investigators in these areas.

"This grant will help continue the great tradition of medical research at Winthrop," said McCarthy. "The work being done in this critical area of medical study may save lives some day down the road."

NIH will award approximately $1.2 billion in Heart and Vascular Diseases Research grants in 2003.

Anyone with questions about federal, state or private grants, please call Robert Recklaus in McCarthy's Washington, D.C. office at (202) 225-5516 or send him an e-mail at robert.recklaus@mail.house.gov.