Mary Clement will take the stage Saturday to put a human touch on the importance of Bob Clement’s fight for fair prescription drug prices.
Mary Clement is hosting a fundraising event for Clement for Senate on Saturday called “Woman to Woman: Tennessee Women United for Bob Clement.” It also happens to be Mary Clement’s birthday.
“The high cost of prescription drugs for senior citizens is a national disgrace,” Mary Clement said. “Bob Clement is going to do something about it.”
Mary Clement will recount a recent trip with her husband to Douglas Park Senior Citizens Center in Nashville.
“Bob was releasing the results of a survey he conducted on the cost of prescription drugs in Tennessee,” Mary Clement said Friday. “His survey shows that Tennessee consumers pay twice as much as consumers in Canada, Europe and Japan.
“During that press conference, a woman stood up. She had pulled her check book out of her pocketbook,” Mary Clement continued. “She added up what she had spent on prescription drugs so far this month and it was over $300.”
Women and senior citizens of Tennessee are grateful to Bob Clement for fighting for them in Washington, according to Mary Clement.
Mary will read a letter Bob received after news reports surfaced about his fight for lower prescription drug prices for seniors.
“After that press conference, Bob got a letter at his office,” Mary Clement said Friday. She plans to read part of the letter to the assembled women at the Saturday event.
The letter reads, in part, “‘Dear Sir, I have just read with much concern your article about the prices of medicine. Just yesterday, I added up my prescription drugs for the month of June and the total was $297. On a Social Security check of $933 it is very difficult some months.
“‘Thanks for doing all you can to lower the price of medicine. I appreciate you and your efforts to help the older population,’” the letter concludes.
Betty Ann Tanner and Tipper Gore will also rally the support of the women of Tennessee for Bob Clement and his fight for fair prescription drug prices, women’s healthcare, education and family issues.
“Bob Clement’s record proves his dedication and his service to the women of Tennessee,” Tanner said. “Bob Clement has fought hard on behalf of women for healthcare, family and education.”
Clement campaign officials said as a U.S. Congressman, Clement has fought for the women of Tennessee with healthcare legislation. He co-sponsored H.R. 292, the Mammogram Availability Act of 2001, requiring insurance plans to cover an annual mammogram for all women ages 40 and above. Clement signed a letter to the Defense subcommittee requesting an appropriation of $175 million to establish a Peer Reviewed Breast Cancer Research Program.
Clement supported the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 that expanded Medicare coverage to include annual mammograms for women over age 39 and triennial pap smears and pelvic exams. Clement also supported the Mammography Quality Standards Act of 1992 mandating that mammography facilities be certified, meet standards of safety and quality and undergo periodic inspections.
“These issues are not just for women,” Clement said. “These issues are important to every Tennessee family and all Americans. I am proud of my work for the security of women’s healthcare and I plan to continue that fight in the United States Senate.”
Family issues have also been a focus of Clement while in office and again in his campaign for the U.S. Senate. He supported the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 that allows family members to take time away from work to care for an ailing loved one with fear of termination or repercussion.
Bob Clement has also championed the cause of women’s education. As a former college president and co-chair of the House Education Caucus, Clement was a proud supporter of the Displaced Homemaker Self-Sufficiency Assistance Act of 1990 that authorized funding to expand and coordinate existing training and support services at the state and local levels.
Tipper Gore cited Clement’s record as a strong supporter of women's rights as a cornerstone of his candidacy.
“Bob Clement has a strong record of supporting women on issues important to us,” Tipper Gore said. “That is why it is so crucial Bob is the next Senator from Tennessee.”
She also recognized the crucial importance of women voters in this election.
“This could be a close election year and female voters in Tennessee could be the deciding factor of who represents Tennessee in the U.S. Senate, who controls the U.S. Senate and what priority is given the important issues like education, family, and women’s health policy.”
The luncheon will be held in the Tennessee Ballroom at Opryland Hotel.
Mary and Bob Clement will celebrate their 26 wedding anniversary in November. Betty Ann Tanner is the wife of U.S. Congressman John Tanner of West Tennessee.