Skip to main content

DPCC COCHAIRS APPLAUD UPCOMING VOTE ON ‘LOWER DRUG COSTS NOW ACT’

December 5, 2019

Cicilline, Cartwright, Dingell, Lieu: Landmark Legislation to Empower Medicare to Negotiate Lower Drug Prices is Cornerstone of House Democrats’ Work For The People Already this Year, House Democrats Have Passed 10 Bills to Strengthen and Protect Affordable Healthcare

Image
DPCC New Logo

WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) Chairman David Cicilline (RI-01) and Co-Chairs Matt Cartwright (PA-08), Debbie Dingell (MI-12) and Ted Lieu (CA-33) applauded news today that House Democrats will continue delivering on a cornerstone of their For the People Agenda by bringing the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drugs Costs Now Act to the floor for a vote next week. Already this year, House Democrats have passed 10 bills to protect people with pre-existing conditions, reverse health care sabotage and lower prescription drug costs. The Lower Drugs Costs Now Act will build on that work by giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices, and make those prices available to Americans with private insurance as well as Medicare beneficiaries.

"In every single corner of our country, working men and women are struggling with the high cost of prescription drugs. But one of the very first things Donald Trump did in office was to give the big pharmaceutical companies and their CEOs a massive tax cut. He's putting his wealthy campaign donors first. Democrats are fighting For The People," said Cicilline. "Next week, the House will pass the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act. This is a bill that truly benefits working people. By passing this bill, we will give Medicare the ability to negotiate lower drug prices. We will reinvest the savings generated to strengthen Medicare for the first time in decades. And we will deliver on our promise to lower prescription drug costs For The People."

"It's unfair that lifesaving prescription medicines cost nearly four times as much in America," said Cartwright. "This inequity has put too many American families into debt or robbed them of their life savings. We are, therefore, taking decisive action to enable Medicare to negotiate with big pharmaceutical companies, which will help lower drug prices for our nation's older adults and individuals with disabilities, as well as all Americans with private insurance. This is a common-sense solution to one of our biggest health care crises."

"Too many hardworking men and women are forced to choose between groceries or their prescriptions. These are choices no one should be forced to make," said Dingell. "This landmark legislation would drastically change and transform the prices pharmaceutical companies can charge for critical medications. We are delivering in the first step to lower prescription drug prices For the People."

"Lowering the cost of prescription drugs is essential. No one should go broke trying to pay for lifesaving medication," said Lieu. "Next week's vote is the House Majority delivering on a promise to lower health care costs for Americans and I'm proud of this momentous step."

FOR THE PEOPLE BY THE NUMBERS:
(As of November 15, 2019. Bills only, resolutions not included.)

  • The House has passed nearly 400 bills this Congress as Democrats continue to deliver For The People.
  • But more than 300 bills, or 80% of the bills the House has passed, are stuck in the Senate.
  • Most of the bills that are stalled in the Senate - more than 275 - are bipartisan.
  • Bipartisan legislation stalled in the Senate includes bills to:
    • Give American workers a long overdue raise by raising the minimum wage and making sure women are paid fairly for their work.
    • Protect the retirement of Americans who worked hard all their lives.
    • Enact gun safety background checks.
    • Cut taxes for Gold Star families.
    • Protect consumers from being ripped off by fine print contracts.
    • Protect people with pre-existing conditions, reverse health care sabotage & lower drug costs.
    • Support veterans (more than 30 bills).

# # #