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Congressman Kildee Supports House Bill to Lower Cost of Prescription Drugs

May 16, 2019

Democratically-Controlled House Passes Legislation to Make Prescription Drugs More Affordable, Lower Cost of Health Care

Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05), Chief Deputy Whip of the House Democratic Caucus, today applauded passage of H.R. 987, the Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act, which would help to rein in the soaring costs of health care and prescription drugs. This bill would help pave the way for generic prescription drugs to come into the market sooner, which can significantly lower costs for consumers.

"Michiganders are paying too much out-of-pocket for their prescription drugs. No one should ever have to choose between taking their medication, putting food on the table or paying their rent. I am proud to support this legislation to help generic drugs get introduced to the marketplace sooner, meaning greater competition and lower costs. While this bill is a start, Congress should continue looking for ways to make prescription drugs more affordable. I urge the U.S. Senate to take up this legislation right away," Congressman Kildee said.

Year-over-year, the prices of prescription drugs in the United States continue to go up, often rapidly. Recent data show that 24 percent of Americans didn't fill a prescription in the past year due to the high costs. In addition, 19 percent of Americans said they skipped a dose or cut pills in half in the previous year because of the high costs.

H.R. 987 would also restore funding for Affordable Care Act outreach and enrollment efforts, which are critical to ensure Americans know about their healthcare options. Congressman Kildee introduced legislation in February that was included in H.R. 987 to provide funding to educate Americans about open enrollment dates, coverage options and financial support available to the public.

The passage of the Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act today in the House is the latest action by a new Democratic majority to make Congress work for the people. In recent weeks, A Democratically-elected House acted to pass other key pieces of legislation, including:

  • H.R. 1, the For the People Act, to expand voting rights for Americans, reduce the dominance of big money in politics, and ensure that public officials work for the people, not special interests.
  • H.R. 8, Bipartisan Background Checks Act, long-overdue gun violence prevention legislation that requires background checks for gun sales and transfers to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and bad actors.
  • H.R. 7, the Pay Check Fairness Act, which strengthens and closes loopholes in existing law, including the 1963 Equal Pay Act, to help ensure that women and men get paid the same if they are doing the same work.
  • H.J. Res 46, a privileged resolution to terminate President Trump's national emergency declaration to illegally fund his border wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
  • H.R. 1585, the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which seeks to end instances of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking by improving law enforcement response to violence and funding local programs to support victims.
  • H.R. 1644, the Save the Internet Act, which restores net neutrality protections, ensuring that the internet is open to all Americans and free from interference.
  • H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act, which requires the Trump Administration to remain in the Paris Climate Accord, a global effort to combat climate change and its impacts.
  • H.R. 986, the Protecting Americans with Pre-Existing Conditions Act, which helps to protect families from predatory junk insurance plans that do not offer comprehensive health care coverage, including coverage for pre-existing conditions.
Issues:Local Issues