Following the U.S. House of Representatives’  passage of H.R. 3, the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, Iowa Democratic Party Chair Troy Price released the following statement:

“This is a massive victory for working families across Iowa and a testament to Reps. Cindy Axne, Abby Finkenauer, and Dave Loebsack’s tireless work. Skyrocketing prescription drug costs are nothing short of a crisis, yet Donald Trump has chosen to side with pharmaceutical executives and allowed prices to climb even higher. While Trump continues to abandon working Iowans, Democrats are showing what real public service looks like.”

BACKGROUND ON TRUMP’S BROKEN PROMISES ON DRUG PRICES

Promise: Trump repeatedly called for Medicare to be able to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to lower drug prices.

  • “Like for instance, drugs with Medicare they don’t bid them out. They don’t bid them. They pay like this wholesale incredible number, hundreds of — they say like $300 billion could be saved, if we bid them out. We don’t do it. Why? Because of the drug companies, folks.” [Campaign Rally, Farmington, NH, 1/25/16]

  • “We’re going to change our whole purchasing procedure. For instance, the purchase of drugs. The drug companies have a tremendously powerful lobby. We don’t negotiate properly. We would save so much money with proper negotiation.” [Campaign Rally, Charlotte NC, 10/14/16]

  • “The other thing we have to do is create new bidding procedures for the drug industry, because they’re getting away with murder, pharma. Pharma has a lot of lobbies, a lot of lobbyists, a lot of power. And there’s very little bidding on drugs.” [Press Conference, New York NY, 1/11/17]

Reality: Less than two weeks into his term, Trump abandoned his campaign pledge and capitulated to drug companies’ demands after a single meeting with pharmaceutical lobbyists.

  • Vox: “After Meeting With Pharma Lobbyists, Trump Drops Promise To Negotiate Drug Prices”

  • The Washington Post: “President Trump will break another promise Friday afternoon when he unveils his plan for lowering the cost of prescription drugs, backing off his campaign trial pledge to use the government’s power to negotiate them for Medicare. And that means he’s selling out to the drug companies, according to none other than Trump himself.”

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