Millions of Americans are struggling to keep up with the rapidly rising cost of prescription drugs. Last year, nearly 20% of skipped doses were due to the high costs alone. And Americans are now spending nearly twice as much on prescription drugs as they did two decades ago. This is unacceptable.

This week I voted to pass H.R. 987, the Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs act.

This bipartisan bill:  

• Helps lower-priced generic drugs get to market faster
• Reinforces the protections for people with pre-existing conditions
• Expands enrollment in quality, affordable coverage to more Americans

Brand-name drug manufacturers can enter into a “pay-for-delay” agreement in which the brand-name manufacturer pays the generic manufacturer to delay bringing a generic equivalent to market, significantly hurting consumers.  This bill makes these “pay-for-delay” agreements illegal.

This bill also reinforces protections for people with pre-existing conditions by revoking the Trump Administration’s rule that promotes the sale of junk plans, which discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions and do not cover essential benefits. 

I'll work to push my colleagues in the Senate to swiftly take up this necessary legislation.

Also this week:

• I was proud to vote for historic legislation to extend federal anti-discrimination protections to LGBTQ Americans, which will protect so many of our friends and neighbors in South Florida

• The Committee on Oversight and Reform demanded accountability from TransDigm, a defense contracting company that is egregiously swindling taxpayer money

• Representatives Donna Shalala, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell and I requested an investigation into the Homestead facility where unaccompanied youth are detained

• The Appropriations Committee approved the FY 2020 State and Foreign Operations Funding Bill, which reverses Trump’s Global Gag Rule and increases support for conservation & environmental programs

• We held a hearing on combating white supremacist hate crimes and domestic terror

I want to end with a note of congratulations to Florida 23rd's own Jamie Rhome, who was honored as a 2019 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal finalist for creating a new forecasting model and warning system that better predicts storm surges caused by hurricanes.

And for all the moms - members of the Moms in the House Caucus filmed a special Mother's Day video for you. You can watch it here.

It is an honor to represent you in Congress.

Sincerely,


Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Member of Congress