John,

Last week, American Action Network, a dark money, GOP super PAC funded by pharmaceutical companies launched dishonest attack ads against me for my work to lower prescription drug costs. This is a fight that is personal to me, so I hope you'll let me take a moment to explain why these attacks are so deeply frustrating.

When I was sixteen years old, I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Like the other 1.6 million people in this country with Type 1 diabetes, I depend upon insulin to stay alive. However, in the last 20 years, the price of insulin has skyrocketed -- jumping from $40 a vial to upwards of $300 with nothing -- nothing -- to justify this price hike.

Now, I'm one of the lucky ones. I have insurance that helps pay the cost of my insulin. But many of the families I cared for as a pediatrician struggled to afford the medications they relied on. So they'd ration their medication, cut pills in half, or skip taking them altogether. Now, if Americans didn't pay, on average, 3-4 times what people in other wealthy countries pay for their medications, my patients would not have to cut or skip doses.

We need fair pricing, because the best medications in the world won't help if you can't afford to buy them. And the skyrocketing cost of insulins, Humira, and epi-pens simply defies explanation. That is price gouging.

So I said, enough is enough.

No one should have to choose between putting food on the table and paying for the medication they need. That's why, when I ran for Congress, I promised to take on the soaring price of prescription drugs. And that's exactly what I've been doing.

I've fought in Congress to keep pharmaceutical companies from raising prices faster than the rate of inflation, to bring cheaper generic drugs to market sooner, and to give Medicare the power to negotiate better prices for all of us. I'll continue fighting until every family can afford the medication they need.

These attack ads are part of a $4 million dollar campaign, and we know this is only the beginning. Dark money groups will do and spend whatever it takes to replace me with a representative who will put their corporate interests before the needs of families in our district. Unlike them, I don't accept corporate PAC money -- I'm counting on you to help me fight back.

Will you chip in $5 or more before our mid-month fundraising deadline to help me fight back against these GOP attacks and keep me in Congress fighting to lower the cost of prescription drugs?

Thank you,

Kim