John,

Did you hear about the new poll that revealed, by more than a 2-to-1 margin, voters are more concerned that Congress won’t do enough to rein in the cost of prescription drugs than that Congress will go too far in restraining prices?¹

This new poll comes as Congress is drafting legislation that would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, which would deliver on the president’s Build Back Better plan. The House of Representatives this past week began marking up the reconciliation package. Some critical components are in the legislation (for now), but there are powerful forces that want to cut it all back.

Check out Deborah's email below sharing what steps we must take now to ensure our historic investment agenda passes Congress. Then write to your senators and representative to demand they vote "YES" and pass the most critical investments in our future since the New Deal.

Remember, we can afford these essential investments when we finally ask corporations and the wealthy to pay their fair share. Thank you for fighting for a future that includes all of us.

Nicolai Haddal
Field and Events Manager, Coalition on Human Needs

¹ http://www.protectourcare.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/DFP-Release-1.pdf

-- DEBORAH'S EMAIL --

John,

We are on the verge of passing a truly historic agenda that will lift up tens of millions of Americans, reduce childhood poverty, provide good jobs while transforming our economy towards investments in our human infrastructure and renewable energy, and reduce the cost of prescription drugs.

To underscore how difficult it is to make big changes, a handful of moderate Democrats, who previously voted to lower prescription drug prices, are now standing in the way of allowing Medicare to negotiate with pharmaceutical corporations. They’re allowing Big Pharma to call the shots instead of lowering drug prices for millions of Americans.

Join CHN and our national coalition to demand Congress pass this essential historic investment agenda. Remind them we can afford to make this investment in our people and communities when we finally reduce the cost of prescription drugs and tell the rich and the corporations to pay their fair share in taxes.

This wide-ranging legislation would finally give Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. That idea has bipartisan support in each of the 435 congressional districts and in all 50 states.¹

• Almost 9 out of 10 (86%) support giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices;
• More than 8 out of 10 (81%) believe prescription drug costs are “unreasonable”;
• Only 12% believe pharma’s argument that letting Medicare negotiate lower prices will harm innovation.

Throughout this past week, House committees have been voting on and releasing details of what's going to be in the final Build Back Better package. There are a lot of groundbreaking provisions currently proposed.

The legislation would ensure the poorest families with children can claim the full Child Tax Credit on a permanent basis; dramatically increase affordable child care; establish paid family and medical leave; provide a pathway to citizenship for immigrants including Dreamers, people fleeing violence and disaster, and essential workers, including farmworkers; continue the $500 credit for non-child dependents; make permanent the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) increase for people without dependents; close the Medicaid coverage gap to open up care to poor people now left out; provide funding for education, including free preschool and community college; and much more.

None of these provisions is guaranteed until passed by both the House and Senate.

And it only takes a very few senators or representatives to stall this groundbreaking legislation.

They are hearing plenty from Big Pharma, and from many other corporate interests trying to block fair taxation. They really need to hear from you.

Send a letter to Congress today! Tell your senators and representative: We must make this historic investment in our nation’s families.

We will not have another opportunity like this. And we can afford it when we finally ask the rich and corporations to pay their fair share in taxes.

Can you take a moment to send a letter to your senators and representative to demand these critical provisions remain in the final budget package?

Thank you for all you do to fight for working families and marginalized communities.

Deborah Weinstein
Executive Director, Coalition on Human Needs

¹ https://www.dataforprogress.org/medicare-negotiation-state-district