Folks,

I wanted to make sure you saw the good news – over the weekend, the Senate passed the Inflation Reduction Act!

This is a historic, game-changing bill that meets the greatest challenges of the moment. It is the most impactful step we’ve taken against climate change in American history. It will lower the cost of skyrocketing prescription drugs. It invests in unleashing domestic energy production to bring down gas prices and power bills. And it’s all more than paid for by making our tax system more fair – it’s going to slash our deficit by over $300 billion.

The law also contains some great provisions for Virginia, like extending funding for the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund – a critical resource for miners and their families that rely on benefits after facing mining-related disease. I’ve been championing this for years, and I’m so proud we were able to get it across the finish line.

After a marathon overnight voting session to get this done, I’ve finally gotten a full night’s sleep and am back to work for Virginia – because while this was a great bill, a lot of work remains. Unfortunately, my Republican colleagues objected to an incredibly important provision that would have capped insulin copays at $35/month, no matter what insurance you’re on, and voted it out of the bill. While this provision will apply for everyone on Medicare, that’s leaving a lot of folks out. This is something I’ll work to keep championing, because as the father of a Type 1 diabetic, I know firsthand that folks need relief from these skyrocketing costs.

I’m so proud of everything we got done and I’m ready to keep fighting for the issues that matter to Virginians. I’ll keep working to make change and pass laws that improve lives. If you ever want to share your thoughts about an issue that’s important to you, you can send me an email any time using the form on my Senate website. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,