Dear Emgage advocate,

This past weekend, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). This historic bill provides funding for clean energy investments, lowers the cost of prescription drugs and healthcare for over 13 million Americans, and seeks to lower inflation. 

With the passage of the IRA, President Biden has fulfilled a key campaign promise to lower healthcare and prescription drug prices for millions of Americans. For seniors, out-of-pocket costs will be capped at $2,000, and for those enrolled in the Affordable Care Act, insurance premiums will be lowered by $800 as the bill extends financial aid for three more years. Also, Medicare can now negotiate drug prices in an unprecedented measure to lower costs.

The IRA also makes groundbreaking investments to address the looming climate crisis. By 2030, the bill seeks to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40%. Additionally, the bill includes tax credits and rebates for individuals purchasing clean energy products like solar panels or heat pumps. It also offers a $4,000-7,500 tax credit to buy used or new electric vehicles. There’s no question that more environmental action is needed, but the IRA’s climate provisions are a necessary start. 

Emgage applauds the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. This is a pivotal culmination of decades of work to enact meaningful healthcare reforms and climate legislation. 

Emgage is hosting a panel at Netroots Nation on August 18! Emgage's CEO Wa'el Alzayat and Policy Director Iman Awad will be discussing the importance of “PUTTING HUMAN RIGHTS AT THE CENTER OF U.S. FOREIGN POLICY" at this key progressive conference.  They will be joined by Rushan Abbas, the Executive Director of Campaigns for Uyghurs, and Natasha Hall, Senior Fellow at the Center for International and Strategic Studies. 

Emgage Action continues to engage lawmakers on the Uyghur genocide. In 2020, the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act became law, imposing sanctions on those responsible for human rights abuses against the Uyghur. This past June, Representative Jim Banks (R-IN) and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced the Sanctioning Supporters of Slave Labor Act (H.R.7998 and S.4714), which imposes additional sanctions and mandates the reporting on the identities of those who have knowingly provided material support or engaged in a significant transaction related to these abuses.  To find out more about the Uyghur genocide, click here.

Sincerely, 

Iman Awad, Emgage Action Policy Director 

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