Dear Colleague on Democrats’ Health Care Progress For The People

Dear Democratic Colleague,

This holiday season, as we wish everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year, Democrats can take great pride in the progress that we have made to advance the good health of the American people.

Good health is nothing to be taken for granted, and this was driven home to us this weekend when the news of John Lewis's sad diagnosis descended upon us. John is an angel among us, and now the whole world is praying for him. He always reminds us of the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr: "Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and most inhumane."

That is why our Democratic House proudly took transformative action to lower prescription drug prices for America's seniors and families by passing H.R. 3: the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act. We applaud our Chairs, Frank Pallone, Richie Neal and Bobby Scott, our outstanding Freshman Class and all Members for their leadership on this legislation, which delivers on our For The People promise to lower health care costs by lowering the crushing burden of prescription drug prices that impacts almost every family in America.

Americans should not have to pay more for our medicines than what Big Pharma charges for the same drugs overseas – and that is why we are proud that H.R. 3 finally gives Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices and makes those lower prices available to millions of Americans with private insurance. H.R. 3 represents the most expansive improvement to Medicare since its creation, as we reinvest more than half-a-trillion dollars in historic new vision, dental and hearing benefits for Medicare.

Our historic H.R. 3 legislation stands among the many acts of Congress that we have sent over to the Senate to lower health care costs, strengthen access to health care and protect people with pre-existing conditions.

Our challenge is a great one, because at every turn, President Trump and his Republican allies in the Congress have worked to sabotage the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and dismantle the pre-existing condition benefit for 130 million Americans. The Trump Administration continues to firmly support the recent ruling in the 5th Circuit, which they hope will move them one step closer to obliterating every protection and benefit of the Affordable Care Act.

The grave threat from this GOP lawsuit is why, on Day One of this Congress, under the leadership of Congressman Colin Allred, we voted to throw the full legal weight of the House of Representatives into the fight to protect people with pre-existing conditions. We will continue our fight in the courts and in the Congress to defend and strengthen affordable health care for all Americans.

When we return to Washington, our priority will be to continue a drumbeat across America to press the President and the GOP Senate to pass the Lower Drug Costs Now Act into law. And we also look forward to ending the financial unfairness of surprise billing, which has bipartisan support in the Congress and among the American people.

Best wishes to you and your loved ones for a glorious Holiday Season and a Healthy and Happy New Year.

Thank you for your leadership and friendship.