Rep. Chip Roy On H.R. 987 And The Day's Healthcare Events

Statement

Rep. Chip Roy released the following statement Thursday evening regarding H.R. 987, the Strengthening Health Care And Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act, and the day's healthcare events:

"If Democrats were serious about fixing our broken healthcare system, they'd have a real debate about the problems. What did we see today?

We watched a hearing that, instead of focusing on problems with patent length or loopholes, was centered around shaming drug manufacturers, which make life-saving drugs and pharmaceutical breakthroughs, for making profits in a capitalist society. It is reasonable to ask question about when patents expire and when they should expire. It is reasonable to have a debate about the issues. That is not at all what we witnessed.

We also saw a show vote for a bill, named "the Strengthening Health Care And Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act." Let me be clear: I want to talk about lowering prescription drugs, I want to debate this issue, but I could not vote for the bill, which Democrats threw together. To make matters worse, it was riddled with language that aims to bolster and strengthen Obamacare--a failed piece of legislation that has done everything to raise healthcare costs on the American people. This bill was another political ploy by the Democrats, and I cannot support that.

If we wanted to lower drug prices, health care costs, expand access to care, and restore choice to the healthcare marketplace, I'd suggest we focus on direct primary care, enhancing competition, providing robust options, and restoring healthcare freedom back to all Americans​."

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