McKinley Urges Democrats to Stop Playing Politics & Lower Drug Prices

U.S. Representative David McKinley P.E. (R-W.Va.) spoke on the House floor criticizing Democrats for playing politics by combining bipartisan drug pricing solutions with controversial legislation that would prevent it from being taken up by the Senate.
H.R. 987 combines bipartisan drug pricing legislation with several contentious Obamacare related measures. McKinley's amendment would strike the controversial aspects of the bill allowing the bipartisan measures to move forward.

"Bills to lower drug prices passed the House Energy and Commerce with unanimous bipartisan support," Rep. McKinley said. "They were genuine efforts to address the most expensive component of health care, but Democrats have packaged bipartisan drug pricing solutions with controversial ideologically driven legislation that will not be taken up by the Senate."

Earlier this week the Washington Post, published an analysis of H.R. 987 that said, "Democrats are putting a political pothole in the way of bipartisan drug pricing bills." Click here to read the story.

"As the 11th most bipartisan member of the House, I recognize the importance of playing nice in the sandbox and putting good legislation before politics," Rep. McKinley said. "This combined bill fails that test. My amendment would strike the controversial parts from the bill leaving only the portions that lower the cost of prescription drugs."
McKinley is a sponsor of the Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples (CREATES) Act, which would prevent drug makers from blocking generic competitors from entering the market and driving down prices. The CREATES Act was one of the three bipartisan drug pricing bills included in H.R. 987.

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