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Washington – Senate Republicans on Sunday blocked a $35-a-month cap on the cost of insulin on the private market from being included in Democrats’ tax-and-spend package, voting down an amendment to the measure during a marathon session that led to what they hope the Democrats to be final passage of the bill.
The Senate on Saturday night began consideration of more than 30 amendments to the Inflation Reduction Act, the $700 billion Democratic legislation aimed at fighting climate change, raising taxes on big corporations and tackling rising health care costs. care.
Among the proposed changes to the plan was to cap insulin, the expensive drug needed to treat diabetes, at $35 per month. Seven Republican senators voted with all 50 Democrats to keep the price cap in the legislation: Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Cindy Hyde Smith of Mississippi, John Kennedy of Louisiana, Lisa Murkowski from Alaska and Dan Sullivan. of Alaska.
However, by a vote of 57 to 43, the provision failed to garner the 60 votes needed to remove the special budget rules and be included in the bill. Home passed similar cap on insulin price in April.
Democrats hope to clear their overall legislative package on Sunday, setting up the House to return to Washington briefly this week to pass it. His vote would give President Biden and congressional Democrats a major victory ahead of the midterm elections, when they work to retain control of Congress.
The legislation is the culmination of months of negotiations over Mr. Biden’s domestic policy plan, which at times appeared dead but was revived late last month by surprise announcement agreement between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Joe Manchin, a moderate Democrat from West Virginia.
Democrats are praising the plan as their answer to tackling inflation and investing nearly $400 billion to fight climate change. The package allows Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, extends enhanced health insurance subsidies that expire at the end of the year, and imposes a 15% minimum tax on companies making more than $1 billion each year.
To boost clean energy, the measure includes tax credits for the purchase of electric vehicles and the construction of solar panels and wind turbines. It also provides rebates for consumers who buy energy-efficient appliances and provides $4 billion for drought relief.
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