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 against an amendment to the measure during a marathon session that will lead to what Democrats hope for. be the final approval of the bill.
On Saturday night, the Senate began considering more than 30 amendments to the Inflation Reduction Act, a $700 billion piece of legislation from Democrats that aims to fight climate change, raise taxes on big corporations and address rising health care costs.
Among the proposed changes to the plan was setting a $35-a-month limit on insulin, the expensive medication needed to treat diabetes. Seven Republican senators voted with the 50 Democrats to keep the price ceiling 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 of Alaska and Dan Sullivan. from alaska
Still, on a 57-43 vote, the provision fell short of the 60 votes needed to waive special budget rules and make it into the bill. The House past a similar cap on the price of insulin 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. Its approval would be a key victory for President Biden and congressional Democrats 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 with the surprise announcement of a deal between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Joe Manchin, a moderate Democrat from West Virginia.
Democrats are praising the plan as their answer to tackling inflation and their investment of nearly $400 billion in the fight against climate change. The package allows Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, extends enhanced health insurance subsidies that were set to expire at the end of the year, and imposes a minimum tax of 15% on corporations earning more than $1 billion. dollars every year.
To promote clean energy, the measure includes tax credits for the purchase of electric vehicles and the manufacture of solar panels and wind turbines. It also offers rebates to consumers who buy energy-efficient appliances and provides $4 billion for drought relief.
