Washington — Senate Republicans on Sunday blocked the inclusion of a $35-a-month cap on the cost of insulin on the private market into Democrats’ economic tax and spending plans, voting in a marathon meeting on an amendment to the measure that Democrats hoped would is the passage of the final result bill.
On Saturday night, the Senate began considering more than 30 amendments to the Reducing Inflation Act, $700 billion in Democratic legislation to fight climate change, raise taxes on big companies and address rising health care costs question.
In the proposed changes to the plan, insulin, an expensive drug needed to treat diabetes, is capped at $35 a month. Seven Republican senators voted with all 50 Democrats to keep price caps in legislation: Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Mississippi Cindy Hyde-Smith of Alaska, John F. Kennedy of Louisiana, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Dan Sullivan of Alaska.
Still, by a 57-43 vote, the provision failed to get the 60 votes needed to drop the special budget rule and include it in the bill.house pass There was a similar cap on insulin prices in April.
Democrats hope to pass their overall legislative package on Sunday, allowing the House of Representatives to briefly return to Washington for approval this week. Its passage would give President Biden and congressional Democrats a key victory ahead of the midterm elections as they struggle to maintain control of Congress.
The legislation is the culmination of months of negotiations over Mr Biden’s domestic policy plan, which at times appeared to be dead. surprise announcement A deal between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Joe Manchin, a moderate Democrat from West Virginia.
Democrats hailed the plan as their answer to inflation and their nearly $400 billion investment in fighting climate change. The package allows Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, extend enhanced Medicare subsidies that were due to expire at the end of the year, and impose a 15% minimum tax on companies with annual revenue of more than $1 billion.
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 $4 billion for drought relief.
