Thread by @MorePerfectUS

Why did Democrats who once supported allowing the government to cut prescription costs by negotiating drug prices with Big Pharma turn around and try to block it?

We followed the money trail behind @RepKathleenRice, @RepSchrader, and @RepScottPeters's reversal. Thread:

Last week, the House Energy & Commerce Committee voted against a provision in @POTUS's reconciliation bill that would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices. Democrats Rice, Schrader, and Peters cast the deciding 'no' votes — defying their constituents' wishes:

Per @DataProgress, *over 90% of voters* in Rice, Schrader, and Peters' districts want drug price reform. Nationwide, drug price reform is incredibly popular across partisan lines — 82% of Republicans, 84% of Independents, and 90% of Democrats support it.

https://twitter.com/DataProgress/status/1437817437752373257

And it's not just Rice, Schrader, and Peters' voters who support drug price reform — the representatives themselves all supported it as recently as 2019, when they voted in favor of an identical drug price reform measure in HR3. Here's what they said about it back then:

"I rise today in support of HR3. Seniors [should have] the right to negotiate drug costs." - Schrader

"I support [HR3] because it’s our best chance to [lower] prescription drug prices." - Peters

"I was proud to support [HR3] to help Americans afford prescriptions." - Rice

So, why did these Democrats betray their constituents and their own prior votes by trying to tank prescription drug reform in @POTUS's reconciliation bill?

It turns out that between the 2019 HR3 vote and now, they've all received huge amounts of cash from Big Pharma. Receipts:

Per @Sludge: @RepKathleenRice has taken $140,765 in donations from Big Pharma. @RepSchrader has taken $1,060,158, and @RepScottPeters has taken $1,438,546.

Big Pharma has spent over $2.5 million on getting these representatives to go back on their word — and it worked.

The same is true of @SenatorSinema, who just came out against including prescription drug reform in the reconciliation package. Sinema has taken $772,946 in donations from Big Pharma.

What can you do to put pressure on these Members of Congress to support drug pricing reform?

Even though Rice, Schrader, and Peters tried to tank drug pricing reform by voting it down in the Energy and Commerce Committee, the House Ways and Means Committee approved nearly identical language — meaning that drug pricing reform could still be voted on by the full Congress.

If you live in their districts, CALL NOW and demand they support @POTUS's plan to allow Medicare drug pricing reform.

Kathleen Rice - NY04
202-225-5516

Kurt Schrader - OR05
202-225-5711

Scott Peters - CA52
202-225-0508

Kyrsten Sinema - AZ
(202) 224-4521