Republican Leader of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) joined today’s Republican meeting to address Democrats’ socialist drug price-setting plan, which stifles innovation and hope for new cures for millions of American patients and their families.

Rep. Nunes said:

• “The Democrats have presented our country with a false choice. They say that to bring the cost of drugs, we have to take back government control of prices. That we must sacrifice our world-leading innovation in treatments and cures to lower costs at the pharmacy counter for seniors.

• “What Democrats won’t tell you, however, and what Mr. Crowley will, is that this heavy-handed, socialist price-setting scheme will completely dry up investment into new cures and treatments in this country.

• “It doesn’t have to be this way. We have common sense, bipartisan ideas to lower drug prices, cap seniors’ out-of-pocket costs in Medicare Part D, and stabilize our supply chains. We can do those things without stifling innovation; without shipping jobs and investment overseas to China; and without suppressing the hope of new cures for millions of patients.”

CLICK HERE to watch the full meeting. 

Rep. Nunes’ full remarks as prepared for delivery appear below.

Thank you all for joining this Republican Member Meeting on “The Benefits of Innovation and How Socialist Price-Setting Kills Life-Saving Cures”

 

I want to particularly thank our witness, Mr. John Crowley, for his participation in today’s event. I’ve heard your incredible story before, and I’m excited for you to be here to share it with our members – no one is better positioned than you to speak about what innovation means to families across America, and how the Democrats’ proposals would harm our country.

 

The Democrats have presented our country with a false choice. They say that to bring the cost of drugs, we have to take back government control of prices. That we must sacrifice our world-leading innovation in treatments and cures to lower costs at the pharmacy counter for seniors.

 

They’re willing to do this, because they’re in complete denial about how horrible this trade-off will be. This is a false choice.

 

With a straight face, they’ll say things like “we’ll just lose a few copy-cat drugs” or “we’re just going after the worst actors.”

 

Well, we all want to bring down drug prices, and we all want to punish those who abuse our current system.

 

What Democrats won’t tell you, however, and what Mr. Crowley will, is that this heavy-handed, socialist price-setting scheme will completely dry up investment into new cures and treatments in this country.

 

It doesn’t have to be this way. We have commonsense, bipartisan ideas to lower drug prices, cap seniors’ out-of-pocket costs in Medicare Part D, and stabilize our supply chains. We can do those things without stifling innovation; without shipping jobs and investment overseas to China; and without suppressing the hope of new cures for millions of patients.

 

With that, I’ll turn it over to the Ranking Member of the Full Committee, Mr. Brady, for brief remarks. Then we’ll hear from Mr. John Crowley, our witness, and then I’ll kick off questions and turn it over to our members to make their own statements and address the witness.

READ: Democrats’ Socialist Drug Pricing Scheme Costs Up to 342 Lifesaving Cures

READ: NUNES: Today Dems give seniors $85 for glasses. Next week, they’ll take away your cure for ALS.