House passes bills to lower drug prices but leaves Republicans fuming over Obamacare provisions

[Eugene]

Source: CNN

House passes bills to lower drug prices but leaves Republicans fuming over Obamacare provisions

By Tami Luhby and Ashley Killough, CNN
Updated 0049 GMT (0849 HKT) May 17, 2019

(CNN)The House on Thursday passed a health care package that included several bipartisan bills to lower drug costs, but without the support of most Republicans because it also included legislation to strengthen Obamacare.

The vote was 234-183. Five Republicans voted to approve the package.

Republican representatives, most of whom would have likely supported the drug pricing bills if they were brought up alone, cried foul, saying Democratic leaders had attached the Obamacare legislation as a poison pill that forced a tough vote for the GOP.

"Instead of delivering a victory for the American people today -- making prescription drugs more affordable -- Democrats are back at it, playing gotcha politics," said Energy and Commerce Committee Republican leader Greg Walden of Oregon.

Democrats, meanwhile, argued they were simply delivering on their campaign promises to lower drug costs while bolstering Obamacare and protecting those with preexisting conditions.

-snip-

Read more: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/16/politics/democrats-republicans-health-care/index.html

[Hoyt]

1. Although it happens frequently, I'd prefer not to see legislation commingled.

[moreland01]

2. At least it's

Commingling health care improvements with health care improvements. If this was a repub bill, we all know it would include funding for a border wall.

[Stonepounder]

3. Rethugs include poison pills all the time in order to put Dems in a bind.

They only cry foul when the Dems do it back to them.

[ffr]

4. Republis gonna cry.

You know you're doing something right when Republis are pissed and Fox News cannot shut up about it.

Happy days!