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Presented by Pharmaceutical Reform Alliance
Big Pharma hikes up drug prices every year, most recently on over 800 prescription drugs. But did you know these price hikes are often unjustified? For too long, Big Pharma has profited on the backs of hardworking Americans. Enough is enough.
![]() PRESENTED BY![]() BY JOHN BRESNAHAN, ANNA PALMER AND JAKE SHERMAN THE TOPHappy Wednesday morning. We are taking the next few days off for the Thanksgiving holiday. December is going to be an absolute mess. So everyone should rest up. Let’s review for a moment: → There are just nine days until federal agencies run out of money. There has been no real progress on a stopgap measure to prevent a government shutdown. There had been some discussion of a continuing resolution until mid-December, but the logic behind that was that the two sides could reach a deal on an omnibus spending package by then, and it doesn’t feel like there’s any movement there. We don’t believe there will be a “lapse in appropriations” — the official name for a shutdown — but this is hardly a good sign. → 21 days until the debt ceiling needs to be lifted, according to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, although there may be some leeway in that deadline. There’s been minimal progress on this front, as well. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have met on the issue. But there is no agreement. → 37 days until the end of 2021. That’s the unofficial deadline for President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats to wrap up work on the Build Back Better Act. Democrats will be lucky to meet this deadline. → The National Defense Authorization Act, the annual defense policy bill, is still a work in progress. The Senate will return to the legislation when it gets back next week, and there will be fights over the size of the Pentagon budget, Afghanistan, China, women in the draft and other hot-button issues. There will also be a House-Senate conference that could take up more time, especially since no one quite knows how to do conferences in a 50-50 Senate. Sandwiched in there is the Thanksgiving break, of course, which we’re about to begin, and Christmas. Two quick news items that developed last night: → First, Biden will today nominate Shalanda Young to be OMB director, Jeff Stein and Tyler Pager of the Washington Post reported. Young is currently the acting director. She’lll be the first woman of color to lead the agency if confirmed. Our guess based on reporting is that she will be confirmed. The White House has wrestled with this appointment issue since Neera Tanden withdrew her nomination in March. Some Hill Democrats had been pushing for a nominee of Asian descent. There were also other names floated for the job. But Young, a former staff director for the House Appropriations Committee, has strong support among House Democrats, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Majority Whip Jim Clyburn. This nomination will make them very happy. → Second, Senate Democrats had an informal meeting on Tuesday with Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough over immigration. MacDonough has previously ruled against Democrats’ two attempts to include immigration reform proposals in the Build Back Better Act. MacDonough found that these proposals violated the Byrd Rule, which controls how the Senate considers reconciliation measures. A large group of House Democrats and pro-immigration groups are urging their Senate counterparts to “ignore” MacDonough’s position and have the presiding officer issue a ruling allowing the provisions to be included. There’s no sign Schumer and Democratic leaders are prepared to do this. Sources familiar with the session said MacDonough “kept her opinions close to the vest,” so there’s no indication on what she might say on this latest “parole” proposal approved by the House, which allows undocumented immigrants to pay taxes and get benefits, but stops short of a pathway to citizenship. The next step is a formal “Byrd bath” to determine whether the Democratic legislation is in compliance with Senate rules. → One more thing: Despite what you may see on social media, Pelosi has not bought a house in Jupiter, Fla., sources told us. Our thanks this Thanksgiving → First, we’re thankful for you. We set out earlier this year to create a news community filled with interesting people from around the world who are as obsessed about the politics of governing as we are. And we’ve begun to do that. We also just hired our ninth employee, and we have so much in store for next year and the future. Again, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you. → Second, to the thousands of men and women who make Congress work every day — committee staffers, aides in senators and members’ offices, the floor and leadership staff, the Sergeant at Arms, U.S. Capitol Police, Architect of the Capitol — the country is lucky to have you. And we feel lucky to know a lot of you. So thank you. And thank you to those who protect our country every day. → Third, we’re thankful for other journalists who cover Congress and government, here in D.C. and across the nation. The last several years have been tough. Jan. 6 was terrible for all of us. The attacks on our profession continue. But there is no democracy without a free press, so thank you for all your work. And friendship. It’s cool having competitors that are friends as well. So allow us this moment to sound corny. But we feel very thankful to be doing what we love alongside people we love in a great country. Be nice to one another. Enjoy your Thanksgiving. We will be back Monday. PRESENTED BY CLIMATE POWER This Thanksgiving, the Senate can combat inflation, lower energy costs by $500/year, and — the gravy on top — address the climate crisis with the Build Back Better Act. The House did their part last week, now it’s the Senate’s turn. The Build Back Better Act is a much-needed win for hardworking American families and the most significant climate investment in our nation’s history. Senate, give Americans something to be thankful for this year. REDISTRICTING Democrats put some veteran GOP lawmakers at risk in Ill. and Md. There’s no question that Republicans have the upper hand in redistricting nationally, but Democrats will make some gains in several states, offsetting that GOP advantage somewhat. Illinois is losing a House seat, yet the House map signed into law by Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday would allow Democrats to net three seats. “With the pandemic-delayed 2020 federal census showing Illinois’ first-time loss of population over a decade, the state’s representation in the U.S. House is dropping from 18 seats to 17. Democrats sought to draw boundaries that would give them a 14-3 edge in future elections,” the Chicago Tribune reported. The current Illinois delegation includes 13 Democrats and five Republicans, so this would be a three-seat gain for Democrats. Republicans are expected to challenge this map in court. But not every Democratic incumbent is happy here. More from Rick Pearson at the Trib:
We asked Davis, the ranking member on the House Administration Committee, for a comment. His response: “It’s a gerrymandered mess. I will be making an announcement soon.” And in Maryland, the latest proposed map would be a problem for Rep. Andy Harris, the only Republican in the delegation. The Maryland legislature won’t take up the proposed map until December, but Harris’ district will be tougher for him next year if it’s enacted. Maryland’s 1st District is rated R +14, and Harris cruised to any easy reelection in Nov. 2020. Here’s the Baltimore Sun: “Maryland Democratic lawmakers settled on a new proposed congressional map that would continue to give Democrats strong advantages in seven of Maryland’s eight congressional districts and make the state’s final district, currently a Republican stronghold, more competitive as well.” More from the Sun: “The proposed map would redraw the 1st District, currently a deep-red Eastern Shore-based district represented by Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, to jump the Chesapeake Bay and include significant portions of Anne Arundel County. That would add more Democratic-leaning voters to the district, making it more competitive, but Republicans still would have a shot at holding onto the seat.” This is from Maryland Matters:
Harris’ redrawn district would have a 51-49% Democratic advantage, the publication reports. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, can veto the maps coming out of the state legislature, but Democrats can override him. Democrats are counting on getting a seat out of Maryland’s redistricting. One last link: Here’s a good redistricting tracker from 538. ![]() → We’re seeing a bunch of Future Majority PAC ads thanking various senators for their work on the bipartisan infrastructure bill. But the ads are also asking senators to “deliver on lower health care costs by holding insurance companies and their middleman — pharmacy benefit managers — accountable” in the Build Back Better Act. Using the Admo platform by our friends at AdImpact, we’ve seen ads targeting Sens. Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.). Future Majority PAC is a Democratic super PAC. Here’s one example of the ad, targeting Casey. → Building America’s Future has an ad telling Cortez Masto to oppose the BBB on inflation grounds. DOWNTOWN DOWNLOAD → Guarding Against Pandemics has registered to lobby. Here are some details about the group. The group says it will work to push the government to prepare for the next pandemic. → Pew Charitable Trusts has signed up Cornerstone Government Affairs to lobby on “[a]ntimicrobial resistance, health care products, and substance use prevention and treatment.” FRONTS ![]() ![]() MOMENTS The Bidens are on Nantucket, staying at the home of Carlyle Group founder David Rubenstein until Sunday. Here’s Biden arriving at Nantucket’s airport. ![]() Vice President Kamala Harris is in D.C. CLIP FILE NYT → “Pentagon Forms a Group to Examine Unexplained Aerial Sightings,” by Julian Barnes → News Analysis: “The Inflation Miscalculation Complicating Biden’s Agenda,” by Jim Tankersley WaPo → “House Jan. 6 committee intensifies focus on law enforcement failures that preceded Capitol attack,” by Aaron Davis, Carol Leonnig and Tom Hamburger WSJ → “U.S. Joins With China, Other Nations in Tapping Oil Reserves,” by Timothy Puko and Alex Leary → “NRA Acknowledges New Findings of Excessive Benefits Paid to CEO Wayne LaPierre,” by Mark Maremont AP → “Beyond Manchin: Dems’ $2T bill faces Senate gauntlet,” by Alan Fram PRESENTED BY CLIMATE POWER House Democrats just got us one step closer to lowering costs for America’s working families and tackling climate change with the Build Back Better Act — now it’s up to the Senate to bring this bill home. 17 Nobel Prize-winning economists agree that the Build Back Better Act would boost our economy and counteract inflation by making critical investments in America’s future and lowering key expenses for middle-class families. Moody’s Analytics told Reuters that the bill will "take the edge off inflation.” With this once-in-a-generation bill, tax credits for clean energy will create millions of good-paying jobs, jumpstart our clean energy economy AND reduce American families’ energy bills by $500 EACH YEAR. The United States will finally take on climate change and be a leader in clean energy across the globe. ![]() Enjoying Punchbowl News AM? ![]() Subscribe 10 friends with your unique link (below) and get a Punchbowl News hat! Your referral link is: Or share via You currently have: 0 referrals
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Presented by Pharmaceutical Reform Alliance
Americans know who to blame for rising drug prices: Big Pharma. A majority of Republicans, Democrats, & Independents all believe Big Pharma’s focus on profits keeps drug prices high. Let’s hold Big Pharma accountable – it’s an issue we’re united on.