[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 14, 2020)]
[House]
[Page H214]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              DRUG PRICING

  (Ms. JOHNSON of Texas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, as a professional registered nurse 
in Congress, I must say how crucial it is for essential medications to 
be affordable and accessible.
  In 2017, 42 percent of Texas residents stopped taking medications as 
prescribed simply due to cost according to AARP. Over 2.6 million 
Texans have diabetes, and they must have daily access to affordable and 
quality insulin.
  Mr. Speaker, huge investments from taxpayers go into the development 
of quality medications, yet just in the first days of 2020 multiple 
pharmaceutical companies have increased prices on over 400 drugs by 5 
percent of the taxpayers' money.
  We must do more to protect the vulnerable members of our communities, 
especially our seniors and the uninsured. With support of this House 
and Senate, we must continue to work together to lower the cost of 
prescription drugs for our constituents.

                          ____________________