[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 169 (Tuesday, September 29, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S5899]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, last night, former Vice President Biden 
said that President Trump ``hasn't lowered drug prices for anybody.'' 
This is false, and I hope that the news media will call out Mr. Biden 
for the lie.
  Among several other actions, President Trump launched an initiative 
to lower the out-of-pocket costs of insulin for seniors through the 
Part D Medicaid-Medicare Program. Also, President Trump recently signed 
an Executive order that will launch several programs to lower drug 
costs and help seniors afford their medicines.
  More disingenuous than this claim from Mr. Biden is that it was 
actually the Vice President's former Democratic colleagues here in the 
Senate who walked away from the negotiating table and killed any hope 
of passing legislation to lower prescription drug costs before the 
election. This was an effort by Minority Leader Schumer and his 
Democratic colleagues to hurt President Trump and Senate Republicans. 
Mr. Biden seems content to capitalize on his own party's obstructions.
  Now, I have come to expect election-year partisan politics such as I 
have just described it, but during a pandemic that has left hundreds of 
thousands dead and millions unemployed, it is particularly egregious 
that Democrats have decided it is more important to hurt Republicans 
than help Americans. I am sorry to say this is the truth of the matter.
  It will be up to Democrats to make it right. I am not holding my 
breath, but I do hope voters hold accountable a party that failed in 
its basic duty to put people ahead of politics.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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