Affordable Insulin Now Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Today, I rise in support of the Affordable Insulin Now Act.

On top of weathering the economic fallout of the global pandemic, Americans are still paying far too much for insulin. This is particularly frustrating, given that these are not the prices that consumers in the rest of the world pay. The most commonly used form of insulin costs 10 times more in the United States than in any other developed country.

Tragically, there have been recent reports of deaths of patients with diabetes because they cannot afford the insulin they need to stay alive.

The Affordable Insulin Now Act would take a historic step to lower the cost of insulin and cap out-of-pocket costs at $35 per month. This means individuals with private insurance could save up to $500 per year.

This bill ensures affordable access to lifesaving medication for the more than 37 million people in the United States who have diabetes and the over 7 million Americans who rely on insulin to maintain their health and well-being.

Madam Speaker, it is past time, but today it is time to finally deliver on our promise to ensure that all Americans can get the medication they need and they deserve to stay healthy and thrive. The Affordable Insulin Now Act brings us one step closer to that promise.

There is certainly more work to be done. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get the cost of prescription drugs under control and to build upon this important first step.

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Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Mrs. McBath), a lead sponsor of this legislation and a member of the Education and Labor Committee.
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Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Castro), a member of the Education and Labor Committee.

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Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Jeffries).

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Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York).

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Insulin prices in the United States are the highest in the world. I support the Affordable Insulin Now Act, a bill that would cap patient costs at $35 a month. It would make lifesaving medicine affordable for millions of Americans living with diabetes.

My committee's investigation found that since the 1990s, insulin manufacturers have been raising the price of this lifesaving medicine despite no improvements to the drug, while making record profits.

The price gouging has harmed Americans. More than one in four Americans with diabetes report having to ration insulin, and some have died.

Nearly 2 million New Yorkers have diabetes. Capping out-of-pocket costs to $35 a month is an important step that Congress can take to reduce insulin costs for patients with diabetes.

Let's make prescription drugs affordable. Vote for this bill.

I thank Representatives Kildee, Craig, and McBath for their leadership in authoring this bill.

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Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleperson from Virginia (Ms. Spanberger).

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Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Carter).

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Mr. DeSAULNIER. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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