Charles Booker Statement on Mitch McConnell Blocking Efforts to Lower Prescription Drug Prices

Statement

In the wake of President Trump's call in the State of the Union to address prescription drug pricing, U.S. Senate candidate and State Representative Charles Booker commented on the Mitch McConnell-led obstruction that is preventing bipartisan action to lower prescription drug prices:

"We know Mitch McConnell would fight against lowering prescription drug prices. Mitch is always on the side of Big Pharma, never the people. Mitch McConnell proudly calls himself the grim reaper in Congress, gleefully killing the bills that would help everyday Americans. When it comes to blocking bills like this one, lives are literally at stake.

"This is a struggle I know personally. I take two types of insulin each day. My long acting insulin helps to keep me balanced through the day. My short acting insulin is for my meals. I also take blood pressure, cholesterol, thyroid, and vision medication everyday. I do this to stay alive, and sometimes I can't afford it. When you're running out of insulin, it is terrifying. If you go up to three days without insulin, everything starts to shut down on you. I know this because it's what happened to me. I almost died.

"While Mitch lines his pockets in Washington, we are dying here in Kentucky. I know he doesn't understand what it means to ration insulin, but this is not a political game. Kentuckians deserve access to affordable, life-saving prescription drugs, and they deserve a Senator who will fight for them, everyday."

Charles is fighting to lower prescription costs because he knows the struggles Kentuckians face. As a State Representative, he introduced legislation to cap monthly copays for prescription medication at $100, and fought for a state bill to allow pharmacists to fill an emergency 30-day supply of certain life-saving prescriptions, including insulin.

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