New Congress to Tackle Drug Pricing Legislation

Democratic legislators, including some possible 2020 presidential contenders, are planning to highlight the hot-button issue of drug pricing in the 116th Congress — although the first order of business will be ending the federal government shutdown.

Several Democratic legislators who introduced drug-pricing bills in the last session are expected to reintroduce them as they announce their candidacies for president in the coming months.

In late November, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) — who caucuses with the Democrats — announced the Prescription Drug Price Relief Act, which would require HHS to impose a price ceiling on branded drugs of no more than their median price in Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) will introduce an equivalent bill in the House.