Democrats Chant Name Of House’s Drug Costs Bill After Trump’s Vow To Act On High Pricing At State Of Union
When President Donald Trump vowed to pass a bipartisan drug pricing bill if it got to his desk, Democrats at the State of the Union began chanting "H.R. 3," a reference to legislation the House passed last year that included many of Trump's own policies. It has since been languishing in the Senate. Democrats also countered other health claims from the president, such as which party was working to protect American's care.
Stat:
Dems Interrupted The State Of The Union To Chant For Their Drug Pricing Bill
President Trump’s brief remarks on drug pricing during Tuesday’s State of the Union address appeared uncontroversial: Congress, he said, should pass a bipartisan drug pricing bill. Democrats, however, came armed with a surprisingly strong response: From the back of the House chamber, dozens of lawmakers stood, held up three fingers, and unleashed a three-syllable chant: “H.R. 3.” The agitators included Democratic Reps. Donna Shalala (Fla.), Annie Kuster (N.H.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (Del.), Dan Kildee (Mich.), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.), and Cheri Bustos (Ill.), the chair of House Democrats’ campaign arm. (Facher and Florko, 2/4)
The Hill:
Democrats Chant In Support Of House Drug Pricing Bill During State Of The Union
Pelosi spent months in talks with Trump to try to get him to support the bill. During the 2016 campaign, Trump famously broke with his party and said he supported letting the government negotiate drug prices. But the White House distanced itself from Pelosi’s bill and eventually came out against the legislation. Trump said Pelosi's bill would impose “price controls” and indicated he would veto it. (Weixel, 2/4)
Politico:
Trump's Speech Packed With Dramatic Moments — Planned And Unplanned
Democrats in the chamber chided the president when he called on Congress to pass drug pricing legislation, standing up and yelling out the number of a House-passed bill to do just that as Trump tried to continue on over them. (Oprysko, 2/4)
The Washington Post:
Democrats Interrupt Trump's State Of The Union Address, Chant 'H.R.3'
Democrats chanted "H.R.3," a reference to a bill introduced by the late Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) on prescription drug prices, after President Trump's health-care remarks at his Feb. 4 State of the Union speech. (2/4)
The New York Times:
Democrats Counter Trump On Health Care And Condemn His Conduct
Democrats criticized President Trump on Tuesday for seeking to repeal a landmark health care law and presiding over an economy they argue has left working people struggling, in a pair of official responses to his State of the Union address that also issued a searing indictment of his conduct and language. ... “It’s pretty simple,” Ms. Whitmer said, describing her work on health care as a Michigan state senator. “Democrats are trying to make your health care better. Republicans in Washington are trying to take it away.” “Bullying people on Twitter doesn’t fix bridges — it burns them,” Ms. Whitmer added later. “Our energy should be used to solve problems.” (Cochrane, 2/4)
Politico:
The Trump-Pelosi Feud Spirals Out Of Control
Not to be outdone, the normally restrained Pelosi put on a show herself as Trump’s speech wrapped. Standing behind the president, she meticulously ripped up page after page of the speech, while Trump and other Republicans cheered the end of an address that mostly catered to hard-core GOP partisans. “It was the courteous thing to do considering the alternative,” Pelosi told reporters as she exited the chamber. Later as she left the Capitol, she added, “It was a manifesto of mistruths.” (Caygle, Ferris and Everett, 2/5)
The Hill:
Pelosi, Schumer Call On Trump To Drop ObamaCare Lawsuit Ahead Of State Of The Union
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday called for President Trump to withdraw his administration’s legal position calling for striking down the Affordable Care Act, seeking to pre-empt the president’s health care message in the State of the Union address. Speaking at a press conference with House and Senate Democrats, Schumer noted that Trump is likely to tout his administration’s actions on health care in his speech Tuesday night. But he and Pelosi argued that the most consequential administration health care action is the GOP lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act that the Trump administration is supporting. (Sullivan, 2/4)
