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In case you missed it, Seacoast Online published an op-ed by Congressman Chris Pappas discussing how he is standing up against Big Pharma and Big Oil to deliver results for Granite Staters.
Read the full op-ed here.
U.S. Rep. Pappas: Lowering costs for New Hampshire families
The last few years have been tremendously challenging for all of us here in New Hampshire and throughout the country. And while our state is now experiencing record low unemployment and the fastest growing economy in America, we know that too many families are still struggling as the economy and our supply chains fully recover from unprecedented disruptions.
I hear about it everywhere I go: families paying more at the gas pump and at the grocery store, to heat their homes, and for the everyday items they need. That's why my top priority has been to fight to lower costs and bring down prices for Granite Staters.
As I travel across New Hampshire, one of the most pressing concerns I hear about is the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs. The stories that Granite Staters share with me underscore the need for action. Lowering drug prices will make an incredible difference. Because of my efforts, Medicare is now required to negotiate lower prices with drug companies, and the new law will limit out-of-pocket costs for seniors and caps the price of insulin at $35.
Health care as a whole represents nearly 20% of U.S. gross domestic spending, and Americans spend more on health care than any other industrialized nation. Legislation I fought to pass will help save middle-class families of four in New Hampshire $1,655 a year on their health care premiums and expand the number of Granite Staters who can enroll in an affordable plan on the marketplace.
As the temperatures drop, Granite Staters' are thinking about how to heat their homes. This year I helped secure a record amount of federal funding for the Low-Income Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and I'll continue to fight for more help for New Hampshire families that are struggling to pay their bills. I am also pushing the Biden Administration to use their authority to limit oil exports from the United States so we can meet our energy needs this winter.
While gas prices still remain too high, we've seen prices consistently drop over the last three months thanks to an increase in domestic production and smart policies to help lower costs. I was among the first to call on President Biden to release barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to increase supply and lower prices, and it has helped drive down prices from their highs in June.
In August, I also voted for energy rebates and tax credits and an all-of-the-above energy strategy as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. That law includes new leases for domestic oil production as we develop clean, reliable sources of homegrown energy for the future.
But we know more is needed. As prices remain high at the pump, the oil companies continue to reap record profits. That's wrong, and it's why I fought to pass legislation in the house to stop Big Oil from taking advantage of high prices and sticking Granite Staters with the bill while they pad their profits.
There are a number of other priorities to address the economic headwinds our families and businesses are experiencing. Modernizing our infrastructure, supporting American manufacturing, updating regulations for shipping, and cutting taxes on trucks are bipartisan initiatives I have been championing that will help fix broken supply chains and get goods to consumers more efficiently.
Political attacks will come fast and furious this election season, but what's important now more than ever is having a representative in Congress who understands New Hampshire's challenges and has a track record of working across the aisle to address them. That's what I've done. These are all important steps we must take to help our economy fully recover and get Granite Staters the help they need, and I remain committed to doing all I can to lower costs and ensure every New Hampshire family can grow and thrive.