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Rep Anna Eshoo

Anna's Weekly Report - December 10, 2021

December 10, 2021
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Dear friends,

The big news from Washington this week is that we reached a bipartisan, bicameral agreement to address the looming debt limit, ensuring the U.S. pays its bills and does not default on our debt. The Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution states:

‘The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law…shall not be questioned.'

Since 2011, Congress has honored the Constitution and addressed the debt limit seven times on a bipartisan basis. As a compromise this week, we in the House passed a bill that allows the Senate to address the debt limit without being blocked by the filibuster. This will clear the way for Congress to raise the debt ceiling before December 15th when the government would otherwise default if Congress doesn't act, causing economic chaos in our country.

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Public health experts are continuing to gather preliminary data on the Omicron variant to determine vaccine efficacy and the transmissibility of the variant. Dr. Anthony Fauci has said there's "no doubt" that a booster shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or a second shot of Johnson & Johnson's vaccine provide "optimal protection" against the virus.

On the ‘good news' front, the FDA expanded eligibility this week for Pfizer booster shots for 16 and 17 year olds. Booster shots, along with masking, avoiding large crowds and poorly ventilated spaces, are the most effective methods to fight Covid-19. If you haven't received your booster and it has been 6 months since your initial vaccination, you can sign up immediately for a free appointment at your County's website below.

San Mateo CountySanta Cruz CountySanta Clara County

Economic Update

This week we received excellent economic news: the number of Americans filing for unemployment last week was the smallest since 1969, and there have been nearly six million jobs added to the rolls this year – the most of any presidency in history. The number of people receiving unemployment benefits has dropped from over 18 million to 2 million since President Biden took office.

Major Votes in the House This Week

Protecting Our Democracy Act

This week I voted to pass the Protecting Our Democracy Act, a sweeping package of democracy reforms which included my bill that requires all future candidates for the presidency and vice presidency to release their tax returns to the public.

Since the Watergate era candidates of both parties have voluntarily released their tax returns so the American people can vet their finances before casting their vote, but in 2016, this tradition was abandoned by two out of the many candidates. Observing this, I wrote this legislation five years ago to require candidates for the highest offices in our country to make their tax returns public.

The American people should be confident that their president and vice president will work in the public interest, not their personal financial interest. Tax returns contain vital information for the public, including taxes paid; charitable contributions made; money borrowed and from whom; investments and where they are held; and whether tax loopholes have been employed. Only a full release of tax returns can provide the public with clear information about potential conflicts of interest or entanglements with foreign governments or businesses.

Act for ALS

This week I voted for the ACT for ALS Act, legislation I proudly advanced as Chairwoman of the Health Subcommittee. This bill establishes grant programs to advance treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like ALS, allowing more patients to receive experimental medicines through compassionate care programs. It also directs the FDA to develop an action plan to promote the development of treatments for ALS and other rare neurodegenerative diseases. This is a transformational bill to make sure people with ALS are given treatment options and something they all deserve…hope.

National Defense Authorization (NDAA)

I voted for the NDAA, bipartisan legislation that strengthens America's security and meets the needs of our servicemembers. Specifically, the bill includes a 2.7% pay raise for members of the military; increases allowable parental leave for caregiving servicemembers; expands access to child care; strengthens access to health care; and combats sexual assault and harassment in the military by creating an Office of Special Victim Prosecutor to prosecute crimes, removing the commanding officer from these decisions and finally criminalizing sexual harassment under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

Ocean Shipping Reform Act

This week I voted for bipartisan legislation to address and remediate supply chain struggles impacting American consumers. The Ocean Shipping Reform Act modernizes federal maritime law to ensure fairness in the global ocean shipping industry. The bill ensures that ocean carriers no longer refuse cargo bookings for U.S. exports, hurting American-made products, and that carriers and marine terminal operators certify that any shipping container late fees are fair and comply with federal regulations. This bill represents the first major update of federal regulations for the global ocean shipping industry since 1998 and will address supply chain bottlenecks by cracking down on shippers that discriminate against U.S. goods.

The Future of Biomedicine

This week I held a hearing of the Health Subcommittee, which I Chair, to explore the future of biomedicine. Our country's leading researchers gave excellent testimony as to where biomedical innovation is headed and what Congress can do to accelerate innovation to improve the health of every American.

This year marks 20 years since the initial results of the Human Genome Project were first published. The outcomes of the project spurred incredible advances in the field of genomics and the creation of state-of-the-art technologies that now allow us to understand human biology much better than ever before. Five preeminent biomedical experts, including Dr. Lloyd Minor, the Dean of the Stanford School of Medicine which is in the heart of our congressional district, testified about what Congress should be investing in to accelerate innovation for the betterment of the American people in the third decade of the 21st Century.

You can watch the hearing here.

If You Ask Me...

The World Health Organization lists insulin as an essential medicine because it is a life-saving drug for millions of Americans living with diabetes. The price of insulin has tripled in the last 15 years and these price hikes have forced too many Americans to choose between buying their prescriptions, paying rent, or buying groceries. In fact, one in four diabetes patients report rationing their insulin, which is life threatening.

Unlike the healthcare systems for veterans and active duty servicemembers which negotiate prices directly with drug companies, the federal government is specifically prohibited from negotiating drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries. As a result of this disparity, Medicare pays about twice as much per unit for prescription drugs as the VA, and Medicare beneficiaries and taxpayers are burdened with extremely high drug costs.

The Build Back Better Act allows Medicare to negotiate prices for the most expensive drugs, including insulin, and it also caps out-of-pocket costs for insulin to $35 per month for Medicare beneficiaries and for those insured through private insurance, beginning in 2023. This cap will provide certainty and affordable insulin to over three million seniors on Medicare as well as all those who have private insurance coverage.

The Build Back Better Act will lower costs for patients and taxpayers, and it's going to save lives. The legislation has already passed in the House and now it's up to the Senate to pass this life-saving legislation.

In the Words of My Constituents

Every week hundreds of my constituents call and write to me to express their concerns, share their passions, and ask questions regarding legislation and policies. Over 137,251 constituents have contacted me so far this year. I actually read every communication and every constituent receives a personal response to their specific questions and comments from me. This week, 2,730 constituents contacted my office about issues including:

  • 153 messages in support of fully funding the CHIPS for America Act
  • 142 messages in support of the Build Back Better Act
  • 94 messages in support of including postal banking in the budget for Fiscal Year 2022

Anna's Recommended Reading

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I close with this thought. Always know how deeply grateful I am for the trust you've placed in me to represent you.

Sincerely,
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Anna G. Eshoo
Member of Congress