House Committee Approves Sense of Congress Resolution to Reduce Prescription Drug Costs

This week, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky led an amendment “Sense of Congress” resolution identifying the cost of prescription drugs as a national problem and calling on the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to engage with the House of Representatives and the Senate to take administrative actions and enact legislative changes to lower the cost of prescription drugs for consumers and reduce the burden of that cost on taxpayers in a way that will balance the need to encourage innovation with the need to increase affordability. The sense-of-Congress amendment was successfully adopted during a hearing of the House Committee on Energy & Commerce marking up pending, bipartisan legislation earlier this week.

Congress may express formal opinions about subjects of national interest in this type of resolution, known as a “Sense of the House,” “Sense of the Senate” or “Sense of the Congress” resolution. These resolutions express the opinion of a majority of the chamber’s members, but do not create law. They do not require the signature of the President of the United States, and are not enforceable as laws. Instead, they express the congress’s opinion about a particular topic in general terms, and can be used for political persuasion, to appeal to the Administrative branch of the government to take action, as here, or to express thanks or congratulations.

Medicare Rights strongly supports this sense-of-Congress amendment and remains grateful for continued leadership by members of Congress to once and for all bring down the soaring cost of prescription drugs.

Read the amendment.