Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) released the following recorded statement today reacting to the news that Senators Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) had reached a deal on the Inflation Reduction Act – a reconciliation bill to tackle climate, prescription drugs, inflation, deficit reduction, and other issues. A full transcript is below:
Senator Coons: “Health care, prescription drugs, the deficit, and climate: that’s a big deal.
“We’ve just announced a framework here in the Senate that will tackle all four of these big issues. I get lots of calls from Delawareans saying they’re concerned or they’re upset about the price they pay at the pump; about the pollution that’s making our climate hotter and hotter, year in and year out; about the deficits we’re running here in Washington; or about how much they’re paying for prescription drugs.
“I just called Joe Manchin, just spoke to Senator Schumer and spoke earlier today to President Biden to congratulate them on coming together around a bold reconciliation package, a legislative deal that I look forward to supporting here in the Senate. The Democratic Caucus in the Senate is going to get this to President Biden’s desk, and I’m excited about the impact it’ll have. It’ll be the biggest deal to combat climate change we’ve ever done. It’ll cut emissions by 40% in the next eight years; it’ll reduce our deficit by $300 billion; it will allow Medicare to negotiate for prescription drug prices for the first time; and it will extend by three years, help [through the Affordable Care Act] for 14 million Americans to afford health care. Folks, this is a big, big deal.”
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