GUEST COMMENTARY: U. S. Rep. Bryan Steil says ads mislead, he's working to lower drug prices

Costs have risen 15% in the past two years. It is harder for families to afford the things that they need. I am working every day to lower costs and protect you and your family.

In the past two years, I have voted against massive government spending bills that would increase costs. At a time when inflation is high, the last thing the government should be doing is spending more.

Now, a shadowy group calling itself “Opportunity Wisconsin” has begun airing TV ads about my vote against a massive spending bill. If you’re like me, you think negative TV ads are annoying. This ad bends the truth so egregiously, I want to make sure you have the facts.

The ad claims that I do not support lower insulin prices. Nothing could be further from the truth.

In fact, the $1.2 trillion bloated spending bill I’m being attacked for voting against did nothing to reduce overall costs. It included $369 billion in green energy tax subsidies, including $7,500 credits for electric vehicles purchased for couples making up to $300,000 annually and green energy credits that would increase U.S. reliance on China for rare earth minerals. It also included increased taxes on manufacturers by implementing a 15% minimum tax that would kill 27,000 jobs.

I voted against this bill to fight inflation and stop Washington’s excessive spending problem. I’m committed to protecting you, which is why I voted against this bill.

For the past four years, I have been a cosponsor of the Lower Costs, More Cures Act, a bill to lower prescription drug costs and cap the price of insulin at $50 a month. Insulin is a vital healthcare product that many people depend on to live their daily lives, and I strongly believe we need to work to help make it affordable and accessible for the people who depend on it. That is why I am working to get the Lower Costs, More Cures Act passed to provide relief to American families.

Beyond this proposal, I am working on other measures to control the costs of prescription drugs and insulin. As early as 2020, the Racine Journal Times noted my support for the SPIKE Act. That bill requires any drug manufacturers who ‘spike’ the price of a pharmaceutical drug to be forced by law to publicly disclose why they jacked up prices. This proposal would put a spotlight on bad actors driving up prices on insulin or other vital health care needs and help control costs.

My efforts are focused on lowering the cost of prescription drugs by providing more transparency and accountability. This includes the practice known as “Pay to Delay,” which also drew attention from the Racine Journal Times. This harmful practice is when pharmaceutical companies make payments to generic companies, so they do not market low-cost alternatives. Pay to delay reduces competition and can allow prices to grow unchecked. Getting generics to market sooner provides needed competition and can drive down prices.

The cost of necessities like insulin and prescription drugs must be brought down, but our efforts shouldn’t stop there. We need to get prices down across the board and make everyday life affordable again. In the last 2 years, prices have risen roughly 15%. Groceries are 14.9% higher. A major driver of these high costs has been reckless spending in Washington.

You can be assured that I will continue working in Congress to control reckless spending, lower prescription drug prices, lower insulin prices, and lower prices on the products we all need every day. I’ll continue working to lower costs for you and your family, even if big dark money continues to attack me.