Sunday 7 August 2022 04:16 PM Senate Republicans kill Democrats' bid to cap insulin price at $35 during ... trends now
Senate Republicans have successfully forced Democrats to remove a provision in their $740 billion climate and healthcare package that would have capped the price of insulin for all Americans at just $35.
Senators have been inside the US Capitol from Saturday night through Sunday morning voting on dozens of amendments to Democrats' spending bill, in a lengthy process known as a vote-a-rama.
Democrats had left the insulin cap in the bill despite the Senate parliamentarian ruling that it violates rules of the budget reconciliation process by which the legislation is being passed.
Republicans raised a point-of-order on Sunday, forcing a floor-wide vote on whether to overrule the parliamentarian.
The measure ultimately fell three votes short of the 60-vote threshold needed. Forty-three lawmakers voted to strike the price cap down.
'3 GOP votes is all it took to cap insulin at $35,' Progressive Rep. Ruben Gallego wrote on Twitter, lamenting the defeat.
'The sad part is the GOP could have voted yes on this amendment and voted no on the whole bill and people would have affordable insulin. But let’s be honest they just wanted to be assholes.'
The seven Republican senators who voted to keep the insulin cap are: Susan Collins, Josh Hawley, Cindy Hyde-Smith, John Kennedy, Bill Cassidy, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan.
But debate still goes on over the total bill, which is expected to pass along party lines later on Sunday.
'Republicans just blocked us from capping the price of insulin for all Americans at $35 a month,' Democrat Senator Kirsten Gillibrand wrote on Twitter.
'We've already seen far too many people risk their lives and health by rationing insulin they can't afford. It's unconscionable that we're letting this tragedy continue.'
Senate Republicans killed Democrats' efforts to cap the private cost of insulin at $35. The measure fell three votes short of being included in the Schumer-Manchin deal
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is now leading Democrats through the hours-long vote-a-rama process after finally reaching a deal on a budget bill with West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin
To get through the marathon vote, lawmakers also bought sweet and salty snacks for their aides, and 88-year-old Republican Senator Chuck Grassley had been taking 10-minute naps to make it through the night, according to CNN.
The outlet reported that Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein, a year older than Grassley, had been taking walks to and from her office between votes. Democrat Senator Patrick Leahy, there after hip surgery, is reportedly present in his wheelchair.
Democrat Senator Chris Coons told CNN Sunday morning that he was on his fourth cup of coffee, and did not expect a final vote until at least 12 p.m.
Hoping to score a major win for President Joe Biden ahead of the November midterm elections, Democrats have cobbled out an agreement on a financial package that can be passed via the budget process known as reconciliation.
What that means is
