Chuck Grassley and GOP are High on Drug Company Campaign Cash

Chuck Grassley and GOP are High on Drug Company Campaign Cash - Shuts Down Debate on Bill to Lower Drug Costs for Seniors

Obstructionism at its Worst: Grassley, George Bush, the GOP and the Stench of Campaign Cash from Big Drug Companies

Senator Grassley has taken over $400,000 from the big drug companies

April 18, 2007 (Washington D.C.) - U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and his Republican Senate colleagues, high on drug company campaign cash, today shut down a pending debate on legislation which would lower prescription drug prices for seniors by allowing Medicare to negotiate with the pharmaceutical industry - just as the Veteran's Administration has done successfully for our nation's vets for years.  President Bush and Congressional Republicans, at the behest of the nation's drug lobby, prohibited the federal government from negotiating for lower drug prices when the Part D drug plan passed in 2003 - putting company profits ahead of seniors and taxpayers.  In addition to the war in Iraq, it was the type of official corruption which resulted in the drug company drafted Part D prescription drug plan which cost the Republicans their majority in Congress in 2006.  However, so reliant is the GOP on campaign cash from the drug lobby that they continue to genuflect for drug company executives despite polls which show that 80-90 percent of Americans favor legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower prices for seniors and the disabled as part of Part D and despite majority support in the Senate for such legislation.

Since 1989, Senator Grassley has taken $439,930 from the Pharmaceuticals/Health Products industry, according to OpenSecrets.org.

"Republicans are high on drug company campaign cash," said Brad Woodhouse, President of Americans United for Change.  "Americans should be outraged that President Bush and Senate Republicans like Chuck Grassley are so dependent on drug company campaign cash that they would actually shut down a public debate on legislation to allow the federal government to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices for our nation's seniors. Of course, this is the same GOP which came up with the costly, confusing and corrupt Part D prescription drug plan in the first place - a plan written by and for the big drug companies - a plan designed to put profits first and seniors dead last.  But, it should really come as no surprise to Iowa seniors that Senator Grassley would help lead this filibuster today, considering the over $400,000 in campaign cash he's taken over the years from the big drug companies.  He really ought to seek out some help for his crippling addiction to PhRMA cash -- it's really affecting his work on behalf on Iowa seniors."

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