Congress sprints to address drug pricing, same-sex marriage and more before recess
Covid-19 infections and bad weather are threatening to delay key elements of Democrats’ agenda, including bills aimed at drug pricing, same-sex marriage, and computer chips.
WASHINGTON — A rush of Covid-19 infections and bad weather threaten to delay key elements of Democrats’ agenda during an already-hectic final sprint to a monthlong August recess.
Congress is seeking to pass a drug pricing and health care funding bill, a computer chips package, a bill to protect same-sex and interracial marriage and a host of other election-year priorities during a critical two-week stretch.
But it’s off to a bad start. East Coast storms caused the Senate to delay a vote Monday to advance the far-reaching chips bill, which is still likely to pass.
“We sure do have a lot of flights that are delayed,” said Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss.
Same-sex marriage bill passes House but faces uncertain future in SenateJuly 25, 202204:32And a new Covid outbreak on Capitol Hill looms over Democrats’ hopes of passing the bill to empower Medicare to negotiate drug prices, as they need all 50 Democratic-voting members present and voting in the Senate chamber to overcome unanimous Republican opposition.
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