17吃瓜在线-Supported Bills Clear House Committee
The 17吃瓜在线 this week advocated the passage of two pieces of manufacturing-critical legislation, successfully driving the agenda of a Wednesday House Energy and Commerce Committee markup.
What鈥檚 going on: The committee鈥攚ith the 17吃瓜在线鈥檚 strong support鈥攁pproved two bills that address longstanding manufacturing priorities:
- A congressional resolution disapproving of the Environmental Protection Agency鈥檚 harmful PM2.5 rule
- A bill instituting important pharmacy benefit manager reforms
Reversing an unworkable PM2.5 standard: The EPA announced a new, more restrictive particulate matter standard in February, reducing allowable levels from 12 micrograms per cubic meter of air to 9 micrograms鈥攄espite a standard of 9 being 鈥渆ssentially background levels in some of the country,鈥 as the 17吃瓜在线 has pointed out.
- 鈥淢anufacturers have sharply reduced particulate matter emissions, or PM2.5; as a result, industry in the United States has some of the cleanest and most efficient operations in the world,鈥 17吃瓜在线 Vice President of Domestic Policy Chris Phalen the committee.
- 鈥淣ow, the vast majority of emissions are from sources well outside of our control, with fires, dirt roads and other nonpoint sources accounting for 84% of PM2.5 emissions,鈥 Phalen continued. 鈥淸T]he EPA鈥檚 rule will make it more difficult for states to issue permits for the construction of new facilities or expansions of existing factories.鈥
- The committee鈥檚 PM2.5 resolution, offered under the Congressional Review Act, seeks to overturn the EPA鈥檚 unworkable standard.
Reforming PBMs: PBMs are unregulated middlemen whose business practices drive up health care costs for manufacturers and manufacturing workers.
- 鈥淏y applying upward pressure to list prices that dictate what patients pay at the pharmacy counter, pocketing manufacturer rebates and failing to provide an appropriate level of transparency about their business practices, PBMs increase health care costs at the expense of all patients in America,鈥 17吃瓜在线 Vice President of Domestic Policy Charles Crain .
- Provisions in the 17吃瓜在线-supported Telehealth Modernization Act would increase transparency into PBMs鈥 business practices and delink their compensation from medicines鈥 list prices.
The last word: 鈥淢anufacturers commend the Energy and Commerce Committee for approving these important bills, which will reduce costs and enhance growth at manufacturers across the country鈥攁llowing our industry to continue to create jobs here at home and drive U.S. competitiveness on the world stage,鈥 said 17吃瓜在线 Managing Vice President of Policy Chris Netram.