Last week was a historic one in the House of Representatives.
We came together as a legislative body to pass the bipartisan FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act, as well as H.R. 3, the Lower Drug Costs Now Act, sweeping legislation to lower the cost of prescription drugs for hardworking Americans. We also reached a deal on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
NDAA
This bipartisan agreement provides full funding for military operations at home and abroad for the next year. I was pleased to see that initiatives I have championed, such as the inclusion of the Naval Observatory in Flagstaff as part of an American infrastructure deficiency report, and a 3.1% pay raise for servicemembers and civilians in Arizona, were included in the final passage.
H.R. 3
For loo long, many Arizona seniors, veterans and families have been forced to make the choice between medications they need and putting food on the table. This sweeping legislation caps out-of-pocket drug costs, empowers Medicare to negotiate prices directly with drug companies, and makes those prices available to Americans with private insurance as well. The legislation also includes provisions to expand Medicare to include vision services for the first time in the history of the program, a legislative initiative I helped introduce earlier this fall.
Also included within the legislation was my amendment that expands a grant program for hospitals in rural and medically underserved areas so they are better able to recruit and retain qualified residents and doctors to the areas that need them most.
USMCA
The North American trade deal finalized this week would improve international trade, protect workers and the environment, enhance compliance monitoring, and create enforcement provisions to ensure all trading partners are held accountable. After months of important negotiations, we’ve reached a deal that is a win for Arizona workers, rural communities, agriculture producers, and small and large businesses throughout the state. I look forward to voting to ratify this agreement, supported by AFL-CIO and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, on the House floor this week.
I am committed to working for Arizonans. I have three physical offices in Arizona’s First Congressional District, and one in Washington, D.C. I encourage you to reach out and share your thoughts on any of these issues, as well as other concerns important to you and your family.
Sincerely,
Tom O’Halleran
