Steil previously voted against capping insulin costs and is a member of the Republican Study Committee, which proposed repealing the Inflation Reduction Act’s $35 cap on the cost of insulin and raise the retirement age
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
KENOSHA, Wis. – The extreme Republican Study Committee, of which Rep. Bryan Steil is a member, proposed a budget that would eliminate a $35 cap on the cost of insulin created by the Inflation Reduction Act and raise the retirement age for Social Security. Given his repeated votes against capping insulin costs: does Rep. Steil support those provisions of a budget championed by a group that he is still a member of?
The proposals to raise costs and threaten programs that support many Wisconsinites were included in the Republican Study Committee’s proposed FY2025 budget released last month. If passed, the proposal would repeal the Inflation Reduction Act’s $35 cap on insulin costs and $2,000 annual cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for Medicare recipients, forcing Wisconsinites to pay more for the prescriptions they need. Steil has previously voted to keep prescription drug costs high, including voting against the Affordable Insulin Now Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, both of which included a cap on insulin costs.
The budget also makes major changes to Social Security and Medicare benefits, threatening retirement security for millions of Americans. It would raise the retirement age for Social Security benefits and force trillions of dollars in cuts to Social Security and Medicare over the next decade. Unlike President Biden’s budget proposal which would strengthen these programs by closing tax loopholes and forcing the ultra-rich to pay their fair share, the RSC budget repeals some taxes on these wealthy individuals entirely.
“It’s time for Congressman Steil to tell his constituents where he stands on these extreme proposals that would raise costs and threaten benefits for millions of Wisconsinites,” said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. “Working families and seniors don’t deserve to have their Social Security and Medicare benefits threatened, or be forced to pay more for the prescription drugs they need, like insulin. Congressman Steil should reject these extreme proposals and work with his colleagues to lower costs and protect these programs for future generations by supporting President Biden’s budget instead.”
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