Congress must work with President Biden to lower costs, hold corporations accountable, and support working families in Wisconsin
Thursday, March 7, 2024
MADISON, Wis. – Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh released the following statement on President Biden’s State of the Union address this evening:
“Thanks to President Biden and Democrats in Congress, Wisconsin’s working families and seniors are already seeing relief from rising costs, health care is more affordable, and critical investments are being made to strengthen our infrastructure and create good paying jobs. Tonight, we heard directly from President Biden about his vision for our country and the opportunity we have to support working families here in Wisconsin. It’s time for Republicans in Congress, including Congressmen Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden, to work with the president to lower costs, hold big corporations accountable, and protect the programs that are helping Wisconsinites succeed – including Medicare and Social Security.”
The Biden administration and Democrats in Congress are already delivering results for working families and helping strengthen the middle class.
The Inflation Reduction Act is lowering health care costs for Wisconsinites by capping insulin costs at $35 per month. This cap is already estimated to be saving 31,000 Wisconsin seniors $600 per year. Additional prescription drug costs will also be lowered thanks to Medicare’s ability to negotiate for drug prices, and a new rebate program is already lowering costs for 48 prescription drugs whose prices were raised by big pharmaceutical companies faster than the rate of inflation. In his State of the Union address, President Biden called for many of these provisions to be expanded to even more Americans.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is also strengthening Wisconsin communities and ensuring workers and families have safe and reliable infrastructure. Wisconsin has already been allocated $6.3 billion in funding for hundreds of projects, including expanded public transit systems, programs to help lower energy bills, and funding for airport projects across Wisconsin to strengthen our economy, cut costs for families, and create good-paying jobs.
Despite the success of these programs, Republicans in Congress continue to propose repealing many of the provisions that are already saving Wisconsinites money and helping our economy grow. Opportunity Wisconsin and its statewide coalition will continue calling on Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation to support working families and reject any attempt to undo the progress that has been made during the Biden administration.
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