HOW TEXAS VOTED
WASHINGTON — Here’s how U.S. senators from Texas voted on major issues last week. The House was in recess.
1. Programs to combat opioids scourge:
Approved, 99-1, a package of 70 bills (HR 6) that would authorize $500 million over three years for state and local programs to fight the nation’s growing addiction to illicit drugs including opioids. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, cast the dissenting vote.
In part, the bill would increase the number of recovery facilities for drug addicts; expand government and private research into non-addictive pain therapies; expand telemedicine care in rural areas; allow Medicaid reimbursement for treating infants born with addictions and set uniform hospital standards for spotting opiate addiction. In addition, the bill would require the postal service to develop technology for detecting substances including fentanyl in packages from abroad just as private carriers such as UPS and FedEx must do.
A yes vote was to send the bill to a House-Senate conference committee.
2. Ban on pharmacy gag clauses:
Passed, 98-2, a bill (S 2554) that would allow pharmacists to tell customers when it is cheaper to buy drugs without insurance because the cash price is less than the co-pay charge. The bill prohibits “gag clauses” in contracts between pharmacies and health insurers that bar such disclosures to consumers.
A yes vote was to send the bill to the House.
3. States’ rights on gag clauses:
Voting 11 for and 89 against, the Senate on Sept. 17 refused to scale back S 2554 (above) so that it would exempt individual and group health plans administered by states under state law. Backers of the amendment said that under federalism, federal regulation of purely state entities is unconstitutional. But opponents said there is a broad overlap of federal and state interests in the area of drug prices. At least 26 states have passed laws banning pharmacy gag clauses.
A yes vote was to adopt the amendment.
4. $854 billion appropriations bill for 2019:
Agreed, 93-7 to the conference report on an $854 billion appropriations bill (HR 6157) that would provide $675 billion for the Department of Defense, $90.1 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services, $71.4 billion for the Department of Education, $12.1 billion for the Department of Labor and nearly $6 billion for other agencies and programs in fiscal 2019. The military budget would fund a 2.6 percent pay raise for those in uniform while providing $68.1 bil- lion for combat operations abroad and more than $57 billion for active-duty, family and retiree health care. The bill also would appropriate $3.7 billion for addressing opioid addiction; $2.3 billion for Alzheimer’s research; $445 million for charter schools; another $445 million for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and $95 million in grants to help K-12 schools prevent and recover from classroom shootings.
A yes vote was to agree to the conference report. ............................................. 1 2 3 4 Cornyn (R) San Antonio YYNY Cruz (R) Houston YYNY Y = Yea, N = Nay, A = Not voting, P = Answered “Present”