Sunflower State News

Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), appeared on Newsmax to discuss the ongoing government shutdown and recent White House actions to lower drug prices. Marshall referred to the current budget impasse as the "Schumer Shutdown" and suggested it could also be called the "AOC Shutdown," referencing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's influence within the Democratic Party.

“Well, wake up, America. Day number two, Schumer Shutdown. Or maybe we should call this the AOC Shutdown, it sounds like. I don’t know if you saw Nancy Pelosi bristle when they asked her about the AOC’s involvement in this, but, really, this is a political shutdown. Chuck Schumer is bowing to his far left, that vocal, vocal, screaming, yelling, far left of his party. There’s no way this gets fixed until next week.

“I think that Chuck Schumer has got to figure out when will his political base, so to speak, his far left, is running that party, when are they going to say enough of this, and realize that he’s being blamed for this because this is squarely on his back. The Democrats voted against opening the government so that it’s on their back,” Marshall said.

He addressed possible deals being negotiated in Congress and whether he would support them: “Well, look, I think we need to keep these issues separate. A funding deal is totally separate than the policy issue here. On this Obama era, Biden era funding issue right now, we need to realize that fraught with fraud. This has grown to $150 billion a year boondoggle, basically aid for big corporations, insurance companies.

“And we think that there’s probably 30 to $50 billion a year of fraud in that, and it’s not that’s not going to be fixed in a day or two. So we got to fix the fraud number one. At the end of the day we I think that we will continue the Obama era funding for this, the subsidies, but the Covid era subsidies I think those are what we need to be talking about.”

Marshall commented on media coverage questioning Democratic strategy: “Absolutely and just remind people that the Appropriations Committee under Susan Collins’ leadership has appropriated 90% of the funding for the federal government through the committee right now. And what we want to do is do this through that particular order where Appropriations Committee passes budgets in light of day... But Chuck Schumer wants to negotiate funding in a dark corner... But we want regular order.”

He noted progress made by both chambers: “The House has done its job... They’ve got it through their 12 committees... We’re just inches away from getting all that funding across the finish line.”

On drug pricing policy announced by President Biden's administration aimed at lowering prescription costs for Americans—a move following previous efforts during former President Trump's tenure—Marshall said: “Yeah well certainly 70% of Americans have a chronic disease... one of their biggest concerns is cost of prescription drugs... PBMs have dominated scene taking 50% or more out every dollar...

“So what this is going do – Trump RX – is going drive down prescription drug prices... It’s going make them more affordable... It’s kind down in weeds but ultimately bring cost down... let’s not forget America very sick 70% us have chronic disease..."