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Failing in the polls and struggling to craft a compelling message ahead of this Novembers elections, Democrats are turning to a new strategy. Or, really, an old strategy: health care.

Placing health care front and center paid dividends for Democrats in 2018 and 2020, when they won both chambers of Congress and the White House after spending monthsand millionsreminding voters that Republicans had just worked tirelessly to dismantle the Affordable Care Act.

But as the 2022 midterm season ramped up, Democrats had little fodder to revive that playbookuntil Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) opened his mouth.

In a March 7 interview with Breitbart News, Johnson said that if Republicans took control of Congress in 2022, they could actually make good on what we established as our priorities.

And Johnson went straight to Obamacare as an example. If were going to repeal and replace ObamacareI still think we need to fix our health-care systemwe need to have the plan ahead of time so that once we get in office, we can implement it immediately, not knock around like we did last time and fail, he said.

The Wisconsin Republican, who is up for reelection in November, later attempted to walk back those comments, saying he was not suggesting repealing and replacing Obamacare should be one of those priorities.

But by that point, it was too late. Democratic organizations had already blasted out a seemingly endless stream of press releases about Johnsons comments, designed to put vulnerable Republicans on the spot.

House Democrats official campaign arm, for example, quickly sent out a half-dozen emails about it. GOP getting more honest about their agenda, the release said, before asking if 16 different Republican congressional candidates in various states agreed with Johnson.

Democrats arent expecting to get eight months of mileage out of an offhand comment from a rank-and-file senator. But Johnson isnt the only Republican still talking about repealing Obamacare.

Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), chairman of the Senate GOPs campaign arm, recently put out a plan that proposed raising taxes on low-income Americans and ending all federal programs, including Social Security, Medicare, and presumably the ACA, unless Congress can reauthorize them.

Those developments have cracked open the door for Democrats to pivot toward an issue that, perhaps more than any other, allows them to set up the contrast they want with Republicans.

One of the things we have to do is remind people whose side were on, said Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI). And the stakes couldnt be higher in this election because Republicans have already demonstrated what they want to do.

Jesse Ferguson, a Democratic strategist who helped set the partys messaging on health care in several election cycles, argued that Democrats have seen over and over how Republicans keep putting their hands on the hot stove, again and again when it comes to health care.

That may be the case for some, but GOP leaders and campaign organizations decided long ago to avoid the issue, after the political winner turned into a surefire political loser. Virtually no Republican in a competitive race in this election year is on the campaign trail professing their passion to destroy the health-care law. In fact, many GOP candidates have even adopted Obamacares most popular parts in their own health-care messaging.

Because of that, its hard to imagine Democrats Obamacare-focused pitch having even close to the same effect it did in 2018 or 2020. But some Democrats believeor, at least, hopethat Republicans will continue burning themselves on that hot stove. And they are trying to create as many opportunities as possible for them to do just that.

A Democratic aide, speaking anonymously to candidly describe party strategy, told The Daily Beast they cant emphasize enough how important the health-care contrast will be for the party in 2022.

Unequivocally, Democrats are going to hold Republicans feet to the fire on this, and make this an issue for them they have to own and talk about, the aide said.

Asked about the partys strategy on Obamacare, Chris Taylor, spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said the DCCC plans to remind voters frequently about the GOPs stances on health care.

Democrats want to lower the costs of medicines, protect health care, and lower costs for families, Taylor said. Were going to make sure voters know the difference between us and them.

Its a good time for Democrats to refocus on favorable turf, given that the current political landscape is bleak for the party as the midterm season heats up. And with the anniversary of the law coming up next week, national and state level Democratic Party organizations have a slate of events planned to keep it on the agenda.

The slumping of their legislative agenda on Capitol Hill, plus the growing political challenge posed by inflation, have forced Democrats to engage in some public soul-searching over what, exactly, their pitch will be to voters.

The chair of the DCCC, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY), has candidly acknowledged Democrats communications struggles. The problem is not the voters, he said last week. The problem is us.

Its much smarter for the Democrat in charge of House campaign strategy to talk about the failings of his party than to just ignore them. But for Democrats, to play the inflation political game is to lose: they can propose as many solutions as they like, but even if they pass, current inflation is a global phenomenon with complex causes.

Republicans know that, in just hammering home the problem and blaming the party in power, Democrats risk looking insensitiveor just out-of-touch if they minimize the impact of rising costs or reject the blame.

And so, Democrats are now trying to talk about inflation, but through the frame of health care. Increasingly, Democrats are framing their health-care talking points in the kitchen-table language of costs.

That might help bail Democrats out. One strategist with access to recent polling information found that voters have given Republicans a 5-point advantage on reducing inflation. But they gave Democrats a 10-point advantage on reducing the cost of health care.

A recent press release from Building Back Together, a Democratic political group, highlighted Johnsons comments while declaring that President Joe Biden is laser-focused on lowering costs while congressional Republicans unveil plans to increase strain on working Americans.

Democrats believe that the COVID pandemic has only underscored that advantage, and that their programs to rein in individuals health-care costslike the ACAwill look even more essential to voters as prices increase on all manner of goods and services.

The biggest problem for Democrats, however, might be that they havent yet made good on their lofty promises to enact significant changes to lower health-care costs.

The partys marquee legislationthe multi-trillion dollar package formerly known as the Build Back Better Actwas supposed to carry measures to lower the cost of prescription drugs and expand Medicaid.

That legislation fell apart last year after months of talks. Democrats are hoping a last-ditch effort to pass a narrower package with health-care measures could succeed, but the odds are not especially good.

Leaving Democratic candidates empty-handed on the campaign trail is a nightmare scenario for many in the party. But right now, operatives insist that the party will not lose credibility with voters if they dont make progress in expanding health-care access and lowering costsmostly because they are confident they can persuade voters that Republicans would do much worse.

Democrats have a credibility contrast no matter what happens when it comes to the issue of health care, said Jess Floyd, president of American Bridge 21st Century, a major Democratic super PAC. She noted a number of GOP Senate hopefuls in key swing states who have taken actions to dismantle Obamacare, previewing the potential attack lines for Democrats later in the year.

Most Democrats emphasize that health care is just one key component of a broader message that, if successful, could shore up the partys cred with pocketbook-focused voters.

The party would be overjoyed if they could spend the next year just running against the policy plan proposed by Scott, the Senate GOP campaign chair. His proposal to give Americans skin in the game by imposing taxes on those who dont pay them was a gold mine for the party.

The plan quickly became such a lightning rod that many Republicans, including Senate Majority Mitch McConnell (R-KY), publicly distanced themselves from it. A national GOP strategist told The Daily Beast that Scotts plan was incredibly dumb, which is why you havent seen many serious Republican candidates across the country embracing it. Faced with such criticism, Scott has defended his plan as a defiance of Beltway cowardice.

In a brief interview in the Capitol, Scott downplayed Republicans designs on health care. Notably, Obamacare is not mentioned once in his 11-page document, and he affirmed his support for keeping protections for patients with pre-existing medical conditions.

I dont think the Democrats have anything to attack us on, he said, arguing that Democrats are not doing anything to make sure people get health insurance, theyre not doing anything to fix Medicare.

Of course, congressional Democrats tried for the better part of a year to give millions more people health insurance. Some, like Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI), believe that the politics of the issue are so bad for Republicans that they wouldnt even take a pass at Obamacare, or other key health-care programs, if they had the chance.

When we won in 2018, health care was front and center. Its an issue that affects everyone, regardless of what their political ideology is, whether theyre political or apolitical, Kildee said. Republicans will make a mistake if they decide theyre going to threaten health care again. Well make sure people know that.

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Democrats Want to Party Like It's 2018 and Push Health Care - The Daily Beast

AUGUSTA The contested primary race to fill the open District 2 Kennebec County commissioner seat pits a Democratic state representative against a retired state Department of Environmental Protection employee.

At Tuesdays deadline to file petitions for candidacy, Charlotte Warren of Hallowell and Philip Garwood of Gardiner had both submitted petitions and will appear on the June 14 primary ballot for the Democratic nomination race.

Kennebec County has three county commissioners, each representing a geographic district. District 2 encompasses Farmingdale, Fayette, Gardiner, Hallowell, Litchfield, Monmouth, Mount Vernon, Pittston, Randolph, Readfield, Vienna, Wayne, West Gardiner and Winthrop.

County commissioners oversee the countys fiscal operations and budget that totaled $14.3 million in 2021. They also make policy decisions that affect county government and its 170 employees. The countys budget obligations include funding departments such as the county jail, the sheriffs office, emergency management and registers of probate and deeds.

County commissioners also govern unorganized territories. In Kennebec County, the commissioners oversee Unity Township.

The salary for the position is currently $13,047; the salary of the chairman, who is elected annually, is $13,768.

Nancy Rines of Gardiner was first elected as the District 2 Kennebec County commissioner in 1982, and was the first woman elected as a commissioner in the county. She has served nearly every term since then and has declined to seek another.

Both candidates see opportunity in the $23.7 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds that the county is receiving from the federal government to advance efforts to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the grants to organizations it will fund.

Garwood said he supports using the money to benefit the greatest number of people.

How many people will benefit and what sort of needs would get met by a particular request that might or might not have any other sources of support, he said.

At the same time, he said, it is money that can be spent once and is not suitable for projects requiring ongoing funding.

Warren said with the influx of ARPA funds and the expected settlement of opioid lawsuits, she would like to make the budgeting process for county government more transparent and involve more county residents in decisions on how that money is spent at the county level.

I envision that involvement in the same way I have always done my work, which is to use all of the tools that I have access to invite citizens to join in, she said. I think many of us are working our jobs, raising our children, paying our bills, and unless something is put in front of us, its tough to keep track of everything. I see it as the role of the entity itself to provide opportunities for people to be involved.

She said she sees the role of government is to provide opportunities to be involved.When she was mayor in Hallowell, the citys website was redesigned and a newsletter was launched that still continues today.

As a communications consultant, I do that for other entities, and I would love to do that as well for county government, she said.

Both candidates say they dont see the need for proposing changes if elected.

Garwood said his history of involvement with a lot of things is to form an opinion about whats going on and look for ways to improve.

Theres nothing that I am aware of that I think is wrong, he said. I like to take the point of view that someone like me who has never been involved can ask the dumb questions and maybe that will lead to a worthwhile reevaluation of how things are done.

Warren said people dont talk very much about county government because it is doing so much right, and she wants to continue that trend. She has worked with county commissioners both as a municipal official and a state official.

I have always been proud of Kennebec County, and I want to continue that tradition, she said.

Garwood has not run for elective office before, but agreed to when members of the county Democratic Committee asked him to run.

Before he retired, he was active in the Maine Service Employees Union, which is affiliated with the Service Employees International union, as a delegate to the annual convention for many years, and as chapter vice president and president. For three terms, he served on the unions statewide board of directors.

While the departments in county government and the union are different, he said the tasks for a board member and a county commissioner are very similar in concept overseeing department activities and approving the budget, for example.

He said hes been involved in a number of activities in both his personal and professional lives that have been targeted at improving things and making things better, from improvements to his home to serving as Scoutmaster for 5 1/2 years for the Boy Scouts of America, an organization dedicated to developing future leaders. At his church, he worked to improve and provide facilities to hold better programs.

Warren, who is currently serving as a state representative in District 84, representing Hallowell, Manchester and West Gardiner, and has served as a city councilor and mayor in Hallowell, said she has a great deal of budget experience that she can use as a county official.

As the House chairwoman of the Maine State Legislatures Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, she and her Senate co-chair have overseen the budgets of the departments of Public Safety, Corrections, and the Maine Emergency Management Agency.

A bill she has sponsored to stabilize county jail funding receives a bipartisan unanimous vote in the Criminal Justice Committee on Wednesday, following stakeholder meetings to craft an agreement that could gain the approval of the committee.

While the process is not complete, she said, it moves the solution to a chronic funding shortfall along, increasing the requested appropriation from $12 million to $20 million and putting that funding request on the same footing as any other request under the commissioner of the Department of Corrections.

That meant staying at the table even when it was difficult, it meant lots and lots of meetings, and a lot of listening, she said. Those are my skills. Thats what I like about government work. I like listening, bringing people together and trying to solve issues.

The winner of this primary race will face off in November against Republican Joseph Pietroski Jr. of Winthrop, who has no primary opponent.

The deadline for petitions for nonparty candidates to appear on the November ballot is June 1.

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It is that time of the year when we can expect retail stores to be selling us Easter bunnies and chocolate. This has something remotely to do with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And its always in season for the Democrats to be selling us on the notion of Republicans being racists.

Nothing the Democrats have done since losing the Civil War in 1865 has improved quality of life in any conceivable way for the vast majority of Black Americans. But it makes sense that the party of Joe Biden would be reaching into its old bag of tricks, trying to convince their most faithful constituency to vote for them in the 2022 mid-term elections. The latest acts of deception: claims that Republicans are racists who 1) dont want to stop lynchings; 2) are against voting rights for Blacks; and 3) do not want a Black woman to be confirmed as a Supreme Court Justice.

Lets start with the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Bill. Did you know that the Congress original anti-lynching bill was first introduced in 1917 by a Republican, Representative Leonidas C. Dyer from Saint Louis? It died of filibuster by Democrats. Every year, lynchings kill exactly zero black Americans. This has been true for decades. Abortion, by contrast, is the number one killer of minorities, but Democrats today care as little about that as they used to care about lynching.

The new Emmett Till bill (H.R. 55) adds nothing substantive to 18 U.S. Code 249 (the Hate Crime Acts). It would give judges the discretion to sentence those found guilty of the crime of lynching for up to 30 years in prison, in comparison to the 10 year maximum sentencing guidelines for other hate crimes. But a judge could have accomplished the same effect of a 25-years-to-life sentence simply by running consecutive terms for all the other crimes related to a lynching, such as kidnapping, false imprisonment, aggravated assault, aggravated murder, etc.

So this bill is just more dusty window dressing outside the massage parlor called Playing Blacks For Stupid. It is nothing less than political concubinage, where Democrats work as hard as they can to stir up and perpetuate the sacrament of fear. The goal? To keep blacks serving their political masters, the Democrats.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, in November 2020, 69% of the Black American population was registered to vote. The Brennan Center for Justice reported in August 2021, that more Black Americans voted in 2020 than any presidential election since 2012. Yet, on March 6, 2022, Vice President Kamala Harris stood at a podium on Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. She spoke to hundreds of black citizens whod always had the right to vote. But she pretended that Black folk are being kept from the polls, as if they did not play a vital role in twice electing Barack Obama as President.

The political party Black Americans have been taught to trust is manipulating them through fear. That strikes me as one of the greatest tragedies of modern civilization. One party, the Democrats, can dominate the votes of a whole ethnic group, and use it to seize the wheel of power in nearly every major city.

On top of flogging this empty, symbolic anti-lynching bill, mainstream media are trying to make a racial litmus test out of support for confirmation ofJudge Ketanji Brown Jackson.

The story line here is simple: Republicans are racists. Theyre only putting on an act, and hiding it by refusing to ask Judge Jackson tough questions at an interview for a lifetime judicial appointment. Every day until Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is confirmed, CNN and the rest will keep on reminding us how Republican senators are trying hard not to remind Black voters how racist they are, so that Black voters do not show up at the ballot booth to vote against them. The ballot booth at which they are not allowed to vote, that is. Can you keep the logic there straight?

The same party that used the filibuster to block Dyers 1917 Anti-Lynching Bill used the threat of filibuster in 2005 to block President G.W. Bush from appointing Janice Rogers Brown. She was a Black pro-life Christian. Bush wanted her to replace Sandra Day OConnor. But the only good and acceptable Black Americans are those who obediently vote as Democrats tell them. So Joe Biden led a successful filibuster threat.

We should not have to live in a society where party politics have become a pseudo-religion with all the trappings of cultural sacraments and faith without reason. All Americans deserve better than political parties using fear, emotion, and lies to manipulate their votes.

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The Democrats Think They Own Black Americans' Votes, and Will Bully and Lie to Keep Them - The Stream

Indiana House Democratic CaucusIt's time government works for every Hoosier

The members of the Indiana House Democratic Caucus were elected by the citizens of the districts they live in to fulfill a two-year term in the Indiana House of Representatives. These representatives advocate at the Indiana Statehouse on behalf of their constituents and work to improve the lives of all Hoosiers.

Thank you Hoosier teachers and education advocates for making your presence known and your voices heard during the Red for Ed rally atthe Statehouse. The Indiana House Democratic Caucus sees you, hears you and stands with you in support of: increasing teacher pay and addressing the teacher shortage; making sure teachers are advising legislators on how we should be testing students;sufficiently funding public education; and treating teachers with the respect they deserve.

Use the arrows below to scroll through and view all members of the Indiana House Democratic Caucus.

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Use this helpful tool to determine who represents you in the Indiana General Assembly.

Hoosiers from across the state are invited to take part in our unique student learning opportunities. Check out the descriptions below and click the links to learn more about our programs.

College students and recent graduates of all ages are encouraged to apply for a full-time internship with the Indiana House Democratic Caucus.

This one-day learning opportunity gives children ages 13+ the chance to spend the day in Indiana's historic Statehouse during the legislative session.

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Democrats efforts to combat inflation are stuck in limbo because of internal divisions over a range of proposals aimed at lowering the cost of gas, health care and child care.

The latest idea that some Democrats are rallying around is a proposed tax on the windfall profits of major oil companies that would raise an estimated $45 billion to be returned to consumers in the form of energy rebates.

Senate Majority Leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerA movement is underway to ban lawmakers from trading stocks in office Biden signs .5 trillion government funding bill with Ukraine aid Bottom line MORE (D-N.Y.) highlighted oil companies profits on the Senate floor Thursday and announced that oil and gas company executives will be called to testify about why they are buying back stocks instead of keeping prices lower for average Americans.

It is nothing short of repugnant for oil companies to be touting what are truly dizzying profit margins, while soaking American families with these exorbitant prices, Schumer said.

But Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Joe ManchinJoe ManchinEnergy & Environment Ruling blocking climate accounting metric halted GOP pushes to add Russian oil ban into trade bill The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - What now after Zelensky's speech? MORE (W.Va.), the biggest swing vote in the Democratic caucus, isnt yet sold on the idea, and Republicans say they think theres little chance hed vote "yes."

Manchin told The Hill Thursday that he wants to have a hearing on the idea to find out the facts.

Other key Democrats, such as Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Tom CarperThomas (Tom) Richard CarperLobbying world Democrats divided over proposal to suspend federal gas tax Graham signals he's a likely 'no' on Biden SCOTUS pick MORE (Del.) and Senate Commerce Committee Chairwoman Maria CantwellMaria Elaine CantwellTech advocates criticize FCC nomination delays Democrats hit limits with Lujn's absence Hillicon Valley Presented by Cisco Media industry divided over Big Tech bill MORE (Wash.), havent taken a position on the proposal either.

Even if the measure, which is sponsored by Sen. Sheldon WhitehouseSheldon WhitehouseGas prices lead to tensions within Democratic Party Senate unanimously approves making daylight saving time permanent Carole King to discuss forest fires before Oversight subcommittee MORE (D-R.I.), got the support of all 50 members of the Democratic caucus, it has no chance of getting 10 Republicans to overcome a filibuster, and theres been no serious talk of putting it in a budget reconciliation package to circumvent GOP opposition.

Sen. Lisa MurkowskiLisa Ann MurkowskiSenate panel advances Biden Fed nominees to confirmation votes Biden signs reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - All eyes on Zelensky today MORE (Alaska), the ranking Republican on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, predicted not a single Republican would vote for the move and questioned whether even Manchin would back it.

I cant see any Republican supporting it. I dont see that it gets any traction and for lots of good reasons. If you want to send a positive signal to producers that they might want to be doing more, the worst thing you can do is threaten them with a windfall tax, she said.

Manchin told The Hill that hes more interested in spurring oil producers to bring more product to market.

I just want people to produce the products we need to get us through this crisis, he said.

Another proposal to soften the impact of rising gas prices suspending the 18.4 cent per gallon federal gas tax until next January has also divided Democratic senators.

The idea is spearheaded by two vulnerable Democrats facing tough reelection races, Sens. Mark KellyMark KellyMark Kelly says White House should characterize Putin as a war criminal Senate votes to nix mask mandate for public transportation Bipartisan group of senators press Mayorkas on US readiness for Russian cyberthreat MORE (Ariz.) and Maggie HassanMargaret (Maggie) HassanSenate votes to nix mask mandate for public transportation Democrats divided over proposal to suspend federal gas tax Equilibrium/Sustainability Biden presses ahead, bans energy imports MORE (N.H.), but its getting pushback from colleagues who are worried about cutting off a key source of revenue for the Highway Trust Fund.

We have for as long as I can remember ... embraced the principle that those who use roads, highways and bridges have an opportunity to help pay for them. We are not even coming close to paying for the roads, highways and bridges that we need, Carper told The Hill last week.

Other members of the Democratic caucus such as Sen. Angus KingAngus KingBipartisan group of senators press Mayorkas on US readiness for Russian cyberthreat Democrats divided over proposal to suspend federal gas tax Live coverage - Zelensky thinks Russia will talk; 6,000 Russian troops dead MORE (I-Maine) havent taken a position yet on the gas tax holiday but wonder aloud how to replace lost revenue to fund highways and bridges after Congress passed a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package last year.

Democrats also remain divided over the core elements of President BidenJoe BidenRepublican senators introduce bill to ban Russian uranium imports Energy & Environment Ruling blocking climate accounting metric halted Fauci says officials need more than .5B for COVID-19 response MOREs Build Back Better agenda, which the White House argues would help fight inflation by lowering families costs.

Biden told lawmakers during his first State of the Union address: I have a better plan to fight inflation. Lower your costs, not your wages.

The president called on Congress to make permanent the subsidies for health care premiums Congress enacted last year through the American Rescue Plan and enact proposals to fight climate change that he said would cut energy costs for families by an average of $500 a year.

He also called for federal subsidies to cut the cost of child care and access to pre-kindergarten for every 3- and 4-year-old.

All of these will lower costs, Biden declared.

But Manchin walked away from the speech unconvinced.

Ive never found out that you can lower costs by spending more, he said.

The following day, Manchin sketched out a proposal to build a package around tax reform, prescription drug reform and a group of measures to combat climate change. He left out expanded child care, home health care for seniors and the disabled, the child tax credit and other social spending initiatives.

Manchin also proposed setting aside half the revenue raised from tax reform and prescription drug reform to reduce the deficit and fight inflation.

More liberal Democrats would be happy to spend that money to fight inflation if it means spending it on programs to reduce families costs, but theres not much appetite for paying down the debt when they have a list of higher social spending priorities.

Senate Democrats acknowledge their internal divisions over how to combat inflation, but they argue that at least theyre putting forward ideas and criticize Republicans for just complaining about rising prices from the sidelines.

While many on the other side of the aisle have spent a lot of time giving floor speeches and presenting floor charts about rising costs, where are their actual proposals? We dont hear what they do to solve the problems, Schumer said last month.

Republicans should step up and say what their plan is to fight inflation, not just pointing fingers, he added.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellGOP talking point could turn to Biden's 'underwhelming' Russia response The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Facebook - What now after Zelensky's speech? Capito to make Senate GOP leadership bid MORE (R-Ky.) has told colleagues he wont release a legislative agenda before the midterm elections outlining what Republicans would do if they won back control of the Senate.

Republicans have since responded by calling for more access to oil and gas drilling on public lands, reauthorizing the Keystone XL pipeline and other proposals to spur domestic energy production and reduce fuel costs.

Were producing 1.4 million barrels [of oil] less a day than we were right before the pandemic, Sen. John BarrassoJohn Anthony BarrassoRepublican senators introduce bill to ban Russian uranium imports Capito to make Senate GOP leadership bid Manchin delays vote on Interior nominee, citing energy crisis MORE (R-Wyo.) told reporters Tuesday.

One inflation-fighting idea that Democrats are completely unified behind is the proposal negotiated last year to reduce the cost of many prescription drugs. The deal would cap out-of-pocket drug expenses for seniors at $2,000 and set a cap on the price of insulin at $35 a month.

It would also give the government limited authority under Medicare to negotiate lower prices for the 10 most expensive drugs.

Democrats, however, havent decided whether they will stick with that deal or try to craft something more expansive to give the federal government more power to drive down drug costs.

Manchin this month proposed modeling Medicare and Medicaid prescription drug programs on the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The organization that does the best job is the VA, the veterans administration gets some of the lowest prices. Maybe we should look at them, he told reporters after Bidens speech.

The prescription drug proposal remains stalled as Democrats debate whether it should be broadened and the strategy for passing it.

At last weeks Senate Democratic retreat, members discussed moving the proposal under regular order in an attempt to secure 10 Republican votes to get past a filibuster.

The other option would be to move it under the special budget reconciliation rules, which allow the majority party to pass major legislation with 51 votes. But the problem with this path is theres no consensus among Democrats about what else to include in the reconciliation package.

Progressives such as Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chairwoman Patty MurrayPatricia (Patty) Lynn MurrayOvernight Health Care White House steps up COVID money warnings Senate panel advances pandemic preparedness bill on bipartisan vote Five COVID-19 challenges on the two-year anniversary of the pandemic MORE (D-Wash.) say they're not giving up on including legislation to expand access to child care in the reconciliation bill.

I still think that child care is one of the most critical things we can do to help people lower their costs and take a barrier away so they can go back to work and help our economy, she said.

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Democrats divided over how to deal with rising inflation | TheHill - The Hill