The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform advanced several pieces of legislation on July 22 to address prescription drug costs, District of Columbia tax authority, and federal government operations. The committee’s actions included the advancement of the Pharmacists Fight Back Act (H.R. 6610), which targets pharmacy benefit manager practices; the D.C. Taxing Authority Review Act (H.R. 9720); and measures to reform inspector general oversight and electronic comment management.
Chairman James Comer said, “Americans are paying more for lifesaving medications while PBMs exploit their control over the prescription drug market for their own financial gain. The bipartisan Pharmacists Fight Back Act reins in predatory PBM practices, increases transparency, protects patients’ freedom to choose their pharmacy, and holds PBMs accountable when they break the rules.” Comer also stated that additional legislation would prevent excessive taxation in Washington, D.C., saying these bills will “lower drug costs, protect taxpayers, and make government more accountable to the American people.”
The Pharmacists Fight Back in Federal Employee Health Benefit Plans Act was introduced by Comer and Representative Jake Auchincloss. It establishes new requirements for pharmacy benefit managers participating in federal employee health plans by mandating fair reimbursement practices for pharmacies and applying manufacturer rebates to reduce costs for beneficiaries. The bill prohibits patient steering toward affiliated pharmacies and introduces penalties for noncompliance.
Comer said he frequently hears from Kentuckians about high prescription drug prices: “Over the last several years, I have worked closely with Kentucky pharmacists to learn more about the pharmacy benefit managers…that are lurking behind the scenes keeping patients from accessing the most effective medications for them.” He added that this bipartisan bill is supported by over 60 state and national pharmacy groups.
The committee also advanced H.R. 9720 requiring congressional approval before any new or increased tax or fee imposed by Washington D.C.’s council can take effect. Comer criticized current local policies as harmful to small businesses, saying, “Radical D.C. Democrats want to solve their spending problem by reaching deeper into taxpayers’ pockets…These are just more examples of bad policies that disincentivize investment…”
Additional bills included H.R. 9725—abolishing CIGIE one year after enactment—and H.R. 9643 addressing electronic comment management during federal rulemaking processes. Representative Clay Higgins supported both measures: regarding CIGIE, he said it has become a “bureaucratic mess” with partisan issues; regarding comment management, he stated recent amendments addressed concerns related to mass computer-generated comments.