Pelosi: House to go ahead with impeachment, lower drug costs act
United States House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi has announced that the House will move forward with drafting articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump and that the House will pass the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R. 3) next week.
Announcing the drafting of impeachment articles for the president, Speaker Pelosi said at a press conference on Thursday that “uncontested” facts prove President Trump abused the presidential powers for political, personal benefit at the cost of national security.
“[Trump withheld] military aid and a crucial Oval Office meeting in exchange for an announcement of an investigation into his political rival,” said Pelosi.
She added that yesterday the American people heard top US constitutional scholars who testified and “illuminated, without a doubt,” that Trump’s actions profoundly violated trust of the people.
Pelosi went on to state, “The President’s actions have seriously violated the Constitution – especially when he says and acts upon the belief, ‘Article II says, I can do whatever I want.’”
She said Trump is again trying to corrupt the election and his abuse of power undermined national security.
“The President leaves us no choice but to act, because he is trying to corrupt, once again, the election for his own benefit,” she said. “The President has engaged in abuse of power undermining our national security and jeopardizing the integrity of our elections.”
The transcript of Pelosi’s speech may be read on the official website for the House Speaker, here.
Also on Thursday, Speaker Pelosi along with Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Ways & Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal, Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. and Education & Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott jointly released a statement announcing floor vote on H.R.3 next week.
“We have now received enough guidance from CBO to bring the Lower Drug Costs Now Act to the Floor and to reinvest its savings in one of the most transformational improvements to Medicare since its creation,” reads the joint statement.
“We are going to give Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices, and make those prices available to Americans with private insurance as well as Medicare beneficiaries. American seniors and families shouldn’t have to pay more for their medicines than what Big Pharma charges in other countries for the same drugs. “Last year, House Democrats promised to lower health care costs by lowering the price of prescription drugs For The People. We are proud to deliver on that promise.”
Image credit - Public domain image (US Department of Labor)
