A Message From Congressman Sarbanes
I am proud to be leading the charge in Congress to limit the influence of Big Money on politics and government and amplify the voices of everyday Americans. Whether it’s the economy, energy and the environment, health care or any other critical issue, special interests and well-connected insiders are calling the shots in Washington. We need to return to a government of, by and for the people. That’s why I authored H.R. 1, the For the People Act, an historic reform bill that passed the U.S. House of Representatives on March 8th, 2019.
Updates
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In the News: Kudos for Rescuing Chesapeake Bay Program
October 8, 2020
Kudos for Rescuing Chesapeake Bay Program
Kaitlyn Leitherer, The Baltimore Sun (LTE)I want to voice my support and congratulations to Rep. John Sarbanes, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and everyone who worked tirelessly to pass America’s Conservation Enhancement Act (“U.S. House passes up to $92 million in Chesapeake Bay cleanup funding; advocates expect Trump to sign," Oct. 1). The passage of this bipartisan legislation is exciting news for the future of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and is cause for celebration.
Growing up in Federal Hill, my life has been full of waterfront memories — passing runners on scenic morning jogs and watching the sunset from a bench at the park. However, I also have memories of sweltering afternoons where the lack of shade-providing trees (and the occasional smell of dead fish due to algae blooms) made the four-block walk to my best friend’s house almost unbearable.
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In the News: Democrats Dressed Down Dumbfounded Pharma Executives at Fiery Congressional Hearing on Drug Prices
October 1, 2020
Democrats Dressed Down Dumbfounded Pharma Executives at Fiery Congressional Hearing on Drug Prices
Blake Montgomery, The Daily BeastSeveral Democratic representatives blasted pharmaceutical executives over the prices of their companies’ drugs during a Wednesday House Oversight Committee hearing that caught the chief of Bristol Myers Squibb subsidiary Celgene and Teva flat-footed. Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) drew a stark connection between bonuses the former Celgene CEO, Mark Alles, had received in recent years and price hikes for the cancer therapeutic Revlimid, which has risen in price from $215 in 2005 to $763 today. When Alles could not succinctly answer whether the drug had improved alongside the price hikes, Porter replied, “To recap here: The drug didn’t get any better, the cancer patients didn’t get any better, you just got better at making money, you just refined your skills at price gouging.”
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) pointed to internal documents from drugmaker Teva that calculated the return on investment from charitable donations when she said, “Your pharmaceutical company makes these so-called charitable donations so you look like you give a shit about sick people.” Teva’s CEO Kåre Schultz failed so badly to win over lawmakers that one told him he “might as well get off the screen” of the virtual hearing. Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD) told Schultz, “It would have been nice to come, maybe, equipped a little bit better.”
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In the News: Congressional Klieg lights could give way to restructuring of biopharma
October 1, 2020
Congressional Klieg lights could give way to restructuring of biopharma
Mari Serebrov, BioWorldAttributing recent reductions in certain U.S. prescription drug prices to intense congressional scrutiny rather than a biopharma industry commitment to affordability, Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.) said Congress must put more guardrails in place and restructure how the industry does business.
“I don’t trust the industry to do the right thing when we’re not looking at you with these Klieg lights,” he told executives from Amgen Inc., Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals and Novartis AG Oct. 1 during the second day of a House Oversight Committee hearing on drug prices.
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In the News: U.S. House Passes Bill to Bolster School-Based Health Centers
September 30, 2020
U.S. House Passes Bill to Bolster School-Based Health Centers
Elizabeth Shwe, Maryland MattersA bill that would will help deliver primary care, dental screenings and mental health services to students in low-income and underserved communities passed by voice vote in the U.S. House of Representatives late Tuesday.
The School-Based Health Centers Reauthorization Act, sponsored by Rep. John P. Sarbanes (D-Md.), would continue federal support for school-based health centers through 2025. The statutory authorization had expired in 2014.
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In the News: Sarbanes on talks about coronavirus relief
September 27, 2020
Sarbanes on talks about coronavirus relief
Jason Newton, WBAL-TV (NBC)It has been six months since Congress passed the coronavirus relief act for the coronavirus pandemic, and talks between the White House and lawmakers are stalled over another round of relief. Maryland Rep. John Sarbanes talks about what's happening in Washington now.