BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Supporters of Unrig Our Economy Central Valley met outside of David Valadao’s office to demonstrate on Thursday.
They said the purpose of the demonstration was to demand answers as to why Valadao repeatedly sided with “Big Pharma” over the needs of his constituents.
Valadao voted against the Inflation Reduction Act, which is a historic downpayment on health, climate, and tax reforms intended to benefit working people in America.
Protester Brian Russom said he came because he was disappointed in Valadao for voting against the act, saying the bill is “a great piece of legislation” that passed “no thanks to Valadao.”
“Medicare will negotiate on drug prices and the big drug companies will have no choice but to sit down and lower their drug prices,” said Russom, “because if they lose the people on Medicare, they lose a huge portion of the people who buy their drugs.”
The Inflation Reduction Act also curbs costs for seniors by capping the cost of insulin at $35 dollars per month and ensuring those individuals pay no more than $2,000 dollars out of pocket per year for prescription drugs.
