Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) told reporters Wednesday that passing legislation to lower prescription drug prices will be essential if Republicans hope to hold onto their Senate majority. But he said the bipartisan drug pricing bill he has put forth with Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon will probably get pushed to early next year, Politico reports.
Grassley expressed optimism that he could convince Republicans opposed to his legislation to back it, especially given that they’re adamantly against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s proposal calling for the government to negotiate drug prices.
"Eventually it will come down to this I think, there are 22 Republicans up for election this year and if it's like in my state ... there is a great deal of disgust with the rapidly increasing prices of drugs and every Republican up for reelection is going to have a place to land and this is the place to land because they are surely not going to land with what Pelosi is doing," Grassley said.
Grassley said he is working on a compromise with House Democrats.
