IN THE STATES: Senate Democrats Focus On Addressing Working Families’ Most Pressing Priorities During State Work Period

During this state work period voters are reading and watching how Democrats like Sens. Cortez Masto, Hassan, Kelly and Bennet are fighting to address their constituents’ most pressing priorities – like lowering costs, expanding access to health care, and holding big corporations accountable for getting rich while keeping prices high.

See for yourself:

AZ – Arizona Republic: Arizonans are skipping medications because of cost. Sen. Kelly is advocating to change that

• “The decision to stop my medication was based on money, not medicine,” Wilson said Tuesday at a U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing hosted by U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., in Phoenix. The hearing focused on lowering prescription drug prices for seniors.

• During the hearing, Kelly advocated for a bill he’s backing to cap the out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $35 a month for most Americans, which recently passed the House of Representatives.

• He also advocated for other legislative proposals he’s working on, including allowing Medicare to negotiate prices of certain high-cost drugs, stopping drug companies from raising prices faster than inflation and redesigning Medicare Part D to cap out-of-pocket costs at $2,000 per year.

CO – Fox 21: Senator Michael Bennet in Pueblo to discuss prescription drug costs

• Senator Michael Bennet was in Pueblo on Monday to discuss the need to lower prescription drug costs.

• Last month, Bennet spoke at the Finance Committee’s hearing focused on lowering prescription drug costs and called on his colleagues to pass legislation to address this issue. Senator Bennet introduced legislation earlier this year that would cap the out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $35 per month.

NV – KOLO: Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto meets with local law enforcement to discuss community need.

• Senator Catherine Cortez Masto met with leaders of our local law enforcement agencies at the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office to discuss and find solutions to some of the issues facing our region. One major issue discussed was mental health.

• At the discussion the senator announced $2.3 million in funding to help upgrade and expand medical and mental health services at Washoe County Detention Center.

NV – KTVN: Sen. Cortez Masto Announces Nearly $3.5 Million in Support for Nevada’s Rural Communities

• U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced that $3,495,275 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will support public schools, roads, and other local services in rural Nevada through the U.S. Forest Service’s Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program, which helps provide economic support to rural communities.

NV –  KRNV: Senator Cortez Masto Announces Nearly $3.5 Million in Support for Nevada’s Rural Communities From Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

• Senator Catherine Cortez Masto has announced new funding to support small businesses all across rural Nevada. The rural Nevada Development Corporation got a million dollar loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Senator Cortez Masto says that the loan will “allow the rural Nevada Development Corporation to support a range of small businesses that are the lifeblood of Nevada’s rural communities.”

NV – Nevada Appeal: Funding to support schools, roads

• Approximately $3.5 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will support public schools, roads and other local services in rural Nevada through the U.S. Forest Service’s Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program, U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto announced Friday. The program will help provide economic support to rural communities.

• “I’m proud to announce that funding I secured in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will support Nevada’s rural communities,” Cortez Masto said. “I’ll continue working to ensure we’re providing our rural communities with the tools they need to grow and thrive.”

NH – Nassau Telegraph: Hassan leads colleagues in introducing bill to crack down on price manipulation by big oil.

• “As Big Oil continues to rake in record profits, Granite Staters are paying the price every time they fill up their tank,” Senator Hassan said.

• “The administration must take action to investigate whether Big Oil is artificially raising prices and illegally manipulating the market for their own gain, and that’s what my bill will do. I am committed to standing up to Big Oil and will keep pushing for solutions to help lower prices for Granite Staters and all Americans.”

NH – Union Leader: Sen. Hassan seeks probe into gas price gouging.

• Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., is leading three other Democratic senators calling upon the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether oil and gas companies have illegally been cranking up prices at the pump.

• “As Big Oil continues to rake in record profits, Granite Staters are paying the price every time they fill up their tank,” Hassan said in a statement. “The administration must take action to investigate whether Big Oil is artificially raising prices and illegally manipulating the market for their own gain, and that’s what my bill will do,” she said.

NH – Manchester Ink Link: ​​Hassan gathers local roundtable to discuss youth mental health

• U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined local experts in youth mental health and suicide prevention at Manchester School of Technology to discuss efforts to prevent youth suicide in New Hampshire.

• Hassan began with information about the STANDUP Act, a piece of legislation she sponsored and was co-sponsored by nine other members of her caucus and seven Republicans that requires the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to give priority for grants that implement evidence-based suicide awareness and prevention training policies in states, tribal governments and local educational agencies. The bill was signed into law by President Biden on March 15.

NH – WMUR: Senator Hassan Attends Rountable Hosts Roundtable On Youth Suicide Prevention

• Students, mental health, and suicide prevention advocates talked with Senator Maggie Hassan about how COVID has exacerbated the mental health crisis amongst kids.

NH – Nashua Telegram: Hassan hosts roundtable on youth suicide prevention and her STANDUP Act with NH students and mental health advocates

• Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan hosted a roundtable on youth suicide prevention with Granite State students, educators, and mental health and suicide prevention advocates at the Manchester School of Technology.

• Hassan is focused on supporting young people across New Hampshire and ensuring that they have the mental health resources that they need. Senator Hassan worked to establish a new 9-8-8 suicide prevention hotline and recently announced $338,302 that she worked to secure for New Hampshire to help the state stand up the hotline.

###