ICYMI: Commerce Secretary Raimondo Exposes Sen. McConnell’s Blockade Against Lower Prices

McConnell is “Playing Politics with our National Security”

Speaking with George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s This Week, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo pointed to legislation in Congress to build domestic manufacturing of semiconductor chips as a concrete step that needs to be taken to bring down prices for the American people. This legislation would create thousands of good-paying jobs and address the chips shortage that has driven prices higher on cars and countless other products. As the Secretary noted, Senator McConnell is now attempting to hold that legislation hostage to block another crucial effort to lower prices on prescription drugs for the American people.

The Secretary also noted that there are profound national security implications in not addressing the chips shortage, saying “He’s playing politics with our national security and it’s time for Congress to do its job on both of those dimensions.”

Watch the clip: https://twitter.com/abcpolitics/status/1546127074058031105?s=21&t=S6SP7ACmRsV2YnOLwiulVQ

STEPHANOPOULOS: …Is there anything more the President can do to combat inflation that he’s not doing now?

RAIMONDO: Well, one of the things that Ro Khanna pointed out in that piece is that Congress needs to pass the CHIPS Act. There’s a bill right now before Congress which Ro Khanna supports, President Biden supports, which would increase the domestic supply of semiconductors and also start a supply chain office in the Department of Commerce. That has to pass. Has to pass now. Not in six months from now, now. It’s bipartisan.

Mitch McConnell just threw a wrench in that about a week ago, saying that he wasn’t going to allow Republicans to move on that unless we move down reconciliation. That’s a perfect example, George, of increasing supply. We have inflation now because of lack of supply. And let’s increase supply.

STEPHANOPOULOS: But as you point out, Madam Secretary, Mitch McConnell said it’s not going anywhere as long as the President continues to push a budget reconciliation bill. So doesn’t that mean the CHIPS bill is dead?

RAIMONDO: It shouldn’t be dead. Why can’t we do both? What’s in that reconciliation bill? Allowing Medicare to negotiate for drug prices. What will that do? Bring down the prices of medicine for the average American consumer.

So the — again, the President wakes up every day pushing us and his team and Congress, what more can we do to bring down prices? So let’s bring down prescription drug prices, so that people feel that when they go to the drugstore and also let’s pass the CHIPS Act to bring down the prices of chips, which will bring down the price of pretty much everything you buy, because everything includes chips.

It’s a false choice. He’s playing politics with our national security and it’s time for Congress to do its job on both of those dimensions.

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