U.S. Rep. Vincente Gonzalez discusses impact of Inflation Reducation Act

Rio Grande Guardian's Podcast

HARLINGEN, Texas - Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair Nanette Barragán said she was recently with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris when they announced plans to save money on prescription drugs.

Asked about the plan, U.S. Congressman Vicente Gonzalez said:

“Those are basic needs that I think communities like those in Rio Grande Valley need. We need to control prescription drugs. We need to control inflation, which has come down, we need to increase wages, and we need to make college education more accessible. There are so many other proposals that I think are coming from this administration.”

Asked if the Inflation Reduction Act played a role, Gonzalez said:

“The Inflation Reduction Act is what capped insulin and other prescription drugs at $35 a month, which kicks in next month. It'll be extraordinarily impactful for our community, (as we have) one of the highest rates of diabetes in the country.

“Many people are on this particular prescription, and I think it'll be a huge benefit. Medicare recipients will be capped at, I think, $1,500 a year. So, we're going to see a lot of inflation relief coming in this next cycle.”

Gonzalez was in San Benito recently to make an announcement about a federal grant for Cameron County Irrigation District No. 2. He said this grant, too, came about thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act.

“We're doing conservation projects that are going to be very helpful to the water problem that we have here in South Texas. Not a single Republican voted for those proposals. Yet, we’re getting hundreds of millions of dollars invested in water infrastructure here in South Texas that came from that bill,” Gonzalez said.

“That's something that I supported, something that I continue to support, to try to give the nourishment to small communities and municipalities and water districts to get those resources.”

Gonzalez was asked if no Republican member of Congress from Texas voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, or no Republican from across the United States voted against it. He said, no Republican from across the country.
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