By: Susan Santarcangelo | Photos by Su Phelps

Nevada’s U.S Representative Susie Lee held a townhall at the Southwest Career and Technical Academy on November 23, 2019. Questions from the audience were wide ranging covering topics from national issues appearing regularly in the press like DACA and the impeachment inquiry to issues directly impacting veterans and their families.
Lee stressed that the Congress is still working despite the headlines. “The media will make you believe that (impeachment inquiry) is all we’re working on, but I want you to know…I sit on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and since this process has begun I think, in fact, that I have gotten my greatest legislative wins….”
She notes that in the last week that two, bi-partisan pieces of her own legislation have passed the house. One is for veteran mothers who deliver children in VA Hospitals. “[they] will now have 14 days to find health care for their infants instead of the seven they had before.” The second impacts vets on the G.I. Bill who are subject to overpayments, “…now schools will have to be responsible for repaying the overpayments not the veterans. But more importantly what that does is save about $140 million dollars to U.S. taxpayers over the next 10 years.”
She was asked if she supported HR-3, a House Resolution allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices, tie cost increases to inflation, and place a $2500 per year cap on what Medicare recipients will spend on prescription drug prices. She noted that she had heard directly from her staff and constituents about their struggles with affording prescription drugs. “Americans should not have to make a decision of whether to put the lights on in their apartment or buy medication that saves their lives. It is the number one issue, health care costs, facing our country. …absolutely I am supporting HR3, and again this is a bi-partisan issue, this is a priority of President Trump’s. He came into office saying he was going to take on the pharmaceutical companies and I want to fight with him to do that and I hope we can get a bi-partisan bill that not only will pass the house but will pass the Senate and we can get relief for millions of Americans.”