Sixth District Perspectives with Congressman Ben Cline: June 22, 2019

In conversations with constituents and in my town hall meetings, I strive to find common ground and have worked across the aisle to get important work done for the Sixth Congressional District of Virginia. While some Members of Congress may simply talk about bipartisanship, I am reporting to you today on my success working with my colleagues in both parties.

Since January 3, I have introduced or co-sponsored 48 different bills. These bills range from support of veterans to legislation addressing our national debt and the rising costs of prescription drugs. Of these bills, 60 percent have been bipartisan.

As we saw during the 2016 and 2018 elections, Russia and other hostile foreign powers continue to actively interfere with our elections. I joined Congressman John Ratcliffe and a bipartisan group of congressmen to introduce H.R. 3238, the Defending the Integrity of Voting Systems Act. This bill would make it a felony to hack state and local election systems. This is an immediate step we can take to safeguard our elections and hold accountable those who tamper with our Constitutional Republic’s most sacred act.

A set of bipartisan bills in which I have partnered with Tennessee Congressman Steve Cohen would tackle debt relief for veterans and small business owners. The National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act would extend by four years the 2015 version of the law. It allows National Guard and Reservists who have fallen on hard times to obtain bankruptcy protection after their military service without having to file the mountain of paperwork typically required by Chapter 7’s “means test.” This has been a successful program that should continue as veterans work to re-assimilate after military service.

The other bill I joined with Congressman Cohen to introduce is H.R. 3311, the Small Business Reorganization Act. Co-sponsors include House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law Chairman David Cicilline (D-Rhode Island) and House Judiciary Ranking Member Doug Collins (R-Georgia). Under the Small Business Reorganization Act, businesses with less than $2.5 million in debt would be able to file for bankruptcy in a timelier and more cost-effective manner. In bankruptcy reorganization, a small business would be able to negotiate with creditors while keeping the doors open, employees on payroll, and suppliers and vendors paid.

H.R. 3199, the Terminating the Extension of Rights Misappropriated (TERM) Act, is a bill I have co-sponsored with New York Congressman Hakeem Jeffries. This legislation would address the rising costs of prescription drugs by significantly limiting the process known as “evergreening”, whereby pharmaceutical companies make minor changes to a drug and file for a new patent on those trivial changes to extend their exclusivity and maintain high prices.

Under existing patent law, generic drug manufacturers must prove why a new patent should not be granted on existing medication. This process adds significant costs to generic manufacturers and slows the ability of lower cost drugs to be released. The TERM Act shifts that burden of proof to pharmaceutical companies, who would have to reasonably demonstrate why changes to a drug qualify it for a new patent. This bill can bring down drug costs and directly benefit the citizens of the Sixth District who depend on prescription medications each month.

These bills are just a snapshot of my bipartisan efforts in the House. Congress.gov is a website where you can easily track legislation in the House and Senate, including co-sponsorships and voting records. I also provide regular updates on Facebook.com/RepBenCline and Twitter.com/RepBenCline. My official website at cline.house.gov is another resource that includes press releases, news clips, and archives of previous Sixth District Perspectives. If you want to learn the latest about what is happening in Congress, visit these websites or call my Washington office at (202) 225-5431.
This week was busy in Washington and in the Sixth District, where I attended the swearing-in of new Grottoes Police Chief Thomas James and toured the Shenandoah Valley Airport Monday. I want to thank the more than 50 people who attended my most recent town hall in Rockingham County. Please continue to follow cline.house.gov/about/events for new town halls coming in July.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your Congressman.