Diana DeGette

Wants to accelerate the pace of cures and medical breakthroughs in the United States.

“Rep. DeGette has led the historic effort to accelerate the pace of cures and medical breakthroughs in the United States. This work continues with Cures 2.0.”¹⁷

Wants to lower the cost of insulin.

“As co-chair of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus, Rep. DeGette is working to lower the cost of insulin.”¹⁷

Wants to protect children from the dangers of tobacco and nicotine.

“Rep. DeGette is working to protect our children from the dangers of tobacco and nicotine.”¹⁷

Wants to increase competition among drug manufacturers to lower insulin costs for consumers.

“Congress needs to find ways to increase the number of drug manufactures who are making insulin available to consumers. They also need to make it easier for those companies to get approval for new generic versions of insulin that they can then offer to consumers on the market.”¹⁸

Wants to increase transparency in drug pricing and allow consumers to appeal insurance decisions.

“Congress needs to enact new policies that will require drug makers to provide more information to consumers, and make it easier for them to compare drug prices among various manufacturers. Congress also needs to create a system that allows consumers to appeal their insurance company's decision not to cover a certain drug.”¹⁸

Wants to require drug companies to offer consumers the same prices they offer pharmacies and wholesalers.

“Drug makers often use a system of rebates that allow pharmacies and wholesalers to pay less for the same drug that consumers are forced to buy at a much higher price. Congress needs to enact policies that will require drug companies to offer consumers the same price they offer pharmacies and wholesalers for any drug.”¹⁸

Introduced legislation to continue funding programs working to find a cure for diabetes.

“In May 2019, Rep. DeGette introduced legislation to continue funding a pair of Special Diabetes Programs that are working to find a cure to the disease for an additional five years.”¹⁸

Introduced legislation to increase competition by easing approval of generic insulin.

“In April 2019, Rep. DeGette introduced legislation that seeks to increase competition by making it easier for drug makers to get new generic versions of insulin approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.”¹⁸

Introduced legislation to expand access to a Medicare diabetes management program.

“In March 2019, Rep. DeGette introduced legislation to expand access to a free Medicare program designed to teach patients how to best manage their diabetes and cope with its effects.”¹⁸

Called on Medicare to cover artificial pancreas systems for diabetes management.

“In September 2018, Rep. DeGette led a bipartisan group of lawmakers in calling on Medicare to provide coverage for artificial pancreas systems, one of the newest diabetes management technologies available to patients, which is already covered by more than two dozen of the nation's largest private insurers.”¹⁸

Supports expediting the delivery of new treatments to patients needing them most.

“Designed to improve the level of care that's provided to patients across the U.S., the legislation would, among other things, expedite the delivery of potentially groundbreaking new treatments to the patients that need them most.”¹⁹

Wants to increase access to telehealth services.

“It would increase access to telehealth services, provide training programs to help family members care for loved ones at home and require greater diversity in clinical trials to ensure drugs and treatments approved for use in the U.S. are safe and effective for a greater portion of the population.”¹⁹

Plans to create a new Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H).

“And it would make President Biden's dream of creating a new Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health a reality.”¹⁹

Wants ARPA-H to find cures for diseases like cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's.

“Under the terms of the proposal, once created, ARPA-H would be tasked with finding new cures and treatments for some of the world's most difficult diseases – such as cancer, diabetes, ALS, Alzheimer's and more.”¹⁹

Wants to restore and expand Americans’ reproductive rights.

“As co-chair of the House Pro-Choice Caucus, Rep. DeGette is leading the fight to restore and expand Americans’ reproductive rights.”¹⁷

Believes everyone should have access to reproductive services, including abortion care.

“Rep. DeGette believes deeply that every American – regardless of where they live, or how much money they make – should have access to the full range of reproductive services, including abortion care.”¹⁷

Wants to restore protections that were in place under Roe v. Wade.

“That’s why she’s committed to restoring the protections that were in place under Roe v. Wade so that everyone can, once again, access the care they need.”¹⁷

Wants to enact new commonsense gun safety measures to protect communities.

“Rep. DeGette has been an outspoken advocate for enacting new commonsense gun safety measures to help protect our communities.”¹⁷

Wants to cut the nation’s carbon emissions, curb methane waste, and promote environmental justice.

“Rep. DeGette has been leading the charge to cut our nation’s carbon emissions, curb methane waste and pollution, and promote environmental justice – all in an effort to avoid the most devastating effects of climate change.”¹⁷

Wants to hold oil and gas producers accountable for their environmental impact.

“For years, as a senior member of the committee, DeGette has led an effort to hold some of the nation’s largest oil and gas producers accountable, advance environmental justice for all and expedite America’s transition to cleaner forms of renewable energy.”³⁷

Supports restoring methane-emission standards for oil and gas companies.

“DeGette has authored several key pieces of legislation aimed at limiting the oil and gas industry’s emissions – including one of the first bills President Biden signed into law shortly after taking office to restore the methane-emission standards that were in place under the Obama administration but had been repealed by the Trump administration.”³⁷

Wants to reduce harmful emissions from oil and gas sites.

“As the top Democrat on the subcommittee that oversees the oil and gas industry, DeGette is determined to enact policies that will further reduce the release of harmful emissions from their sites.”³⁷

Introduces legislation to address environmental justice in polluted communities.

“To help deliver on the promise of environmental justice in communities that have been disproportionately impacted by large amounts of pollution from nearby facilities, DeGette has introduced legislation that will require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to launch a new federal initiative.”³⁷

Wants to require the EPA to study the cumulative impact of pollution on communities.

“The legislation will also – for the first time – require EPA to study the cumulative impact that multiple sources of pollution can have on a nearby community and incorporate that information into the agency’s health assessments going forward.”³⁷

Authored legislation creating a federal clean-energy standard.

“DeGette has authored legislation that would create the first-ever federal clean-energy standard. The measure would require U.S. power companies to eliminate their net carbon emissions– a key step in our effort to fight climate change.”³⁷

Wants to incentivize power plants to convert to net-zero emissions.

“The legislation includes incentives for power plants that are already prepared to convert their facilities and begin producing electricity with net-zero emissions to do so immediately.”³⁷

Supports expediting innovation and deployment of new technologies to lower emissions.

“It will also expedite the innovation and deployment of new technologies needed to lower emissions across the country, and will ensure a just transition for workers by providing assistance to help train current fossil-fuel-industry workers to take on the jobs of tomorrow.”³⁷

Supports eliminating the 'Halliburton Loophole' regarding fracking chemicals.

“DeGette is a lead sponsor of legislation to eliminate the so-called “Halliburton Loophole,” which exempts the chemicals used in fracking operations from the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act.”³⁷

Wants to require fracking companies to publicly disclose chemicals.

“It would also give the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency authority to regulate the process going forward.”³⁷

Wants to protect communities from harmful toxins.

“To help protect some of our most vulnerable communities, DeGette has been leading an effort to close a legal loophole that allows refineries in the U.S. to pump an unlimited amount of hydrogen cyanide – a highly toxic chemical – into the atmosphere.”³⁷

Wants to set a federal limit on hydrogen cyanide emissions from refineries.

“DeGette's legislation would require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to determine the potential health effects that hydrogen cyanide can have on nearby communities and set a maximum federal limit that all U.S. refineries must abide by to fully protect the health of nearby residents.”³⁷

Wants ARPA-H to be modeled after DARPA, which developed the internet and GPS.

“It would be modeled largely after the Pentagon's highly successful Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, which has been responsible for developing some of the most significant technological advancements of our time, including the Internet, GPS and self-driving cars.”¹⁹

Wants to protect Colorado’s landscapes for future generations.

“To ensure that Colorado’s most treasured landscapes remain protected – and available for generations to enjoy – Rep. DeGette is working to pass legislation known as the Colorado Wilderness Act into law.”¹⁷