What: Virtual town hall with Rep. Bobby Scott to urge Congress to make big corporations, especially Big Pharma, pay their share in taxes
When: Today at 4:30 p.m.
Where: Zoom meeting. Registration link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJckc-qurjkuHtMWDcyLeuGF75aQyiXhTtRg
Portsmouth, Va. — Virginia Organizing will hold a virtual town hall with Rep. Bobby Scott on Monday, May 17 at 4:30 p.m. on Zoom. Spanish and ASL interpretation will be provided. Members from chapters around the Commonwealth will speak about the high cost of prescription drugs and urge Rep. Scott and Congress to make drug corporations pay their fair share of taxes.
“Prescription drug companies get a steady stream of our tax money for development of vaccines and new medicines,” said Tyran Green, a leader in the Portsmouth Chapter and board member who will moderate the discussion. “Drug companies patent the drugs we pay to develop and then charge us so much for them that people have to ration their medication or go without it until they end up in the hospital.”
Virginia Organizing’s leaders want to see Congress make drug corporations pay their share of taxes and stop gouging consumers.
“I am a woman with chronic diseases in permanent medical treatment,” said Isabel Hilario, a leader in the Fredericksburg Chapter. “I suffer from diabetes and arthritis, and last year I contracted Covid-19. During the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, hundreds of people from my immigrant community have died due to lack of medical assistance, due to the high costs of health care and drugs. Lawmakers should commit to reduce drug costs and establish programs for immigrant access to health care.”
Glynis Mason, a leader in the Norfolk Chapter, has been working to address vaccine distribution problems in Hampton Roads. She wants corporations—especially Big Pharma—to be held accountable for all the money they receive from taxpayers.
“We know from our local campaign in Norfolk that not everybody who needs a vaccine can get one,” said Mason. “And what makes even less sense is that these huge drug corporations like Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson are making billions and not paying taxes instead of giving back to our communities.”
For more information about the history of tax breaks for corporations and price gouging on medicine, see this fact sheet from Healthcare for American Now.
To interview a spokesperson about this event, contact Rosemary Gould at 434-962-7261 or rosemary@virginia-organizing.org.
