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In their first joint event, US President Joe Biden expressed high praise for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasising her capability to be a strong leader.
US President Joe Biden, and Vice-President Kamala Harris. (Photo: AFP)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Aug 16, 2024 10:40 IST
Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden held their first joint event since Biden exited the 2024 presidential race and supported her to take his place as a Democratic nominee.
Appearing at Prince George's County Community College, Biden hailed Harris, stating that she will become "one hell of a president," ABC News reported.
The event came as Republican candidate Donald Trump addressed a press conference in New Jersey — his second campaign event in the last two days.
On Thursday, Democrats gathered to celebrate a significant milestone for the Biden administration: a newly announced agreement aimed at reducing the cost of 10 widely used prescription drugs. This move is expected to provide financial relief to millions of Americans, addressing one of the nation's most pressing healthcare challenges.
The White House stated that nearly 2,300 people attended Thursday's event in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
During the event, President Biden boosted his vice president, bringing the crowd to their feet several times. The feeling was mutual.
"There's a lot of love in this room for our president," Harris stated, adding that "few leaders in our nation have done more on so many issues, including expanding access to affordable healthcare, than Joe Biden."
Earlier, the White House announced that Medicare has secured agreements with drug manufacturers to lower prices for all 10 drugs chosen in the first round of negotiations.
"It's a relief for the millions of seniors that take these drugs to treat everything from heart failure, blood clots, diabetes, arthritis, Crohn's disease, and more — and it's a relief for American taxpayers," Biden said in a statement.
The Biden administration's drug pricing negotiations target 10 high-cost prescriptions, including Eliquis, Jardiance, and Stelara.
These reduced prices, effective in 2026, could save taxpayers $6 billion and Medicare Part D enrollees $1.5 billion in out-of-pocket expenses. The Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimate price cuts between 38% and 79%.
The President stated that he could fly Americans to Canada or France to procure the very same drugs for far less than the "totally unaffordable" ones in the US.
"Kamala and I both get it. We know it isn't just about health care — it's about your dignity," the president said, adding that he believes health care "should be a right, not a privilege in America."
Published By:
Akhilesh Nagari
Published On:
Aug 16, 2024
