Rep. Cindy Axne is touting the Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law this week by President Joe Biden, as an example of what she and fellow Democrats can accomplish if they keep control of Congress after November’s midterm elections.
As she spoke to voters at the Iowa State Fair Wednesday, the 3rd District congresswoman highlighted new spending in the act aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and investing in renewable energy.
Axne also touted provisions that cap out-of-pocket costs of prescription drugs, particularly insulin, for people in Medicare.
“We have made it such that insulin will be no more than $35 a month because I’m tired of seeing hard working Iowans who are trying to live a retirement of dignity struggle to keep their lights on and pay for their diabetes insulin,” Axne said at the Des Moines Register Political Soapbox.
The cap on insulin costs goes into effect next year. In 2025, the law adds a $2,000 limit on prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries.
Axne was the only delegation member to vote for the Inflation Reduction Act. Among other criticisms of the law, Republicans have said funding for the IRS meant to improve tax collection will cause more people to face tax audits.
A handful of demonstrators stood near the stage as Axne spoke. They wore black T-shirts and held a sign that read “Axne sent us to audit.”
The Treasury Department has pledged that any additional enforcement would only impact people making more than $400,000 dollars a year.
Axne said the IRS funding is aimed at increasing enforcement against higher-earning taxpayers. She stressed the point speaking later with reporters.
“I’m tired of walking into towns and seeing roads that are in complete disrepair, bridges that are falling apart, schools that are crumbling because the rich aren’t paying their fair share,” Axne said. “People making $30,000 are. Businesses in Corning, Iowa, are paying their taxes. But we’ve got folks here that come into our own district with Amazon, and (CEO Jeff Bezos) wasn’t paying his taxes.”
Axne is running for a third term in the U.S. House against Republican Zach Nunn, a state senator from Bondurant. Nunn spoke at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday.
