Becerra to rally with Pallone for lower drug costs

Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra will join Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-Long Branch) in New Brunswick on Monday for a rally to lower prescription drug costs. Becerra, who served in the House with Pallone for more than 20 years, is the third Cabinet secretary to visit Pallone’s district this summer, and the sixth to visit New Jersey.

Pallone, the chair of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, is the sponsor of the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, a bill which would give the federal government the power to negotiate prescription drug prices.

Becerra will also be in New Jersey’s 10th district with Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. (D-Newark) on Monday. He is the fourth Biden cabinet member to visit Payne’s House district.

Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo toured clean energy labs in Pallone’s district last week, and Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm visited Pallone and two other members of Congress in July. Secretary of Education Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge, and Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona have also all visited the state since June.