Tag: Senator Susan Collins

New US initiative to prevent gun violence welcomed

Volume 402, Issue 10418
9 December 2023 

WORLD REPORT  Thwarted by Congress, President Joe Biden has created the first White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Susan Jaffe reports from Washington, DC.  

With Congress unable to ban even the most dangerous firearms made for war zones, US President Joe Biden announced a new strategy to deal with gun violence afflicting the nation: creating the first White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. Frustrated by the congressional impasse, Biden essentially conceded that the new Office was not the best solution for reducing the unrelenting toll of gun violence in the USA.

“I’ll continue to urge Congress to take common sense actions that the majority of Americans support, like enacting universal background checks and banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines”, Biden said in his announcement. “But in the absence of that sorely needed action, the Office of Gun Violence Prevention along with the rest of my Administration will continue to do everything it can to combat the epidemic of gun violence that is tearing our families, our communities, and our country apart.” [Continued here]…

No More Secrets: Congress Bans Pharmacist  ‘Gag Orders’  On Drug Prices

Update:  After this article was posted Oct. 10th, the President signed the legislation into law later that day.

By Susan Jaffe  | Kaiser Health News | October 10, 2018  | This KHN story also ran on 

For years, most pharmacists couldn’t give customers even a clue about an easy way to save money on prescription drugs. But the restraints are coming off.

When the cash price for a prescription is less than what you would pay using your insurance plan, pharmacists will no longer have to keep that a secret.

…But there’s a catch: Under the new legislation, pharmacists will not be required to tell patients about the lower cost option. If they don’t, it’s up to the customer to ask.  [Continued at Kaiser Health News and at NBC News]