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With control of Congress and the White House, Democrats have an opportunity to bring down prescription drug prices, addressing one of voters’ top concerns and finally fulfilling a campaign pledge Speaker Nancy Pelosi made to voters 15 years ago. Despite widespread support among Democrats, the idea has sputtered, however, as President Biden left it out of his infrastructure plan and is expected to leave it out of his budget while congressional Democrats remain noncommittal about how they might enact it. The initiative has fallen victim to extremely slim majorities and division among Democrats. (Haberkorn and Stokols, 5/26)

Facing a $5 million barrage of ads attacking their health care plans as “socialist,” Democrats are hitting back with a “five-figure” digital campaign thanking members in battleground districts for supporting a bill they say would lower the cost of prescription drugs. The ads, launched Tuesday by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, come as groups from both sides of the aisle are waging a messaging war over a Democratic proposal that would allow Medicare to negotiate prices for a subset of drugs with drugmakers based on average prices in certain foreign countries. (Akin and McIntire, 5/25)

Nearly four months after condemning Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's comments on antisemitic conspiracy theories, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is once again rejecting the Georgia Republican's rhetoric — this time over her equating of COVID-19 safety measures with the treatment of Jews during the Holocaust. (Sprunt, 5/25)

Environmental issues are taking center stage in New Mexico’s upcoming special election, where the Democratic Party is looking to maintain its hold on a seat previously held by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. Democratic candidate Melanie Stansbury, a state legislator, is leaning on her experience as an environmental science professional as she looks to defeat Republican state Sen. Mark Moores in the June 1 election, underscoring the importance of issues relating to water infrastructure and public lands in a blue district with a sizeable Native American population. (Budryk, 5/26)