More than two-thirds of Congress received money from the pharmaceutical industry ahead of the 2020 elections, according to an analysis cited by The Hill June 9.
Pfizer donated up to $1 million to 228 members of Congress in 2020 and donated to 1,048 candidates in state legislative races.
Amgen donated nearly $1.3 million to 218 members of Congress, The Hill reported. The analysis, conducted by STAT, was based on data from donations made by 23 drugmakers and trade groups to Congress in 2019 and 2020.
The lawmakers who received the largest amounts of money from the pharma industry include Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., who sits on a committee that oversees a significant share of Congress' healthcare legislation, The Hill reported. Reps. Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., Robin Kelly, D-Ill., and Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., were also on the list of those who received the most money.
Democratic lawmakers received $6.6 million in contributions from pharmaceutical companies in 2019 and 2020 despite attempts to pass the Lower Drug Costs Now Act, which would have cost the industry $500 million in revenue. Republicans received $7.1 million in donations, The Hill reported.
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