Sixth District Perspectives with Congressman Ben Cline

• House advances a bill to lower health care costs for American families
• I introduced legislation to protect our ballot measures from foreign influence
• Moving forward two bills that promote affordable energy
• Cosponsored legislation to ban stock trading by Members of Congress

Putting Patients First: Lowering Healthcare Costs

Advancing patient-centered health care reforms that lower costs and improve access to care remains a priority for me as your Congressman. Last week, I voted in favor of The Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act. This bill takes meaningful steps to reduce health care premiums and expand access to care throughout the health care system. For over a decade, Americans have been burdened by rising premiums, fewer plan options, and higher out-of-pocket costs under the Democrat-passed Affordable Care Act. Rather than continuing policies that rely on massive taxpayer subsidies to cover up these failures, this legislation addresses the true drivers of health care costs. It increases accountability for Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) by requiring clear reporting on prescription drug pricing, rebates, and formulary decisions. These reforms give employers and workers greater insight into where their health care dollars are going and help put downward pressure on costs.

The bill passed last week also works to stabilize the individual market by responsibly funding cost-sharing reductions beginning in 2027, while ensuring assistance is directed toward low-income Americans who need it most. At the same time, it expands affordable coverage options for workers and small businesses. Employers and self-employed individuals will have greater access to Association Health Plans, allowing them to purchase high-quality coverage at more affordable rates. Small and mid-sized businesses will also benefit from clearer access to stop loss insurance, helping them manage risk and offer better coverage to their employees. In addition, the legislation strengthens CHOICE arrangements, allowing workers to use pre-tax dollars to select coverage that best fits their individual needs.

Lowering premiums is essential, but affordability alone is not enough if patients cannot receive timely care. I also cosponsored the Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act, a bipartisan bill that addresses the broken prior authorization process that too often delays or denies care for seniors. Nearly 33 million Americans rely on Medicare Advantage, yet outdated systems and excessive paperwork continue to stand between patients and the care they deserve. This bipartisan legislation brings the prior authorization process into the modern era by establishing a standardized electronic system and increasing transparency around coverage requirements. These reforms will help seniors receive medical care more quickly while allowing doctors to spend more time focused on caring for patients rather than navigating paperwork. Through both initiatives, I will continue working to put patients first and strengthen a health care system that delivers lower costs and provides more options for Americans at every stage of life.

Safeguarding Our Ballots From Foreign Influences

Last week, I introduced bipartisan legislation to safeguard our ballot measures through the Protecting Ballot Measures From Foreign Influence Act. This bill would prohibit foreign nationals from making contributions or donations to influence state and local ballot initiatives and referendums. Foreign nationals should have absolutely no role in shaping the outcome of American ballot measures at the state or local level.

This commonsense legislation closes a dangerous loophole by ensuring that ballot initiatives and referendums are decided by American citizens alone, not foreign money or foreign interests. By strengthening election integrity, this bill reaffirms a simple principle: the future of our communities should be determined by the people who live in them. In Congress, I remain fully committed to keeping our elections safe and secure so the voice of the American people is never undermined by foreign influence.

Ensuring the Safety of America's Streets

The failures of out-of-touch policies embraced by Democrats under the previous administration allowed dangerous criminals to enter our country. Innocent Americans have paid the price for those decisions, including Kayla Hamilton, whose life was tragically cut short by a seventeen-year-old illegal immigrant who had been released to a sponsor by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in 2022 without proper vetting or background checks.

Because basic screening procedures were not completed at the time of his release, it was not known that this individual had an extensive criminal history in his home country of El Salvador, including alleged ties to MS-13 and involvement in multiple violent crimes prior to coming to the United States. The failure to properly screen unaccompanied alien children and their sponsors has created incentives for criminals to exploit the system and enter our country. It is deeply troubling that inadequate vetting led to such a tragic outcome. To prevent senseless tragedies like this from happening again, Congress passed the Kayla Hamilton Act with bipartisan support, strengthening safeguards within the unaccompanied alien children program. This bill ensures thorough background checks are conducted before placement, protecting American communities while also safeguarding vulnerable children from abuse, trafficking, and exploitation.

I voted in favor of the legislation because it requires HHS to contact the appropriate consulate or embassy of a child's home country to determine any known criminal history or gang affiliation for unaccompanied alien children aged twelve or older. Additionally, it mandates comprehensive background checks for potential sponsors and all adult members of their household. The bill also directs HHS to screen for gang tattoos, requires individuals with known gang ties to be placed in secure facilities, and prevents placement with sponsors who are unlawfully present in the United States. We must protect our children and make our streets a safer place for all Americans.

Making American Energy Affordable Again

Affordable and reliable energy is the backbone of a strong economy and a secure nation. When Green New Deal policies undermine dependable power and bury projects in red tape, hardworking Americans pay the price through higher utility bills and increased risk of outages. Congress took action last week by passing two bills that put American energy first. For years, radical energy mandates pushed by the left have forced reliable baseload power including natural gas, coal, nuclear, and hydropower off the grid faster than it can be replaced. At the same time, electricity demand is surging due to growing manufacturing, data centers, and electrification. Grid reliability experts warn that premature power plant retirements could create a generation shortfall in the coming decade.

When plants close before dependable alternatives are ready, energy prices rise and grid reliability weakens. To address this, Republicans put forward and passed the Power Plant Reliability Act, which strengthens oversight and helps prevents reckless plant closures that jeopardize the electric grid. The bill requires advanced notice before critical power facilities shut down and gives states and regional transmission organizations the ability to petition the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to keep plants operating when closures would threaten reliability. These protections help prevent one state's extreme energy policies from driving up costs and creating instability in neighboring states. High energy prices are also driven by a federal permitting system that is slow, unpredictable, and overly burdensome. Energy and infrastructure projects routinely face years of delays, often not because of environmental concerns, but due to excessive paperwork and endless litigation that stops projects before they ever break ground.

Last week, the House also passed the bipartisan SPEED Act, legislation that modernizes the National Environmental Policy Act and streamlines the federal permitting process. The SPEED Act shortens approval timelines, curbs frivolous lawsuits, clarifies when federal reviews are required, and prevents politically motivated permit reversals after approval. These reforms make it easier to build energy projects, strengthen supply, and reduce costs for consumers. Together, these bills work hand in hand to lower energy costs by keeping reliable power on the grid while clearing the way for new development. By strengthening reliability and cutting unnecessary red tape, House Republicans are taking real steps to bring down energy costs, protect the grid, and ensure American families have access to affordable, dependable power.

Ensuring Capitol Hill is Working for the American People, Not Wall Street

Restoring trust in Congress starts with making it clear that public service is about serving the American people, not personal profit. For far too long, some Members of Congress have been trading individual stocks while writing the very laws that can influence the market. That conflict of interest has damaged public confidence. As a result, I cosponsored the Restore Trust in Congress Act, a bipartisan bill that restricts Members of Congress from buying and selling individual stocks while serving in office. This legislation puts the interests of the American people first and ensures those on Capitol Hill are focused on serving the American people, not their portfolios.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your Congressman. If my office can ever be of assistance, please contact my Washington office at (202) 225-5431.

For the latest updates from Washington and across the Sixth District, please follow my Facebook and Twitter pages.