1. Lowering Drug Prices: While patients struggle to afford life-saving medications, Big Pharma is raking in massive profits by overcharging for drugs. Rep. Porter isn’t afraid to stand up to corporate greed, especially when the health of California families is on the line. She drafted legislation to recover taxpayer dollars from pharmaceutical companies that raise prices faster than the rate of inflation. Her bill was incorporated into the Inflation Reduction Act and signed into law.
2. Holding Government Accountable: Independent watchdogs known as Inspectors General are essential to rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in government. Rep. Porter introduced legislation to prevent the administration from appointing unqualified individuals to fill vacancies in these critical oversight roles. Her bill was incorporated into a defense bill and signed into law.
3. Raising Fees on Polluters: Public lands are collective national treasures that belong to every American. We’ve been charging oil and gas companies the same low royalty rate to drill on public lands for more than 100 years, and that’s cost taxpayers millions and harmed our environment. Rep. Porter’s proposal to boost this fee was signed into law as part of the Inflation Reduction Act.
4. Improving Mental Health Coverage: Federal law requires insurance companies to cover mental health care the same as any other type of medical care, but insurers often skirt these requirements to pad their profits. Rep. Porter’s bipartisan legislation to crack down on insurance companies that don’t adequately cover mental health services was signed into law in 2020.
5. Closing Health Coverage Gaps: Mental health care is just as important as physical health care. Rep. Porter’s bill to eliminate a loophole Big insurance uses to deny certain kinds of coverage—including mental health care—to firefighters, teachers, police, and city and state workers was signed into law as part of government funding legislation.
6. Reducing Out-Of-Pocket Health Care Costs: Medical expenses can be deducted from taxes if they exceed a certain percentage of income, keeping money in Americans’ pockets. A new law drafted by Rep. Porter lowers the income threshold so more Americans with high out-of-pocket medical expenses can get help.
7. Honoring an Orange County Hero: A Tuskegee Airman, Lieutenant Colonel Robert J. Friend flew 142 combat missions during World War II as one of the first African American military aviators. Rep. Porter authored a new law to honor Lt. Col. Friend’s life and legacy by renaming his local post office in Irvine the “Tuskegee Airman Lieutenant Colonel Robert J. Friend Memorial Post Office Building.”
