One Way Not to Do it? Voting Against Drug Re-Importation Not Once, Not Twice – But Three Times

Phil Weiser Has Taken on Big Pharma – and Won

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 28, 2026

Media Contact:
Nate Jackson
(903-638-1874)
[email protected] 

DENVER, CO – During a public campaign event with voters in Pueblo earlier this month, U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet said “I don’t know how” to make health care cheaper in Colorado, according to an audio recording of the event sent to Weiser’s campaign. On lowering health care costs, Bennet said directly: “I don’t know how to do that.”

“We have to find a way to make health care cheaper. We have to find a way to make child care cheaper. We’re going to have to find a way to make insurance cheaper. I don’t know how to do that,” Bennet said. “ … health care guys, they’re killing working families in this state, and we’re going to have to take this on somehow.”

Here’s one way not to lower health care costs: Voting against drug re-importation three times in the U.S. Senate.

In the Senate, Bennet consistently sided with Big Pharma and voted against legislation that would lower health care costs:

• At least three times, Bennet voted against allowing the re-importation of FDA-approved prescription drugs from countries like Canada, which would dramatically reduce the cost of prescriptions for Coloradans. See here, here, and here.
• Bennet also voted against prohibiting brand-name and generic pharmaceutical manufacturers from blocking cheaper generic drugs from entering the market in “pay for delay” settlements, which the Alliance for Retired Americans said at the time would “create artificially high drug prices.”

Here’s what we do know: Billion-dollar drug companies have driven up the costs of prescription drugs for Coloradans – and Colorado deserves a governor who will always stand up to them. Phil Weiser is the only candidate in this race with a track record of fighting Big Pharma – and winning.

As attorney general, Phil has held Big Pharma accountable for fueling the devastating opioid crisis, winning nearly $1 billion to help fix the damage Big Pharma has done to Colorado. Phil has also successfully defended Colorado’s program to cap prescription drug prices. Moreover, as a senior antitrust official in the Obama Administration, Phil spearheaded efforts to address “pay for delay” tactics – the same tactics Bennet refused to take on while repeatedly voting against a critical measure supported by most of his Democratic colleagues.

“Our health care system is broken, and I have a plan to ensure every Coloradan has access to quality health care for the lowest cost – and that includes taking on Big Pharma,” Phil Weiser said. “As governor, I’ll stand up to big drug companies that jack up prices for life-saving medication. Coloradans deserve a governor who will always fight for them and against big corporations that take advantage of them.” 

In April, Phil unveiled his three-part “Healthy Colorado Plan,” which includes establishing “Best Care, Best Price” and a “Consumer Health Pact.” Phil’s plan focuses on the importance of challenging corporate ownership of medical practices and lowering drug costs by stopping drug company collusion, preserving caps on life-saving medications like insulin, and defending Colorado’s measures to limit the prices of prescription drugs.

Phil’s plan also commits to establishing “Primary Care for All” to move us from a “sick care” system to a “health care” system. Moreover, Phil’s plan will also bring more people into our health care workforce, including with ColoradoCorps, his public service program for young adults. 

For more information, visit https://philforcolorado.com/.

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