JCN Cautions Congress Against Adding Government Price Controls to Reconciliation 2.0

Washington, D.C. (May 19, 2026)—As Congress considers the latest budget reconciliation package this week to fund immigration enforcement, the Job Creators Network (JCN) cautions against amendments that will restrict patient choice. Republican lawmakers should focus on American safety rather than importing European-style price controls on medicine.

The approach—nicknamed ‘Most Favored Nation’—being floated by Democrats and some misguided conservatives doubles down on Biden-era government price controls that are having a chilling effect on medicine innovations and limiting patient options.

“Free market competition and robust patient choice is what will deliver affordable drugs to Americans, not government bureaucrats,” said Alfredo Ortiz, CEO of the Job Creators Network. “Proposals that allow the federal government to micromanage private companies will instead zap innovation and the variety of medicines coming to market. Let’s not shoot ourselves in the foot.”

Republicans have already proposed alternative reforms that will genuinely address rising medicine costs without the unintended consequences of government tinkering in the free market. Correcting adverse incentives for pharmacy benefit managers, reining in runaway federal initiatives like the 340B Drug Pricing Program, and injecting more transparency into the drug supply chain are prime examples.

In a December episode of the Main Street Matters podcast, Dr. Tom Price, the 23rd U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and former congressman, explained how the ‘Most Favored Nation’ policy focuses on the wrong problem. He notes that the “real solution is to make certain that other countries are paying their fair share…so our costs come down as opposed to bringing everybody down to the lowest common denominator.”

Curbing European freeloading through trade deals and other voluntary agreements with companies through Trump Rx is a smart path that President Trump is already pursuing. A recent trade deal with the U.K. is proof the strategy is working. The British have agreed to pay more for American-made prescriptions through its National Health Service (NHS). Similar deals should be struck with other allies.