WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), a senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, announced today that two of his health care bills advanced out of the HELP Committee today, as part of the Lower Health Care Costs Act.

The VACCINES Act, which aims to raise vaccination rates throughout the country through a national public information campaign advances to the Senate floor as part of S. 1895.

“This addresses a major public health crisis we are facing right now,” said Sen. Roberts. “Educating people on the importance of vaccines will increase vaccination rates throughout the country, especially in some of the most at-risk communities. It’s time illnesses, like measles, which are 100 percent preventable due to modern medicine, are eliminated once and for all.”

Another Roberts measure included in today’s Lower Health Care Cost Act is the Ensuring Innovation Act. This Roberts authored provision will help lower prescription drug prices. Sen. Roberts introduced this bill alongside Sen. Cassidy and Sen. Smith last month.

“This provision will ensure that generic prescriptions are available when they should be by making sure exclusivity is only granted to medications that are truly innovative,” said Sen. Roberts.

Roberts was pleased to see the legislation passed out of committee with bipartisan support.