HOUSTON – Congressman Dan Crenshaw (R-2nd) is a guest on this week’s Houston Newsmakers with Khambrel Marshall. They discuss the successes in Crenshaw’s first term while also taking aim at his opponent, Democrat Sima Ladjevardian, who accuses Democrats of “drug pricing lies."
Crenshaw also defends President Donald Trump’s coronavirus response and pushes back against Senate Democrats who voted against the Republican “skinny” stimulus bill.
On efforts by Democrats
“What they’ll claim is that we’re against lowering drug prices. That is such nonsense! Of course, we all want lower drug prices. But we also understand, and this is what the adults in the room should understand, is that you have trade-offs,” he said.
On President Trump
In newly released audio-recorded comments between Trump and journalist Bob Woodward and Trump, Trump admits that he downplayed the danger of the coronavirus. Crenshaw responds by calling the comments ‘clumsy talk.’
“He claimed he downplayed it. Very clumsy talk by the president. I’m not his spokesperson. I don’t try to defend him but we have to look at the facts. And the fact is what he said in that interview is no different than what he said outside of that interview,” he said.
On the Republican failed coronavirus stimulus bill
Crenshaw calls for compromise from the Senate Democrats.
“It’s not like Democrats disagree with what’s in the bill. That’s not the issue. They just think there should be more. The compromise would be to just vote on what we agree on. I get it that sometimes you need to play politics to negotiate but this isn’t one of those times,” he said.
In this week’s Newsmakers EXTRA, we also discuss the Texas and U.S. response to COVID-19 and what could have been done better. Crenshaw took issue with the comment that the United States has not done well when compared to other countries.
While the U.S. is 4.25% of the world population it has 25% of coronavirus cases and ranks No. 1 in the number of cases. While also ranking 11th in the world in coronavirus deaths per million population.
John Hopkins University’s Global Map for COVID-19
Missed breast cancer diagnoses
An estimated 80 thousand breast cancer diagnoses have been missed because of the pandemic.
Dorothy Gibbons, the co-founder and CEO of The Rose, Center for Breast Health Excellence, talks about how the pandemic has hurt their efforts to provide mammograms and diagnostic support for women who need them.
Julie Voss, the Vice President for the South Central Region of Susan G. Komen, says the 30th anniversary Komen Run For the Cure will be virtual the first week in October. Both women talk about the fight to end cancer and help women and men fight it.
Census effort
The leader of the Denver region of the U.S. Census, which includes Texas, talks about the challenges of taking a count in the middle of a pandemic and what census-takers are doing to keep you safe.
More Information
U.S. Rep Dan Crenshaw, (R) 2nd Congressional District
- Website: www.crenshaw.house.gov
- Twitter: @RepDanCrenshaw
- Contact: www.crenshaw.house.gov/contact/
Dorothy Gibbons, Co-Founder & CEO, The Rose
- Website: www.therose.org
- Phone: 281-484-4708
- Twitter: @TheRoseHouston
- Contact: www.therose.org/contact-us/
Julie Voss, Vice President, South Central Region, Susan G. Komen
- Website: www.komen-houston.org
- Phone: 713-783-9188
- Twitter: @KomenHouston
- Email: info@komen-houston.org
Dennis Johnson, Deputy Director, Denver Regional, United States Census Bureau
- Website: www.census.gov
- Twitter: @uscensusbureau