National spending on prescription drugs is rapidly growing in the United States, faster than any other type of health care spending. And on an international level, U.S. per capita drug spending far outpaces other countries. In 2015, the U.S. spent $1,011 per person on drugs, more than double what the U.K. spent. The Trump administration continues to make empty promises when it comes to reducing drug prices, recently proposing that the U.S. persuade other countries to raise their drug prices. But higher prices abroad will not result in lower prices here at home. Instead, Americans need a stronger approach that will crack down on excessive drug prices.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps struggling families get through tough times. But it does more than that, SNAP also sets children up for future success, leading to better health and economic outcomes and ultimately putting children into a position where they are less likely to need assistance as adults. House Republicans are currently working on a plan that erodes this investment in children, though. If passed, more than a million recipients will lose SNAP benefits, with most of them living in households with children.

The labor market has steadily improved since 2010, as the economy recovered from the Great Recession. Looking past the headline unemployment rate, though, shows that there is still room for employment to grow. In January 2007, 80.3 percent of Americans between the ages of 25 and 54 were employed, today that rate is 79.2 percent. Getting back to the higher rate would mean that 1.4 million more Americans would have jobs.

Before Medicaid, many Americans couldn’t afford the care they needed. For more than 50 years, the Medicaid program has guaranteed access to comprehensive health insurance for millions of people, providing coverage to over 72 million beneficiaries today. In doing so, Medicaid has bolstered the U.S. economy and provided an important backstop to the country’s economic security.