Congressman Marc Veasey (TX-33) Announces Pranav Raju, Teen Advocate for Affordable Insulin, as 2024 State of the Union Guest

Today, Congressman Marc Veasey announced that Pranav Raju will accompany him as his guest to the 2024 State of the Union address. 16-year-old Pranav of Irving has lived with type 1 diabetes since a young age and has used his diagnosis to bring awareness to the condition and advocate for access to affordable insulin for Americans of all ages. 

“Diabetes impacts a countless number of Americans of all ages and backgrounds, including teenagers like Pranav,” said Congressman Marc Veasey. “Today, I am proud to announce him as my State of the Union guest because he represents the strides we have made and the strides we must still take in our fight to make affordable lifesaving drugs like insulin accessible for all Americans of all ages. I commend Pranav’s advocacy and look forward to continuing to work alongside him to bring much-needed awareness to this condition.”

“As an organization dedicated to accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent, and treat T1D and its complications, JDRF applauds Congressman Veasey for his commitment to lowering costs and increasing access to the treatments people living with type 1 diabetes need to survive,” said Lynn Starr, JDRF Chief Global Advocacy Officer. “By inviting Pranav, a recent JDRF Children’s Congress delegate and volunteer, as his guest for the State of the Union address, Congressman Veasey is raising awareness about the challenges individuals with this condition face as well as their resilience. This also spotlights the critical need for ongoing research, innovation, and policy improvements. We commend this gesture and hope it sparks meaningful conversations and further action to improve the lives of those affected by type 1 diabetes.”

Veasey has long advocated for lowering the costs of lifesaving drugs such as insulin. As a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, he was pivotal in helping get the Inflation Reduction Act signed into law in 2022, which capped the price of insulin at $35 a month for seniors and allowed Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. In the years since the law's passage, Veasey has been at the forefront of passing legislation that would build on the Inflation Reduction Act by capping the price of insulin for Americans of all ages.

The State of the Union will be held next Thursday, March 7th.