For Immediate Release
Monday, October 23rd, 2023
Contact: Victoria Opperman, communications@azdem.org

ICYMI: Rep. David Schweikert wants Arizonans on Ozempic to cut Deficit 
“It’s not fat shaming; it’s actually fat loving,” Schweikert said. “We can love our brothers and sisters back to health.”

ARIZONA- Representative David Schweikert’s (AZ-01) obsession with cutting the deficit has come to a new fat-shaming height, when during a presentation to Four Peaks Young Republicans, Rep. Schweikert questioned if there were benefits to giving Ozempic to “morbidly obese populations” that rely on Medicare, Medicaid, Indian Health Service, and the VA. These dangerous comments come after Schwerikert has argued that Congress is ” unwilling to do the things that are difficult,” such as cutting Social Security and Medicare spending. 

As Representative Schweikert pushes Ozempic, a medication supposed to be used to treat type two diabetes and has not been approved by the FDA as a weight loss drug, he has consistently voted against lowering the cost of life-saving drugs. Representative Schweikrt voted against The Inflation Reduction Act, which decreased the deficit by hundreds of billions and capped the price of insulin at $35 per month. 

“Schweikert’s fatphobic comments are another one of his dog whistles to cover up his real agenda: cut Social Security and Medicare,” said Chairwoman of the Arizona Democratic Party, Yolanda Bejarano. “If Schweikert cared for the health of Arizonans, he would have voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, which is reducing the deficit and lowering the cost of life-saving drugs for Arizonans.” 

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