With the House of Representatives and Senate deadlocked over competing versions of police reform legislation, a divided Washington has failed, at least for the moment, to heed the national call for action on racial injustices that emerged from the killing of citizen George Floyd. The division could portend failure ahead on other urgent matters of … Continue Reading
The United States has experienced a sharp increase in the number of new reported cases of coronavirus over the past week, but Beltway media coverage and the policy debate in Washington this week are largely centered on the potential for action in both chambers of the US Congress on police reform legislation. Republicans, emboldened by … Continue Reading
For the first time since early 2020, the dominant topic in the American policy debate is not the COVID-19 pandemic. With national attention consumed by protests, riots and the state of race relations in the United States, efforts continue in Washington to stabilize and stimulate an American economy that was brought to a screeching halt … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House to Vote on Additional Health Care Legislation This week Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) announced that the House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on two pieces of health care legislation. These bills are part of the third phase of Speaker Paul Ryan’s repeal and replace strategy. H.R. 2579, the Broader Options … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate Finance to Discuss CHRONIC Care Act On Tuesday, May 16, the Senate Committee on Finance will hold a hearing titled “Examining Bipartisan Medicare Policies that Improve Care for Patients with Chronic Conditions.” The Committee will discuss S. 870, Creating High-Quality Results and Outcomes Necessary to Improve Chronic (CHRONIC) Care Act of 2017, … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity AHCA’s Final Act? On Friday, April 28, Congress passed a short-term continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government until Friday, May 5. The extension gives Republicans until the end of the week to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year. Then, House Republican leadership will likely turn again to addressing … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity AHCA Revival or Retreat Congress reconvenes this week after a two-week recess, with the possibility of a government shutdown looming at the end of the week. Speaker Ryan has made it clear to his colleagues that funding the government beyond April 28 will be his highest priority. With the American Health Care Act … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Gottlieb Confirmation Hearing Set for April 5 On Wednesday, April 5, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) will hold a confirmation hearing for Dr. Scott Gottlieb, President Trump’s nominee for Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dr. Gottlieb held a number of senior positions at the … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate to Vote on the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) Conference Report Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced the Senate is expected to vote on the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (S. 524) conference report this week. The bipartisan legislation authorizes grant programs; creates a task force on pain management; expands … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Committee on Energy and Commerce to Advance 12 Bills Addressing the Opioid Epidemic The House Committee on Energy and Commerce announced the committee will consider 22 bills April 26 and April 27, including 12 bills focused on combatting the opioid crisis that passed the Subcommittee on Health last week. The health bills … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Energy and Commerce Committee to Hold Concussion Roundtable Last December, House Committee on Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) announced that the committee would commence a broad review of concussions and their implications. His initiative officially begins this week, with a roundtable titled “Broad Review of Concussions: Initial Roundtable.” The committee … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate Cloture Vote Scheduled for FDA Nominee, Chamber May Consider Opioid Legislation On Monday, February 22, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has scheduled a cloture vote on the nomination of Dr. Robert Califf for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner. Three Senators – Joe Manchin (D-WV), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Bernie Sanders … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Lawmakers To Vie For House Ways And Means Gavel With Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) expected to succeed Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) as Speaker of the House, some Republican lawmakers are eyeing the opening Rep. Ryan would leave behind at the helm of the House Committee on Ways and Means. Several congressmen are expected … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Votes on Defunding Planned Parenthood With the fiscal year quickly coming to an end, the government spending fight will ramp up as the House of Representatives continues its response to the controversial Planned Parenthood videos which were released this summer. As early as Thursday, September 17, the House is expected to vote … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Republicans Consider Obamacare Repeal Through Reconciliation Some GOP lawmakers continue to advocate for an Affordable Care Act repeal via the budget reconciliation process. Others, however, have been questioning whether this budget tactic would be better used for different policy objectives, such as tax reform. The budget resolution provided a July 24 deadline for … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House to Consider 21st Century Cures Act Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has announced that the House of Representatives will consider H.R. 6, the 21st Century Cures Act, this week. The House Committee on Rules will meet to consider the rules for the debate on Wednesday, July 8. Amendments to the legislation are … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House to Vote on Medical Device Excise Tax and IPAB Repeals In the House of Representatives, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has announced that several health care bills will be considered on the floor this week. Two of these bills dismantle portions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). H.R. 160, the Protect Medical … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity This Week’s Hearings: Wednesday, June 10: The House Committee on Ways and Means will hold a hearing titled “Obamacare Implementation and the Department of Health and Human Services FY 2016 Budget Request.” Wednesday, June 10: The House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold a hearing titled “Prescription Mismanagement … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Lawmakers Anticipate King v. Burwell Decision With the Supreme Court expected to issue its opinion in the statutory interpretation case of King v. Burwell this month, lawmakers are considering legislative options to address any potential changes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The issue in the case of King v. Burwell is whether … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Committee on Energy and Commerce to Mark Up 21st Century Cures Act On Tuesday, May 19, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce will begin its markup of the 21st Century Cures Act, to be continued on Wednesday, May 20. The legislation is the product of the bipartisan 21st Century Cures Initiative that … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Full Time Employee Bill Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Sen. Joe Donnelly (R-IN) introduced a bill that would change the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) definition of a full-time worker to someone who works 40 hours a week, up from 30 hours, titled the “Forty Hours is Full Time Act of 2013.” The Senators also … Continue Reading
