Thorn Run Partners’ Senior Vice President Shea McCarthy recently commented in Inside Health Policy on President Trump recent tweets on drug pricing directed at House Republicans. While some commenters have suggested that President Trump should focus his efforts on Senate Republicans, who could be key in advancing bipartisan drug pricing reforms, Mr. McCarthy pointed out that the President’s recent comments could provide political cover for the GOP to oppose the drug pricing measure crafted by House Democrats. “As Speaker Pelosi prepares to tee up a politically challenging vote in December on drug pricing, the President’s positioning could provide some political cover for House Republicans on the issue,” Mr. McCarthy said. “House Democrats are attempting to outflank the GOP on drug pricing, and President Trump’s tweets provide Republicans with a compelling reason to vote ‘no.'"
Month: November 2019
Health Policy Report (11/25)
The Week in Review
Congress adjourned for the Thanksgiving district work period following enactment of a one-month continuing resolution (CR) that will fund the government through Dec. 20. Lawmakers in the House and Senate cleared the stopgap funding measure ahead of last Thursday’s funding deadline, providing appropriations negotiators with additional time to strike a broader funding deal for fiscal year (FY) 2020. House Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) have reportedly struck a deal on subcommittee allocations for each of the FY 2020 funding measures, allowing lawmakers to push for passage of each bill before the end of the calendar year.
Next Week on the Hill: Government Funded Through Dec. 20 As Congress Adjourns for Thanksgiving Break
Lawmakers have left Washington for the Thanksgiving district work period following enactment of a one-month continuing resolution that will fund the government through Dec. 20. Fiscal year (FY) 2020 negotiations are expected to continue over the Thanksgiving break, as both House Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) have offered guarded optimism about striking a deal on subcommittee allocations for each of the 12 spending measures. However, lingering disagreements pertaining to President Donald Trump’s border wall priority — namely over funding allocations and his authority to transfer funds to the project — remain a key wildcard in the process.
Today on the Hill: Senate Looks to Clinch Short-Term Funding Package
Congress is set to close out the November legislative session today amid a looming government funding deadline. Despite a push to pass the continuing resolution (CR) yesterday, Senators will look to pass the stopgap funding bill this morning in order to place the bill on President Donald Trump’s desk for a signature ahead of the midnight deadline. In addition to the CR, the Senate will resume consideration of Dan Brouillette’s nomination to be Secretary of Energy.
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Today on the Hill: Senate Eyes Action on Government Funding Ahead of Thanksgiving Recess
The House will reconvene for legislative business today at noon following its passage (231-192) of a stopgap funding measure that would avert a government shutdown yesterday. On the floor, House lawmakers have queued up nine suspension bills out of the Natural Resources Committee. This includes a measure that would direct the Department of Interior to conduct a special resource study in portions of the Los Angeles coastal area to evaluate alternatives for protecting resources of that area, as well as legislation that would extend funding for approved wetlands conservation projects under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act though fiscal year (FY) 2024. The lower chamber will also consider a rule that will govern debate on an Education and Labor bill that seeks to address workplace violence in the health care and social services sectors.
Today on the Hill: House Set to Pass CR
The House will reconvene for legislative business today eyeing action on Thursday's government funding deadline. Members will vote on a highly anticipated continuing resolution (CR) that would avert a funding lapse and create a new deadline of Friday, Dec. 20. In addition to a pay raise for the military and a funding boost for the Census Bureau, the bill addresses several expiring Medicare, Medicaid, and public health programs, and kills a $7.6 billion cut in federal transit funding. Additionally, the lower chamber will vote on a Financial Services suspension bill that would require public companies to disclose annually information on the racial, ethnic, gender, and veteran composition of their boards of directors.
This Week on the Hill: Lawmakers Look to Punt Funding Deadline to December
Both chambers of Congress will return to action later this afternoon as the government funding deadline approaches. Action a continuing resolution (CR) that would fund the government through Dec. 20 is expected in both chambers early this week as lawmakers look to avert a funding lapse ahead of Thursday’s deadline. As negotiations for FY 2020 spending continue, early indications are that the spending bill for Energy-Water will likely move first during this end-of-the-year funding blitz.
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Health Policy Report (11/18)
The Week in Review
House and Senate Appropriations leaders made progress toward averting a government shutdown and funding the government for fiscal year (FY) 2020 during a series of meetings last week. In a press gaggle following their Wednesday afternoon meeting, House Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) announced that the forthcoming continuing resolution (CR) will fund the government through Dec. 20 to provide for additional time to hammer out a broader deal for FY 2020 bills. Congressional appropriators and the White House are reportedly close to an agreement on 302(b) funding allocations and could announce a deal at some point this week.
Financial Services Report (11/18)
The current continuing resolution (CR) funding the government is set to expire on Thursday. While it is widely expected that Congress will once again extend the CR – most likely for another month, in order to give itself time to pass some of the spending bills – we all recognize that we live in unique times and anything is possible. That said, we don't expect the government to shut down this week.
Also this week the Senate Banking Committee is set to shake off the rust and hold its first mark-up of legislation this year, when it considers a bill to extend the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA). The full House will also pass a TRIA extension – on the suspension calendar – this week, which bodes well for the law to be renewed well in advance of its end of 2020 expiration.
The House Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing on Private Equity, a hearing tailor-made for the "Squad", while the FinTech Task Force will also hold a critical hearing on "Big Data in Financial Services" which will likely touch on many of the the technology and ILC-related issues that the Committee is grappling.
Today, Next Week on the Hill: House Wraps Up Ex-Im Reauthorization Bill
House lawmakers have reconvened for legislative business and are continuing work on Financial Services Chairwoman Maxine Waters’ (D-CA) bill to reauthorize and reform the Export-Import bank. After approving five amendments to the underlying measure, the House is expected to pass the 10-year reauthorization bill on party-lines later this morning. However, Chairwoman Waters’ bill is not expected to be taken up in the GOP-controlled Senate after the White House issued a veto threat, saying the legislation was not the right "bipartisan, bicameral approach" to deliver a long-term reauthorization.
Continue reading “Today, Next Week on the Hill: House Wraps Up Ex-Im Reauthorization Bill”