Month: October 2021

Capitol Hill Update

Negotiations on floor action for both the bipartisan infrastructure deal and the Build Back Better Act (BBBA) are expected to continue throughout this week as Democratic leadership looks to broker a path forward on President Joe Biden’s legislative agenda. The White House is pushing an ambitious goal of floor consideration for both of these items at some point prior to the end of the week — especially given the looming October 31 deadline for federal surface transportation funding. While both moderates and progressives agree with leadership’s sentiment that they must act fast, it remains to be seen whether the two sides can resolve their differences ahead of this key deadline.

Continue reading “Health Policy Report (10/25)”

Capitol Hill Update

House lawmakers will convene for legislative business today eyeing action on a short-term debt limit increase. Late last week, the Senate passed a short-term debt ceiling increase that would provide lawmakers with more time to strike a broader agreement. With less than a week left until the October 18 “X date,” Senate leadership brokered a bipartisan agreement that would hike the debt limit by $480 billion, thus punting the debt limit to December 3 and giving the Treasury Department more wiggle room to avert a default. Despite this brief flash of bipartisan cooperation, the two sides still remain far apart on a long-term solution on the debt ceiling. While the House will also be in for a series of Committee Work Days this week, the Senate has adjourned for a state work period and will resume voting on Monday, October 18.

Continue reading “Health Policy Report (10/12)”

Capitol Hill Update

Democratic leadership has brokered a new deadline for action on both the bipartisan infrastructure deal and the fiscal year (FY) 2022 reconciliation package amid lingering disagreements between progressives and moderates. Progressive Members pushed back against a vote on the Senate-passed infrastructure legislation due to a lack of progress on reconciliation, derailing last week’s schedule and causing a temporary lapse in funding for federal surface transportation programs that were originally tacked onto the infrastructure bill. Lawmakers now have until Sunday, October 31 to iron out an agreement on a path forward for the Biden-endorsed infrastructure deal and the Build Back Better Act (BBBA) after Congress passed a monthlong funding measure to address the expired surface transportation funding.

Continue reading “Health Policy Report (10/4)”