December 2021 - thornrun

Health Policy Report: (12/20)

Posted on December 20, 2021August 8, 2023 by Thornrun

Capitol Hill Update

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) delivered a serious setback to President Joe Biden’s legislative agenda over the weekend after he announced that he will not support the Build Back Better Act (BBBA). The centrist West Virginia Senator — who was heavily engaged in negotiations with leadership on the overall size and scope of the $1.7 trillion social spending package — cited the national debt, ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and inflation metrics as key reasons why he came out against the legislation. The surprise announcement drew the ire from both moderate and progressive Democrats, as well as the White House, which issued a statement criticizing Sen. Manchin for walking back previous commitments to find common ground. Press Secretary Jen Psaki noted that the administration plans to “find a way to move forward” in 2022, according to the remarks.

Health Policy Report (12/6)

Posted on December 6, 2021August 8, 2023 by Thornrun

Capitol Hill Update

After punting the government funding deadline to February 2022, Congress will meet this week and turn its attention to other year-end legislative priorities, starting with the federal debt ceiling. The Treasury Department has circled December 15 as its “X Date,” at which point it will no longer be able to utilize “extraordinary measures” to prevent a default. Absent GOP support on a measure to address the debt ceiling, Democrats will likely need to leverage the budget reconciliation process to raise the debt limit with a filibuster-proof legislative vehicle. Other notable items on lawmakers’ radar include addressing: (1) statutory “pay-as-you-go” (PAYGO) rules to avoid across-the-board spending cuts as a result of the American Rescue Plan (ARP); (2) a looming two percent spending cut for all Medicare services; (3) the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA); (4) an expiring 3.75 percent increase to physician pay; and (5) several “tax extender” policies that are set to expire at year’s end.

TRP’s Lamond, Rosenberg Listed as Top Lobbyists in The Hill’s 2021 List

Posted on December 3, 2021August 8, 2023 by Thornrun

For the fourth year in a row, TRP founding partners Chris Lamond and Andy Rosenberg were named as Top Lobbyists in The Hill’s annual list for 2021. The authors note that last year was one of the busiest on record in the advocacy and influence world, citing Lamond and Rosenberg among the ranks of those who “stand out for delivering results for their clients in the halls of Congress and the administration.” “…These are the people who wielded their connections and knowledge most effectively for their clients,” wrote staff from The Hill. “The list highlights the broad range of talents needed to achieve success in the industry.”