Author: Thornrun

House lawmakers will begin their floor activity for the month of June later this afternoon. On the floor this week, Members will take up a package of Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) bills out of the Financial Services Committee, as well as legislation that would repeal the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) in Iraq. In the month ahead, the House will consider a series of Senate-passed Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions that would overturn Trump-era regulations pertaining to: (1) the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) (S.J.Res.13); (2) a rollback of methane protections at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (S.J.Res.14); and (3) the Office of the Comptroller of Currency’s rule relating to “National Banks and Federal Savings Associations as Lenders” (S.J.Res.15). Additionally, lawmakers will take up the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s surface transportation reauthorization measure prior to adjourning for the Independence Day district work period.

Continue reading “Health Policy Report (6/14)”

Both chambers of Congress will return from the Memorial Day Recess this week to begin the June legislative session. The Senate will resume voting later this afternoon, picking up consideration of the Endless Frontier Act after last-minute disagreements delayed final passage. Senators were unable to advance the $100 billion technology innovation package last month after a group of Republicans — led by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) — held up final votes over disagreements on the amendment process. The Senate will pick up amendment debate with consideration of a provision that would strike the Davis-Bacon wage provisions from the underlying bill, as well as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) substitute amendment. Meanwhile, House lawmakers will convene for Committee Work Days this week, but will not resume voting until Monday, June 14.

Continue reading “Health Policy Report (6/7)”

Both chambers of Congress have adjourned for the Memorial Day Recess. The Senate will resume voting on Monday, June 7, picking up consideration of the Endless Frontier Act after last-minute disagreements delayed final passage. Senators were unable to advance the $100 billion technology innovation package as previously planned last week after a group of GOP Senators — led by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) — held up final votes over disagreements on the amendment process.

Continue reading “Health Policy Report (6/1)”

Capitol Hill Update

The Senate will reconvene again this week, closing out the May legislative session with a pair of notable votes. When the chamber meets later this afternoon, Senators will take up a procedural motion on Chiquita Brooks-LaSure’s nomination to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), with final confirmation likely to occur in the middle of the week. Additionally, the Senate will resume consideration of Endless Frontier Act amendments, beginning with Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell’s (D-WA) proposal for a supply chain resiliency program. Final passage of the bipartisan $100 billion technology innovation package is expected to take place at the end of the week.

Continue reading “Health Policy Report (5/24)”

Capitol Hill Update

Both chambers of Congress will return to action this afternoon. On the Senate floor this week, Senators will consider the Endless Frontier Act — a bipartisan package that would spur $100 billion in new funding toward technology research and development to combat the competitive threat posed by China. Lawmakers on the Commerce Committee approved the legislation on a strong bipartisan basis, but additional changes are likely on the horizon as hundreds of amendments have been filed to the underlying bill. The final funding number for a new tech directorate at the National Science Foundation is also up in the air after Senators approved an amendment that would shift some of the $100 billion for the directorate to programs at the Department of Energy. The legislation’s GOP cosponsor, Sen. Todd Young (R-IN), expressed strong opposition to the amendment offered by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), arguing that the new language is a “poison pill” that will make it harder to pass.

Continue reading “Health Policy Report (5/17)”

Capitol Hill Update 

Both chambers of Congress will resume votes this week, starting with the Senate later this afternoon. Senators are expected to focus on clearing presidential nominations to kick off May votes, beginning with the nomination of Andrea Palm to be Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). It is also possible that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) will move to discharge Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) from the Finance Committee, followed by consideration of her nomination on the floor sometime later in the week. Brooks-LaSure’s nomination failed to advance (14-14) at the Committee’s executive session last month due to GOP opposition. In the House, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) announced that lawmakers will take up a series of bipartisan suspension bills that seek to address several mental health needs related to: (1) suicide prevention efforts; (2) grants for school-based mental health services; and (3) disparities in care among underserved and high-poverty communities. Also on the floor next week, Members will take up a package of debt collection reform bills out of the House Financial Services Committee. 

Continue reading “Health Policy Report (5/10)”

Congress has formally closed out its April legislative session following Senate passage (89-2) of the bipartisan Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act (S. 914). Looking ahead to this week, Senators will be out of Washington for a state work period, while House lawmakers convene another slate of Committee Work Days. This week’s schedule features a pair of Subcommittee legislative hearings focused on the cost of prescription drugs in the Energy & Commerce and Education & Labor Committees. Both chambers will resume votes during the week of May 10.

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The Senate will convene for legislative business later this afternoon to close out the April legislative session. On the floor, Senators are expected to begin consideration of a bipartisan water infrastructure package (S. 914) out of the Environment and Public Works Committee. The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act would provide $35 billion for water resources development projects that are geared toward: (1) addressing climate change; (2) upgrading aging and outdated water infrastructure; (3) investing in new technology; and (4) providing assistance to marginalized communities. The Senate will also take up a series of presidential nominations this week, which could end up including the nominations of Andrea Palm to be Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to be Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator. Meanwhile, House lawmakers have completed votes for the month, but will hold Committee “Work Days” over the next two weeks.

Continue reading “Health Policy Report (4/26)”