Health Policy Report (2/13)

Capitol Hill Update The Senate will convene for legislative business this week as Democratic leadership looks to continue the confirmation process for President Joe Biden’s key cabinet nominees. After confirming both Gen. Lloyd Austin to be Secretary of Defense and Avril Haines to be Director of National Intelligence, senators will vote on Janet Yellen’s nomination […]

Capitol Hill Update Congress formally certified President-elect Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election following a chaotic day on Capitol Hill. The process was delayed after rioters broke into the Capitol building, forcing an hours-long lockdown that pushed the certification process into the early morning hours. Despite repeatedly stating that he will […]

Capitol Hill Update Congress enters the week with some breathing room to avoid a government shutdown and fund the government for fiscal year (FY) 2021. President Donald Trump signed a week-long continuing resolution into law last Friday, punting the funding deadline — as well as numerous expiring health programs — to December 18 at midnight. […]

Capitol Hill Update Congress returns to action today as lawmakers look to clear the decks on its remaining “lame duck” priorities. With government funding set to lapse at the end of the week, appropriations leaders are expected to release a short-term continuing resolution (CR) this week that would avert a shutdown on Friday and provide […]

Capitol Hill Update Congress will return from the Thanksgiving district work period this week as lawmakers look to make progress on key year-end priorities. In notable news on the government funding front, appropriators struck an agreement on fiscal year (FY) 2021 spending allocations last week — a significant step that brings Congress closer to avoiding […]

Capitol Hill Update Congressional appropriators are working to finalize an agreement on fiscal year (FY) 2021 spending numbers with less than one month to go until the December 11 government funding deadline. The Majority Leader stated on the floor that this past week that the coming days “will tell us a lot about whether Congress […]

Capitol Hill Update The House will convene for legislative business today as Members look to address key year-end priorities. Fiscal year (FY) 2021 appropriations and the National Defense Authorization Act face hard deadlines in December, and lawmakers will need to navigate several “poison pill” issues before an agreement on these items can be reached. Officials […]

Capitol Hill Update Former Vice President Joe Biden is projected to defeat President Donald Trump in the race for the White House after clinching victories in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The Democratic nominee is also leading in Nevada, Georgia, and Arizona as the remaining mail-in and absentee ballots continue to get counted. Despite leading in […]

Capitol Hill Update The Senate is poised to take up another targeted pandemic relief bill when the chamber convenes for votes today, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said last week. The forthcoming package is largely expected to mirror the previous Senate GOP “skinny relief” effort, including business liability provisions and allocating roughly $500 billion […]

Capitol Hill Update While Senators on the Judiciary Committee convene for the Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation hearing, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) announced yesterday that no votes are expected in the lower chamber this week as Congressional Democrats and the Trump administration remain far apart on the next round of COVID-19 relief aid. […]

Over the weekend, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced that votes for this week would be cancelled and the Senate adjourned after three Republican Senators — Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Ron Johnson (R-WI) — tested positive for COVID-19. Leader McConnell originally sought a consent agreement to meet in pro forma […]

Capitol Hill Update Congress is expected to conclude its September legislative work session this week before embarking on a month-long sprint to the finish for the 2020 campaign. In the upper chamber, Senators are poised to take up the bipartisan continuing resolution (CR) (text; summary) tomorrow ahead of Wednesday’s Sept. 30 government funding deadline. The measure […]