End-of-2026 Health Policy Landscape: What Congress Could Address Before Year-End

Last week saw more political jockeying over a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill (H.R. 240), but little progress in advancing the measure. Republicans had hoped to use the bill to reverse President Obama’s immigration policies, but their effort has been blocked by Senate Democrats. The impasse could jeopardize funding for the DHS, which […]

Last Monday, President Obama sent his fiscal 2016 budget request to Congress, and Cabinet officials spent the week explaining the details to House and Senate committees. HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell appeared before the Senate Finance Committee last Wednesday to take questions about the Administration’s funding proposal and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act […]

Last week, President Obama sent his fiscal 2016 budget request to Congress, and Cabinet officials spent the week explaining the details to relevant House and Senate committees. The Administration’s nearly $4 trillion budget called for a spending increase for both domestic programs and the military, including $74 billion in additional discretionary spending – about 7 […]

Last week we once again witnessed an annual rite of passage in Washington.  The President also released his budget, and although the recent budget battles have been more akin to the film classic Groundhog Day than your classic legislative process, last week’s release of the budget on Groundhog Day offered some constructive steps towards a […]

Looking Ahead  The White House is expected to release its budget today.  According to reports, the President’s 2016 budget proposal will have $74 billion, or about 7%  more, above the levels permitted by sequestration.  The SEC is one of the agencies prioritized under the budget, with the Obama Administration asking Congress to fund the SEC […]

Last Thursday, the Senate voted 62-36 to build the Keystone XL pipeline, delivering Republicans the first legislative victory of their new majority. Nine Democrats joined with Republicans in voting to approve the $8 billion project, five votes short of the two-thirds majority that would be needed to override a promised veto from President Obama. The […]

Last week President Obama delivered his State of the Union.  Depending on your political leanings it was either (a) the populist mantra you’ve been waiting for, or (b) the populist mantra you’ve been expecting.  While it was noted that the President chose not to acknowledge the new Republican majorities, he did indicate that one take […]

Last week, attention in Washington centered on President Obama’s State of the Union address. The President made economic growth a central theme of his remarks to Congress, highlighting proposals to make community colleges tuition-free, increase the minimum wage and guarantee paid sick leave. The President also proposed new tax breaks aimed at working families, which […]

The House adjourned last Wednesday for the annual Republican retreat. Before departing, lawmakers passed legislation to nullify President Obama’s recent immigration order, tying the contentious issue to a bill (H.R. 240) funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The vote was 235-191 for the appropriations bill after the House easily approved amendments to unravel the President’s […]

It seems clear that we are now clearly in the world of “Veto Politics” and despite Republican majorities in both Houses of Congress, the Democratic minority has real power to negotiate with Republicans if both sides want to get anything done.   With the respective flanks of both sides appearing willing to sacrifice the perfect for […]

Republicans took charge of both the House and Senate last week for the first time in eight years. Last November’s sweeping victories powered the GOP to full control, as the 114th Congress convened on Tuesday. Vice President Biden gaveled in a new Senate, with 54 Republicans to 44 Democrats, two independents and a new majority […]

Speaker John Boehner won reelection despite the defection of 25 conservative Republicans.  While initial attention focused on the Speaker’s retaliation and the removal of certain members from the Rules Committee, if he were to channel his true Frank Underwood, then he would have rescinded the waiver that allowed Rep. Garrett to keep his chairmanship of […]