House Passes GOP Budget Resolution – The House of Representatives agreed to the fiscal year 2025 Concurrent Budget Resolution as amended by the Senate (H. Con. Res. 14) on Thursday by a vote of 216-214. The vote allows the budget reconciliation process to proceed. Congressional Republicans must now begin drafting a reconciliation package to advance President Donald Trump’s domestic policy agenda, including tax cuts, energy policy, and border security, while trimming the budget deficit by at least $1.5 trillion. The budget blueprint charges the House Energy and Commerce Committee with finding $880 billion in savings over the next decade, which is expected to necessitate cuts to the Medicaid program. Lawmakers have now returned to their districts for a two-week congressional recess. Both the Senate and the House are scheduled to reconvene on April 28. During the district work period, House Democrats have planned a series of national events in opposition to the GOP budget bill, including a Medicaid Matters Day of Action on April 17.
House Budget Committee Reestablishes Health Care Task Force – House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) has reestablished the panel’s Health Care Task Force and appointed Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah) as chair. The Task Force was previously led by former Rep. Michael Burgess, MD (R-Texas). This congress, the Task Force plans to focus on the budgetary effects of chronic disease and opportunities to Make America Healthy Again. Members of the Task Force include Reps. Mike Carey (R-Ohio), Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.), Erin Houchin (R-Ind.), Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.), Chip Roy (R-Texas), and Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.).
HELP Committee RFK Jr. Hearing Does Not Take Place– U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. did not appear before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee last week to testify about the department’s proposed reorganization and reductions in force. HELP Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) and Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) had requested his attendance at a hearing set for April 10. Spokespersons for HHS have declined to comment on whether the Secretary has a date set to appear before the committee. During his confirmation process, Kennedy committed to coming before the HELP Committee on a quarterly basis upon request from the chair. He is not expected to appear before the committee until after the Senate returns from recess at the end of April.
E&C to Reschedule Consideration of Health Bills – The House Energy and Commerce Committee convened a markup of 26 bills last week, including six bipartisan health care measures. During the markup, committee Democrats offered an amendment to take up and pass the end-of-year legislative package (including a partial Medicare physician fix and 2-year extension of telehealth flexibilities) that was removed from the December 2024 continuing resolution. The amendment failed on a party line vote. The panel did not have time to consider the following health bills due to scheduling conflicts, and plans to reschedule consideration of H.R. 2483, SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act; H.R. 1520, Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act; H.R. 2319, Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act; H.R. 1669, To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health and Wellness Training Program; H.R. 1082, Shandra Eisenga Human Cell and Tissue Product Safety Act; and H.R. 2484, Seniors’ Access to Critical Medications Act.
National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology Releases Final Report – The National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology released its congressionally mandated final report last week. The report’s recommendations are centered on the following pillars: prioritizing biotechnology at the national level; mobilizing the private sector to get U.S. products to scale; maximizing the benefits of biotechnology and defense; out-innovating strategic competitors; building the biotechnology workforce of the future; and mobilizing the collective strengths of allies and partners. The 11-member bipartisan commission led by Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) was mandated as part of the 2022 defense authorization bill. Sen. Young said he is already working with the leadership of the Senate Armed Services Committee to include provisions from the report in the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act.
Cassidy Raises Concerns About 23andMe Bankruptcy – Senate HELP Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) has sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressing concerns about the potential sale of 23andMe’s genetic database of over 15 million customers. 23andMe filed for bankruptcy last month, and announced that it intends to sell all of its assets to pay off debts. Sen. Cassidy urges the administration to use its authority through the Committee on Foreign Investment to prevent foreign adversaries from buying the database. “Safeguarding sensitive consumer data is a top goal to protect our national security,” Cassidy writes. “Chinese companies have already taken steps to collect genetic data across the world that could be used for adverse purposes. These adversaries may similarly seek to acquire 23andMe’s database and potentially use it against Americans.”
RAND Releases Report on Current State of Emergency Care – The RAND Corporation released a new report entitled Strategies for Sustaining Emergency Care in the United States. The report assesses the current value of emergency care, evaluates challenges to sustaining emergency care, measures trends in emergency care payment, and identifies alternate funding strategies for emergency care. The authors assert that while emergency departments offer many types of value to different stakeholders across the country, the stresses EDs have faced over the past decade (including the opioid and gun violence epidemics, COVID-19 pandemic, increases in patient acuity and complexity, and declines in payment) put the viability of emergency care at risk. The report includes the following recommendations:
- Stakeholders should advocate funding for the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act.
- Local governments and other stakeholders should pursue policies to allocate city and local funds to ED care and related activities that confer value to the broader community.
- Stakeholders should develop uninsured and underinsured patient compensation benchmarks so that EDs are compensated commensurate with the level of indigent care they provide.
- Health care organizations and legislatures should invest in expanding primary care capacity and develop and implement strategies to address ED crowding.
- Legislatures should institute state or federal laws that protect health care workers by increasing the legal consequences for violence against health care workers.
- Stakeholders should advocate Medicaid expansion in states that have not adopted it yet and should advocate Medicaid parity with Medicare.
- Legislatures should require insurance entities to collect deductibles and copays from their enrollees and should implement a legislative fix to No Surprises Act flaws so that payers must pay in full any independent dispute resolution judgments to the prevailing physicians within a preset time frame.
Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups
Senate Appropriations Committee hearing “Biomedical Research: Keeping America’s Edge in Innovation;” 10:30 a.m.; April 30
Recently Introduced Health Legislation
S.1305 — A bill to allow for greater collaboration between the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority and the network of Manufacturing USA institutes; Sponsor: Tillis, Thomas [Sen.-R-NC]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
H.Res.298 — Expressing support for the designation of April 7, 2025, as “World Health Day” and recognizing the importance of prioritizing public health nationally and globally; Sponsor: Thanedar, Shri [Rep.-D-MI-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce
H.R.2667 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow distributions from a health flexible spending arrangement or health reimbursement arrangement directly to a health savings account in connection with establishing coverage under a high deductible health plan; Sponsor: Bean, Aaron [Rep.-R-FL-4]; Committees: House – Ways and Means
H.R.2678 — To provide for further comprehensive research at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke on unruptured intracranial aneurysms, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [Rep.-R-PA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce
H.R.2687 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a refundable tax credit for non-directed living kidney donations; Sponsor: Malliotakis, Nicole [Rep.-R-NY-11]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce
H.R.2695 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize grants for building communities of recovery; Sponsor: Pettersen, Brittany [Rep.-D-CO-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce
S.1320 — A bill to direct the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to take certain steps regarding research related to menopause, perimenopause, or mid-life women’s health, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Murray, Patty [Sen.-D-WA]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs
S.1329 — A bill to address the behavioral health workforce shortages through support for peer support specialists, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kaine, Tim [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
S.1330 — A bill to advance research to achieve medical breakthroughs in brain tumor treatment and improve awareness and adequacy of specialized cancer and brain tumor care; Sponsor: Blumenthal, Richard [Sen.-D-CT]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
S.1348 — A bill to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to prohibit an employer from recovering any health care premium paid by the employer for an employee if the employee fails to return to work due to the birth of a child, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Lee, Mike [Sen.-R-UT]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
H.Res.305 — Expressing support for the designation of the fourth Wednesday of February as “Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Awareness Day”; Sponsor: LaHood, Darin [Rep.-R-IL-16]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce
H.R.2715 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to extend the destruction authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to articles that present a significant public health concern, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Higgins, Clay [Rep.-R-LA-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce
H.R.2717 — To direct the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to take certain steps regarding research related to menopause, perimenopause, or mid-life women’s health, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Houlahan, Chrissy [Rep.-D-PA-6]; Committees: House – Armed Services; Veterans’ Affairs
H.R.2730 — To include pregnancy and loss of pregnancy as qualifying life events under the TRICARE program and to require a study on maternal health in the military heath system, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Mace, Nancy [Rep.-R-SC-1]; Committees: House – Armed Services
H.R.2732 — To amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to prohibit an employer from recovering any health care premium paid by the employer for an employee if the employee fails to return to work due to the birth of a child, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Moore, Riley [Rep.-R-WV-2]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce; Oversight and Government Reform; House Administration
H.R.2741 — To address the behavioral health workforce shortages through support for peer support specialists, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Salinas, Andrea [Rep.-D-OR-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Education and Workforce
H.R.2744 — To amend part B of title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a special enrollment period under Medicare for individuals enrolled in COBRA continuation coverage, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Smucker, Lloyd [Rep.-R-PA-11]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Education and Workforce; Ways and Means
H.R.2745 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow both spouses to make catch-up contributions to the same health savings account; Sponsor: Steube, W. Gregory [Rep.-R-FL-17]; Committees: House – Ways and Means
S.1361 — A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to give priority in the consideration of suicide prevention grants to entities located in States that have not received such a grant, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cramer, Kevin [Sen.-R-ND]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs
S.1380 —A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize a loan repayment program to encourage specialty medicine physicians to serve in rural communities experiencing a shortage of specialty medicine physicians, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rosen, Jacky [Sen.-D-NV]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
S.1384 — A bill to require States to report information on Medicaid payments to abortion providers; Sponsor: Banks, Jim [Sen.-R-IN]; Committees: Senate – Finance
S.1387 — A bill to authorize the National Biotechnology Initiative, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Young, Todd [Sen.-R-IN]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
S.1390 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to revise certain physician self-referral exemptions relating to physician-owned hospitals; Sponsor: Lankford, James [Sen.-R-OK]; Committees: Senate – Finance
S.1399 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure appropriate payment of certain algorithm-based healthcare services under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Rounds, Mike [Sen.-R-SD]; Committees: Senate – Finance
H.R.2753 — To amend the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to provide for a point of order against reconciliation measures that cut benefits for Medicaid or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Boyle, Brendan F. [Rep.-D-PA-2]; Committees: House – Rules; Budget
H.R.2756 — To authorize the National Biotechnology Initiative, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Bice, Stephanie I. [Rep.-R-OK-5]; Committees: House – Science, Space, and Technology; Foreign Affairs; Agriculture; Energy and Commerce; Education and Workforce
H.R.2757 —To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve coverage of audiology services under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Bilirakis, Gus M. [Rep.-R-FL-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means
H.R.2767 —To advance research to achieve medical breakthroughs in brain tumor treatment and improve awareness and adequacy of specialized cancer and brain tumor care; Sponsor: Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [Rep.-R-PA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce
H.R.2779 — Abortion Funding Awareness Act – To require States to report information on Medicaid payments to abortion providers; Sponsor: Houchin, Erin [Rep.-R-IN-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce
H.R.2793 — To allow individuals to choose to opt out of the Medicare part A benefit; Sponsor: Palmer, Gary J. [Rep.-R-AL-6]; Committees: House – Ways and Means
S.Res.171 — A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of “National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day”; Sponsor: Blumenthal, Richard [Sen.-D-CT]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
S.Res.172 — A resolution supporting the designation of the week of April 11 through April 17, 2025, as the eighth annual “Black Maternal Health Week”, founded by Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Inc., to bring national attention to the maternal and reproductive health crisis in the United States and the importance of reducing maternal mortality and morbidity among Black women and birthing people; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
S.Res.173 — A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of World Malaria Day; Sponsor: Wicker, Roger F. [Sen.-R-MS]; Committees: Senate – Foreign Relations
S.Res.181 — A resolution designating the week of April 14 through April 20, 2025, as “National Osteopathic Medicine Week”; Sponsor: Wicker, Roger F. [Sen.-R-MS]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary
S.Res.182 — A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of National Public Health Week; Sponsor: Lujan, Ben Ray [Sen.-D-NM]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
S.1406 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the payment method for oxygen and oxygen related equipment, supplies, and services, to increase beneficiary access to oxygen and oxygen related equipment, supplies, and services, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cassidy, Bill [Sen.-R-LA]; Committees: Senate – Finance
S.1407 — A bill to ban the use of Federal funds for the purchase of drugs manufactured in the People’s Republic of China, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cotton, Tom [Sen.-R-AR]; Committees: Senate – Finance
S.1409 — A bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to collect and disseminate information on concussion and traumatic brain injury among public safety officers; Sponsor: Cornyn, John [Sen.-R-TX]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
S.1410 —A bill to provide for health coverage with no cost-sharing for additional breast screenings for certain individuals at greater risk for breast cancer; Sponsor: Klobuchar, Amy [Sen.-D-MN]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
S.1414 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide that clinical studies required for licensure of biological products as biosimilar shall not be required to include the assessment of immunogenicity, pharmacodynamics, or comparative clinical efficacy; Sponsor: Paul, Rand [Sen.-R-KY]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
S.1435 — A bill to prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars to support animal experimentation in the laboratories of adversarial nations; Sponsor: Ernst, Joni [Sen.-R-IA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
S.1440 — A bill to amend title II of the Public Health Service Act to include as an additional right or privilege of commissioned officers of the Public Health Service (and their beneficiaries) certain leave provided under title 10, United States Code to commissioned officers of the Army (or their beneficiaries); Sponsor: Duckworth, Tammy [Sen.-D-IL]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
S.1448 — A bill to address mental health issues for youth, particularly youth of color, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hirono, Mazie K. [Sen.-D-HI]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
S.1460 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend incentive payments for participation in eligible alternative payment models under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Barrasso, John [Sen.-R-WY]; Committees: Senate – Finance
S.1469 —A bill to amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to include food allergy information in existing training modules for local food service personnel; Sponsor: Durbin, Richard J. [Sen.-D-IL]; Committees: Senate – Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
S.1482 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to support and stabilize the existing nursing workforce, establish programs to increase the number of nurses, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Blunt Rochester, Lisa [Sen.-D-DE]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
S.1489 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for public health research and investment into understanding and eliminating structural racism and police violence; Sponsor: Warren, Elizabeth [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
H.Res.324 — Raising awareness of esophageal cancer by expressing support for the designation of April 2025 as “Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month”; Sponsor: Connolly, Gerald E. [Rep.-D-VA-11]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce
H.Res.331 — Supporting the goals and ideals of “National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day”; Sponsor: Pocan, Mark [Rep.-D-WI-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce
H.R.2810 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to treat amounts paid for private umbilical cord blood, or umbilical cord tissue, banking services as medical care expenses; Sponsor: Arrington, Jodey C. [Rep.-R-TX-19]; Committees: House – Ways and Means
H.R.2821 —To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, to publish a final rule relating to nonclinical testing methods; Sponsor: Carter, Earl L. “Buddy” [Rep.-R-GA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce
H.R.2830 — To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to collect and disseminate information on concussion and traumatic brain injury among public safety officers; Sponsor: Crenshaw, Dan [Rep.-R-TX-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce
H.R.2846 — To amend title II of the Public Health Service Act to include as an additional right or privilege of commissioned officers of the Public Health Service (and their beneficiaries) certain leave provided under title 10, United States Code to commissioned officers of the Army (or their beneficiaries); Sponsor: Houlahan, Chrissy [Rep.-D-PA-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce
H.R.2855 — To limit the impoundment, transfer, or reprogramming of Federal funds made available for the National Institutes of Health, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kennedy, Timothy M. [Rep.-D-NY-26]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce
H.R.2868 — To amend the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 to add highly pathogenic avian influenza as a high priority research and extension area; Sponsor: McBride, Sarah [Rep.-D-DE-At Large]; Committees: House – Agriculture
H.R.2874 — To provide for regulations on protecting statutory conscience rights in health care; Sponsor: Moolenaar, John R. [Rep.-R-MI-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce
H.R.2875 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow refunds of Federal motor fuel excise taxes on fuels used in mobile mammography vehicles; Sponsor: Moore, Tim [Rep.-R-NC-14]; Committees: House – Ways and Means
H.R.2884 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for public health research and investment into understanding and eliminating structural racism and police violence; Sponsor: Pressley, Ayanna [Rep.-D-MA-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce
H.R.2892 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and nationally disseminate accurate, relevant, and accessible resources to promote understanding about sensitivities regarding adoption in the health care industry, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Smucker, Lloyd [Rep.-R-PA-11]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce
H.R.2902 —To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve the payment method for oxygen and oxygen related equipment, supplies, and services, to increase beneficiary access to oxygen and oxygen related equipment, supplies, and services, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Valadao, David G. [Rep.-R-CA-22]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means