Month: July 2025

Appropriations Update – The House Appropriations Committee advanced the fiscal year 2026 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs spending bill last week. The measure contains $46.2 billion in total funding, a 22% cut to current spending. House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) has started floating the idea of enacting a full-year continuing resolution to fund the government for the next fiscal year. This plan would freeze funding at current levels for federal agencies, with Chairman Arrington suggesting that Republicans could then proceed to pass rescission packages throughout the year to claw back money previously approved by Congress. While the most conservative members of Congress have historically been opposed to the long-term use of stopgap spending bills, some are now expressing openness to this idea as a means to cut spending. The House of Representatives is not scheduled to reconvene until September 2 due to the August recess. The Senate remains in session this week before recessing until September.

 

E&C Advances OMUFA Reauthorization – The House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously advanced H.R. 4273, the Over-the-Counter Monograph Drug User Fee Amendments, during a markup on Wednesday. The bill would reauthorize the Food and Drug Administration’s over-the-counter monograph drug user fee program for the first time since its creation in 2020. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee plans to markup S. 2292, the Over-the-Counter Monograph Drug User Fee Amendments on July 30. The program is currently set to expire on September 30.

 

Executive Nominations Update– The Senate confirmed Terry Cole to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in a 50-47 party-line vote on Tuesday. Cole has spent more than two decades of his career at the DEA in various roles, but he most recently served as the state of Virginia’s Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security. The Senate HELP Committee advanced the nomination of Dr. Brian Christine to serve as Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday. Dr. Christine is a urologist who has pledged support for the administration’s Make America Healthy Again agenda and expressed opposition to gender-affirming care. If confirmed, he would be responsible for helping implement Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s plans to create a new office within HHS, the Administration for a Healthy America, and also oversee the 6,000 member U.S. Public Health Service. Cloture was filed in the Senate for the nomination of Susan Monarez to serve as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A confirmation vote on her nomination is expected on the Senate floor before the chamber’s August recess.

 

GOP Doc Caucus Hosts NIH Director – Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Jay Bhattacharya, MD met with the GOP Doctors Caucus on July 17 to discuss the agency’s priorities for improving medical research and the health of America. The group considered how the NIH is working to restore scientific integrity, revitalize biomedical innovation, and improve the health of Americans through gold standard science. In a press release following the meeting, Doc Caucus co-chairs Greg Murphy, MD (N.C.) and John Joyce, MD (Pa.) expressed their support for the NIH Director’s “efforts to increase collaboration across government to ensure the United States is driving progress in the new frontiers of medical science.”

 

Senate Republicans Raise Concerns With Slow Disbursement of NIH Funding – Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) is urging the Trump administration to release delayed funding at the NIH. In a letter signed by 13 other Senate Republicans, the lawmakers express concern that the slow disbursement of funds appropriated by Congress “risks undermining critical research and the thousands of American jobs it supports.”  The letter urges the White House Office of Management and Budget to fully implement the government funding package enacted in March. “Our shared goal is to restore public trust in the NIH precisely because its work is focused on results, accountability, and real-world impact,” the letter states. “Withholding or suspending these funds would jeopardize that trust and hinder progress on critical health challenges facing our nation.”

 

Cassidy, Hassan, Marshall Urge Full Implementation of No Surprises Act – Senate HELP Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) sent a letter to the administration highlighting the need to fully implement the No Surprises Act, which was signed into law by President Trump in 2020.  Cassidy, joined by Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Roger Marshall, MD (R-Kan.), request rules to implement provisions in the law to give covered patients clear cost estimates before scheduled medical care. While the good-faith estimate provision has already been implemented for uninsured and self-pay patients, additional rulemaking is required to implement the good-faith estimate and the advanced explanation of benefits for covered patients. “Full implementation of both the good faith estimate and advanced explanation of benefits are critical to providing patients with the entirety of protections enacted under the No Surprises Act,” the letter states. “We commend President Trump’s commitment to price transparency and stand ready to assist to ensure a successful and complete implementation of the No Surprises Act.”

 

Senate Democrats Probe New Rural Health Fund – Sixteen Senate Democrats sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services requesting information on how the Trump administration plans to use the $50 billion rural health fund created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The letter, led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), characterizes the provision as “wholly insufficient to plug the massive hole created by the Big, Ugly Betrayal.” The lawmakers express concern about reports suggesting that funds “are already promised to Republican members of Congress in exchange for their votes in support of the Big, Ugly Betrayal,” and that vague legislative language will result in the fund being distributed according to “political whims.”

 

CBO Releases Final Score of Reconciliation Bill – The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has released its score of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act as signed into law earlier this month. CBO estimates that the law will cut approximately $1 trillion in federal health care spending, with most of the cuts coming from Medicaid, while still increasing the federal deficit by $3.4 trillion over the next decade. CBO also estimates that changes in the law will increase the uninsurance rate by 10 million people over 10 years.

 

WSJ Reports on Planned Changes to USPSTF – The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to dismiss all members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The 16-person Task Force was established in 1984 to advise the federal government on issues related to preventive health. In 2010, the Affordable Care Act made USPSTF responsible for determining which preventive services must be covered by health insurers without patient cost sharing. A Supreme Court decision issued in June upheld the constitutionality of the Task Force given the HHS Secretary’s authority to appoint and remove panel members at will. According to the Wall Street Journal, the HHS Secretary considers the current Task Force members too “woke.” The July meeting of USPSTF was recently postponed by the Secretary’s office. An HHS spokesperson stated that Secretary Kennedy has not yet made a decision regarding USPSTF members in response to the article published on Friday.

 

DOGE Builds AI Tool to Target Regulations for Deletion – The U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is deploying the use of a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool aimed at slashing federal regulations, according to a report from The Washington Post on Saturday. The DOGE AI Deregulation Decision Tool is being used by administration officials to analyze approximately 200,000 federal regulations to determine which can be eliminated, with the goal of abolishing half of all regulations by the end of the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term in office. According to an internal administration PowerPoint obtained by the Post, DOGE plans to start training agency staff on how to use the AI this month. The next five months will then be spent working to identify regulations to eliminate, responding to public comments about the proposed deletions, and submitting formal deregulation proposals.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

Senate HELP Committee executive session to consider legislation including S. 2292, Over-the-Counter Monograph Drug User Fee Amendments, S.2398, Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act, and S. 2301, Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act of 2025; 10:00 a.m.; July 30

 

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs business meeting to consider S.854, Risky Research Review Act; and the nominations of Pedro Allende, of Florida, to be Under Secretary for Science and Technology, and Sean Plankey, of Pennsylvania, to be Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, both of the Department of Homeland Security; 10:00 a.m.; July 30

 

Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Border Management, Federal Workforce and Regulatory Affairs hearing “The Future is Loper Bright: Congress’s Role in the Regulatory Landscape;” 2:00 p.m.; July 30

 

Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee business meeting to consider pending legislation; 4:00 p.m.; July 30

 

Senate Appropriations Committee markup of the “Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026” and “Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026;” 9:30 a.m.; July 31

 

Senate HELP Committee hearing “Making Health Care Affordable: Solutions to Lower Costs and Empower Patients;” 10:00 a.m.; July 31

 

Senate Finance Committee hearing to consider the nominations of Bryan Switzer, of Virginia, to be a Deputy United States Trade Representative (Asia, Textiles, Investment, Services, and Intellectual Property), with the rank of Ambassador; Gustav Chiarello III, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services; The Honorable Michael Stuart, of West Virginia, to be General Counsel of the Department of Health and Human Services; and Derek Theurer, of Virginia, to be a Deputy Under Secretary of the Treasury; 10:00 a.m.; July 31

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.4573 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a credit to small businesses for research activities related to the mitigation of certain drug threats; Sponsor: Neguse, Joe [Rep.-D-CO-2]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.4570 — To amend title 35, United States Code, to establish an interagency task force between the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the Food and Drug Administration for purposes of sharing information and providing technical assistance with respect to patents, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Neguse, Joe [Rep.-D-CO-2]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.4569 — To amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act and title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to require no-cost coverage of human milk fortifier; Sponsor: McGarvey, Morgan [Rep.-D-KY-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4564 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to create a special rule for treating trained individuals as trained personnel of a school for purposes of giving preference to States for children’s asthma treatment grant programs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Grothman, Glenn [Rep.-R-WI-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4559 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish payment parity between Medicare Advantage and fee-for-service Medicare, and to establish prompt payment requirements under Medicare Advantage; Sponsor: Doggett, Lloyd [Rep.-D-TX-37]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4556 — To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to carry out a rapid response evidence review of proposed rules relating to fluoride, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cleaver, Emanuel [Rep.-D-MO-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.2377 — A bill to ensure affordable abortion coverage and care for every person, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Duckworth, Tammy [Sen.-D-IL]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2373 — A bill to amend section 485 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require certain institutions of higher education to develop and implement a venue-specific heat-related illnesses emergency action plan, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Alsobrooks, Angela D. [Sen.-D-MD]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2372 — A bill to ensure accessibility of drugs furnished through the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act; Sponsor: Welch, Peter [Sen.-D-VT]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2371 —A bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a study on the impacts of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead in infant formula on infant health and establish standards for regulating the content of such substances in infant formula; Sponsor: Cotton, Tom [Sen.-R-AR]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.R.4581 – A bill to ensure the accessibility of drugs furnished through the drug discount program under section 340B of the Public Health Service Act; Sponsor: Matsui [D-CA-07]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce.

 

H.R.4582 – A bill to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and title 5, United States Code, to clarify that organ donation surgery qualifies as a serious health condition; Sponsor: Bacon [R-NE-02]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce, Oversight and Government Reform, and House Administration.

 

H.R. 4583 – A bill to promote and protect from discrimination living organ donors; Sponsor: Bacon [R-NE-02]; Committees: House Energy and Commerce, Financial Services.

 

H.R. 4595 – A bill to provide authority for small cultivators of cannabis and small manufacturers of cannabis products to ship cannabis and cannabis products using the mail, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Huffman [D-CA-02]; Committees: House Energy and Commerce, Agriculture, Oversight and Government Reform, and Judiciary.

 

H.R. 4605 – A bill to ban drug manufacturers from using direct-to-consumer advertising, including social media, to promote their products; Sponsor: Nadler [D-NY-12]; Committees: House Energy and Commerce.

 

H.R. 4606 – A bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to require coverage of hearing devices and systems in certain private health insurance plans, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Neguse [D-CO-02]; Committees: House Energy and Commerce, Education and Workforce, and Ways and Means.

 

H.R. 4607 – A bill to provide protections from prosecution for drug possession to individuals who seek medical assistance when witnessing or experiencing an overdose, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Neguse [D-CO-02]; Committees: House Judiciary, Energy and Commerce.

 

H.R. 4611 – A bill to ensure affordable abortion coverage and care for every person, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Pressley [D-MA-07]; Committees: House Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, Armed Services, Veterans’ Affairs, Judiciary, Oversight and Government Reform, and Foreign Affairs.

 

H.R. 4618 – A bill to establish a Federal tort against pediatric gender clinics and other entities pushing gender-transition procedures that cause bodily injury to children or harm the mental health of children; Sponsor: Steube [R-FL-17]; Committees: House Judiciary, Energy and Commerce, and Education and Workforce.

 

H.R. 4619 – A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate the 190-day lifetime limit on inpatient psychiatric hospital services under the Medicare Program; Sponsor: Tonko [D-NY-20]; Committees: House Ways and Means.

 

H.R. 4623 – A bill to require direct-to-consumer advertisements for prescription drugs and biological products to include truthful and not misleading pricing information; Sponsor: Williams [D-GA-05]; Committees: House Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means.

 

S.Res.334 — A resolution supporting the designation of the week of August 25 through August 29, 2025, as the third annual “National Community Health Worker Awareness Week”; Sponsor: Wyden, Ron [Sen.-D-OR]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2420 — A bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase penalties for group health plans, health insurance issuers, and nonparticipating providers or facilities for practices that violate balance billing requirements, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Marshall, Roger [Sen.-R-KS]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2418 — A bill to amend the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to provide leave for the spontaneous loss of an unborn child, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cotton, Tom [Sen.-R-AR]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2410 — A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide a higher Federal matching rate for increased expenditures under Medicaid for behavioral health services (including those related to mental health and substance use), and for other purposes; Sponsor: Smith, Tina [Sen.-D-MN]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2408 — A bill to require health insurance plans to provide coverage for fertility treatment, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2398 — A bill to reauthorize the Kay Hagan Tick Act, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Collins, Susan M. [Sen.-R-ME]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2397 — A bill to require implementation by the Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs of certain recommendations relating to the provision of health care through community care providers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Ricketts, Pete [Sen.-R-NE]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.Res.607 — Supporting the designation of the week of August 25 through August 29, 2025, as the third annual “National Community Health Worker Awareness Week”; Sponsor: Ruiz, Raul [Rep.-D-CA-25]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.601 — Recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to lead the world in biomedical research; Sponsor: DeGette, Diana [Rep.-D-CO-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4752 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide hereditary cancer genetic testing for individuals with a history of a hereditary cancer gene mutation in a blood relative or a personal or ancestral history suspicious for hereditary cancer, and to provide coverage of certain cancer screenings or preventive surgeries that would reduce the risk for individuals with a germline (inherited) mutation associated with a high risk of developing a preventable cancer; Sponsor: Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [Rep.-D-FL-25]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.4745 — To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide a higher Federal matching rate for increased expenditures under Medicaid for behavioral health services (including those related to mental health and substance use), and for other purposes; Sponsor: Tonko, Paul [Rep.-D-NY-20]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4744 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to promote mental wellness and resilience and prevent and heal mental health, behavioral health, and psychosocial conditions through developmentally and culturally appropriate community programs, and award grants for the purpose of establishing, operating, or expanding community-based mental wellness and resilience programs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Tonko, Paul [Rep.-D-NY-20]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4731 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Sewell, Terri A. [Rep.-D-AL-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.4729 — To codify Executive Order 14292 relating to improving the safety and security of biological research; Sponsor: Self, Keith [Rep.-R-TX-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Science, Space, and Technology

 

H.R.4723 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a behavioral and mental health outreach and education strategy to reduce stigma associated with mental health among the Hispanic and Latino population, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Salinas, Andrea [Rep.-D-OR-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4722 — To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to require a Federal medical assistance percentage of 100 percent for urban Indian organizations, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Ruiz, Raul [Rep.-D-CA-25]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4710 — To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase penalties for group health plans and health insurance issuers for practices that violate balance billing requirements, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Murphy, Gregory F. [Rep.-R-NC-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Education and Workforce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.4709 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs under part A of title XI of such Act relating to genetic diseases, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Morrison, Kelly [Rep.-D-MN-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4705 — To place a moratorium on the issuance and renewal of certain Federal authorizations for mountaintop removal coal mining until a health study is conducted, and for other purposes; Sponsor: McGarvey, Morgan [Rep.-D-KY-3]; Committees: House – Natural Resources; Energy and Commerce; Transportation and Infrastructure

 

H.R.4704 — To direct the Director of the Defense Health Agency to conduct a study on the prevalence and mortality of cancer among military rotary wing pilots and aviation support personnel, and for other purposes; Sponsor: McCormick, Richard [Rep.-R-GA-7]; Committees: House – Armed Services

 

H.R.4698 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to prohibit the Director of the National Institutes of Health from conducting or funding research that causes significant pain or distress to a dog or cat, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Mace, Nancy [Rep.-R-SC-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4681 — 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: Joyce, John [Rep.-R-PA-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4668 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to end the liability shield for vaccine manufacturers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Gosar, Paul A. [Rep.-R-AZ-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4655 — To direct the Secretary of Defense to carry out a grant program to increase cooperation on post-traumatic stress disorder research between the United States and Israel; Sponsor: Fine, Randy [Rep.-R-FL-6]; Committees: House – Armed Services

 

H.R.4648 —To require health insurance plans to provide coverage for fertility treatment, and for other purposes; Sponsor: DeLauro, Rosa L. [Rep.-D-CT-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Education and Workforce; Oversight and Government Reform; Armed Services; Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.4641 — To amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to provide for continuous eligibility for certain children under the Medicaid program and the Children’s Health Insurance Program; Sponsor: Castor, Kathy [Rep.-D-FL-14]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4639 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide an income tax credit for the costs of infertility treatments; Sponsor: Carey, Mike [Rep.-R-OH-15]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.4627 — To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to modify treatment activities for assistance to combat HIV/AIDS; Sponsor: Ansari, Yassamin [Rep.-D-AZ-3]; Committees: House – Foreign Affairs

 

S.Res.338 — A resolution recognizing the importance of independent living and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities made possible by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and calling for further action to strengthen and expand health care for individuals with disabilities to work and live in the community; Sponsor: Duckworth, Tammy [Sen.-D-IL]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2448 — A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to improve dependent coverage under the TRICARE Young Adult Program; Sponsor: Kelly, Mark [Sen.-D-AZ]; Committees: Senate – Armed Services

 

S.2447 — A bill to repeal changes to Medicaid cost sharing requirements and the exclusion for orphan drugs under the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program; Sponsor: Welch, Peter [Sen.-D-VT]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2446 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a behavioral and mental health outreach and education strategy to reduce stigma associated with mental health among the Hispanic and Latino population, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Padilla, Alex [Sen.-D-CA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2445 — A bill to promote mental wellness and resilience and prevent and heal mental health, behavioral health, and psychosocial conditions through developmentally and culturally appropriate community programs, and award grants for the purpose of establishing, operating, or expanding community-based mental wellness and resilience programs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2439 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the distribution of additional residency positions, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Boozman, John [Sen.-R-AR]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2433 — A bill to require providers to disclose policies regarding the minimum gestational age at which life-saving care will be provided to an infant in the case of a premature birth; Sponsor: Cotton, Tom [Sen.-R-AR]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2426 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide pharmacy payment of certain services; Sponsor: Thune, John [Sen.-R-SD]; Committees: Senate – Finance

Appropriations Update – The House Appropriations Committee approved updated interim subcommittee allocations for fiscal year (FY) 2026 last week. The topline allocations provide for $705.6 billion in nondefense discretionary funding, 27% higher than that proposed by the President’s budget. The National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Subcommittee also advanced its FY 2026 spending bill last week, forwarding the legislation to the full Appropriations Committee in a party-line vote. The measure contains $46.2 billion in total funding, a 22% cut to current spending. It prohibits support for the World Health Organization and would decrease appropriations for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) by $150 million. Full committee markup of the package is scheduled for Wednesday.

 

House appropriators have delayed plans to markup the FY 2026 Labor-Health and Human Services-Education spending bill until September. The panel had originally been scheduled to consider the HHS funding plan this week. Appropriators blamed the delay on the unplanned House recess following the One Big Beautiful Bill Act being signed into law. The delay further increases the likelihood of Congress opting to use a continuing resolution to fund the federal government beyond the end of the fiscal year on September 30. Fewer than 20 legislative days remain between now and the deadline to prevent a government shutdown.

 

Congress Approves President’s Rescissions Request – Congress voted to approve the Trump administration’s funding clawback proposal (H.R. 4) last week. The rescissions package would cancel approximately $9 billion in foreign aid and public broadcasting funds, including $500 million for family planning, reproductive health, and LGBTQ+ programs. The Senate removed a $400 million cut to PEPFAR before passing the package in a 51-48 vote on Thursday. It was the first time in decades that the Senate has passed a partisan discretionary spending cuts package. Two Republicans — Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowksi (Alaska) — voted no, while Democrat Tina Smith (D-Minn.) missed the vote. The revised bill was then passed by the House of Representatives in a 216-213 vote and sent to the President’s desk ahead of the deadline for congressional action on the proposed rescissions. Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, has indicated that the Trump administration plans to send additional rescissions packages to Congress to codify cuts identified as wasteful by the Department of Government Efficiency. Vought has declined to specify which agencies would be targeted.

 

President Trump Signs Fentanyl Legislation – President Donald Trump signed the HALT Fentanyl Act into law on Wednesday. The legislation permanently designates all fentanyl-related substances as schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act. Fentanyl derivatives have been on schedule I since 2018 on a provisional basis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 78,000 people have died of an overdose between February 2024 and February 2025.

 

Blackburn Calls for Investigation into Online Marketing of GLP-1s – Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) has sent a letter calling on the Federal Trade Committee (FTC) to investigate the online marketing of alternatives to Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved GLP-1 medications.  The letter states that “many sellers of these drugs advertise directly to consumers on social media, claiming that their products are an easier and more affordable way to obtain GLP-1 drugs,” while often failing to disclose precautions, warnings, contraindications, or adverse events. “What we are seeing is a growing commercial ecosystem that relies on the façade of legitimacy, all while sidestepping appropriate regulatory oversight,” Sen. Blackburn asserts. She urges the FTC to initiate a formal investigation to the advertising practices of companies marketing GLP-1 drugs –and to consider enforcement actions where warranted.

 

Bipartisan PBM Reform Package Introduced – Rep. Buddy Carter, BSPharm (R-Ga.) led the introduction of bipartisan legislation to reform the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) industry.  The PBM Reform Act (H.R. 4317) aims to protect patients and pharmacies from anticompetitive PBM business practices. The package would ban spread pricing in the Medicaid program; establish new requirements for PBMs under Medicare Part D, including the delinking of PBM compensation from the cost of medications; require semi-annual reporting on drug spending, rebates, and formulary determinations; and require the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to define and enforce “reasonable and relevant” contract terms in Medicare Part D pharmacy contracts and enforce oversight on reported violations. The legislation has 15 cosponsors, including original cosponsors Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Greg Murphy, MD (R-N.C.), Deborah Ross (D-N.C.), Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), Diana Harshbarger, PharmD (R-Tenn.), Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas), Rick Allen (R-Ga.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), John Rose (R-Tenn.), Derek Tran (D-Calif.), and Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.).

 

Democrats Urge Insurers to Protect Vaccine Coverage – Democratic leadership of the Senate Finance Committee and House Energy and Commerce Committee, Ways and Means Committee, and Education and Workforce Committee wrote to the nation’s top insurers on Thursday, urging them to maintain uninterrupted vaccine coverage for enrollees. The letters follow changes made by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and a decision to sidestep ACIP with regard to COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for pregnant women and children. “Secretary Kennedy’s actions threaten the stability of our nation’s immunization infrastructure, and threaten Americans’ access to all vaccines,” the Democratic lawmakers write. They request information on whether the health insurance companies have a plan in place to continue coverage of evidence-based vaccines if the newly constituted ACIP rescinds recommendations for currently recommended vaccines.  The lawmakers request a response to their letter by July 23.

 

CBO Examines New Drug Development Scenarios – The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has issued a new report exploring how changes in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and changes in the FDA’s review times would affect the development of new drugs. CBO specifically assesses two hypothetical scenarios: a permanent 10% reduction in the amount of funding that the government provides to the NIH, and a nine-month increase in the time it takes the FDA to review new drug applications. The agency determined that the NIH funding cut would prevent approximately 30 additional drugs from making it out of the research and development phase over the 30 years. Under the FDA hypothetical, the increase in review times would both reduce the number of FDA-approved drugs and raise the cost to develop new drugs. The report was requested by Democratic congressional committee leaders seeking to assess the potential impact of changes proposed by the Trump administration.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing “Ensuring Patient Safety: Oversight of the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplant System;” 10:15 a.m.; July 22

 

House Ways and Means joint Health and Oversight Subcommittee hearing “Medicare Advantage: Past Lessons, Present Insights, Future Opportunities;” 2:00 p.m.; July 22

 

House Appropriations Committee markup of Fiscal Year 2026 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Bill; 10:00 a.m.; July 23

 

House Veterans’ Affairs Committee markup of legislation, including H.R. 740, Veterans’ Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers Act; H. R. 3400, the Territorial  Response and Access to Veterans’ Essential Lifecare Act; H. R. 3726, Fisher House Availability Act; H. R. 3767, Health Professionals Scholarship Program Improvement Act of 2025; H.R. 3482, Veterans Community Care Scheduling Improvement  Act; H. R. 3494, VA Hospital Inventory Management System Authorization Act; H.R. 3863, VA  Mental Health Outreach and Engagement Act; Major Medical Lease Committee Resolution FY25;  and Major Medical Lease Committee Resolution PACT Act; 10:15 a.m.; July 23

 

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee executive session to consider Labor and Health nominees including the nomination or Brian Christine to serve as Assistant Secretary for Health; time TBD; July 24

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.Res.579 — Supporting the designation of July as Uterine Fibroids Awareness Month; Sponsor: Scott, David [Rep.-D-GA-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4381 —To direct the Secretary of Defense to establish a pilot program regarding treating pregnancy as a qualifying event for enrollment in TRICARE Select; Sponsor: Sewell, Terri A. [Rep.-D-AL-7]; Committees: House – Armed Services

 

H.R.4384 — To require immediate changes to Medicaid relating to alien eligibility and payments to Medicaid expansion States that furnish health care to certain aliens; Sponsor: Steube, W. Gregory [Rep.-R-FL-17]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.Res.322 — A resolution expressing support for the designation of the month of June 2025 as “National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month” and June 27, 2025, as “National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Day”; Sponsor: Sullivan, Dan [Sen.-R-AK]; Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

 

S.2294 — A bill to reauthorize the Kay Hagan Tick Act, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Collins, Susan M. [Sen.-R-ME]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2292 — A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise and extend the user fee program for over-the-counter monograph drugs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Banks, Jim [Sen.-R-IN]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2289 — A bill to amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to improve maternal health coverage under Medicaid and CHIP, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Grassley, Chuck [Sen.-R-IA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2287 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to increase the number of permanent faculty in palliative care at accredited allopathic and osteopathic medical schools, nursing schools, and other programs, including social work, physician assistant, and chaplaincy education programs, to promote education and research in palliative care and hospice, and to support the development of faculty careers in academic palliative and hospice care; Sponsor: Baldwin, Tammy [Sen.-D-WI]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2286 — A bill to amend title I of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to authorize the establishment of, and provide support for, State-based universal health care systems that provide comprehensive health benefits to State residents, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2285 — A bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to study and report on the relationship between hair straighteners and uterine cancer, particularly among women of color; Sponsor: Blunt Rochester, Lisa [Sen.-D-DE]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2279 — A bill to repeal the changes to Medicaid State provider tax authority and State directed payments made by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and provide increased funding for the rural health transformation program; Sponsor: Hawley, Josh [Sen.-R-MO]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2276 — A bill to address patent thickets; Sponsor: Welch, Peter [Sen.-D-VT]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.2275 — A bill to provide for research and education with respect to uterine fibroids, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.R.4417 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration, to award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements for supporting new mobile cancer screening units to expand patient access to essential screening services in rural and underserved communities, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Ruiz, Raul [Rep.-D-CA-25]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4409 — To prohibit the common ownership pharmacy benefit managers and pharmacies that provide services under contracts with Federal health plans for Federal employees; Sponsor: Krishnamoorthi, Raja [Rep.-D-IL-8]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.R.4407 — 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: Kim, Young [Rep.-R-CA-40]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4406 — To amend title I of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to authorize the establishment of, and provide support for, State-based universal health care systems that provide comprehensive health benefits to State residents, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Khanna, Ro [Rep.-D-CA-17]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Armed Services; Ways and Means; Oversight and Government Reform; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.4398 — To direct a physician or nurse practitioner employed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to certify the death of a veteran not later than 48 hours after such physician or nurse practitioner learns of such death, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Emmer, Tom [Rep.-R-MN-6]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.4396 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to study and report on the relationship between hair straighteners and uterine cancer, particularly among women of color; Sponsor: Clarke, Yvette D. [Rep.-D-NY-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4395 — To provide for research and education with respect to uterine fibroids, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Clarke, Yvette D. [Rep.-D-NY-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4392 — To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to increase early detection of and intervention for uterine fibroids, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Brown, Shontel M. [Rep.-D-OH-11]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4388 — To repeal sections 319F-3 and 319F-4 of the Public Health Service Act, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Massie, Thomas [Rep.-R-KY-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.2309 — A bill to direct a physician or nurse practitioner employed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to certify the death of a veteran not later than 48 hours after such physician or nurse practitioner learns of such death, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Boozman, John [Sen.-R-AR]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.2303 — A bill to provide for the publication by the Secretary of Health and Human Services of physical activity recommendations for Americans; Sponsor: Wicker, Roger F. [Sen.-R-MS]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2302 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish certain duties for pharmacies to ensure provision of Food and Drug Administration-approved contraception and medication related to contraception, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2301 — A bill to reauthorize certain programs regarding rural health care; Sponsor: Scott, Tim [Sen.-R-SC]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2298 — A bill to direct the Secretary of Labor to promulgate an occupational safety and health standard to protect workers from heat-related injuries and illnesses; Sponsor: Padilla, Alex [Sen.-D-CA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.Res.585 — Recognizing the threat of extreme weather to children’s health and well-being, and expressing the sense of Congress that solutions must be rapidly and equitably developed and deployed to address the unique vulnerabilities and needs of children; Sponsor: McClellan, Jennifer L. [Rep.-D-VA-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4473 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a bilateral research and innovation program to facilitate and coordinate efforts between the United States and Israel in certain health-related areas, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Weber, Randy K. Sr. [Rep.-R-TX-14]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4470 — To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require hospitals participating in the Medicare and Medicaid programs to establish certain notification procedures with respect to organ procurement agencies; Sponsor: Van Duyne, Beth [Rep.-R-TX-24]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4464 — To amend the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 respecting the scoring of preventive health savings; Sponsor: Obernolte, Jay [Rep.-R-CA-23]; Committees: House – Budget

 

H.R.4453 — To amend title 5, United States Code, to include Parkinson’s disease in the list of illnesses and diseases deemed to be proximately caused by employment in fire protection activities, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hoyle, Val T. [Rep.-D-OR-4]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.4445 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize a public health and bio-preparedness workforce loan repayment program; Sponsor: Crow, Jason [Rep.-D-CO-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4443 — To direct the Secretary of Labor to promulgate an occupational safety and health standard to protect workers from heat-related injuries and illnesses; Sponsor: Chu, Judy [Rep.-D-CA-28]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.4441 – To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve Medicare beneficiary access to new medical technologies that improve health care quality and outcomes by ensuring that breakthrough devices are eligible for conditional approval under the Medicare New Technology Add-On Payment (NTAP) Program, enabling these medical breakthroughs to be provided to Medicare beneficiaries without unnecessary delay; Sponsor: Carey, Mike [Rep.-R-OH-15]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4436 — To amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to cosmetic safety, with an emphasis on communities of color and professional salon workers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Schakowsky, Janice D. [Rep.-D-IL-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.4435 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to increase transparency with respect to cosmetic ingredients, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Schakowsky, Janice D. [Rep.-D-IL-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4434 — To amend title VI of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to ensure the supply chain transparency needed for companies to make safe cosmetics, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Schakowsky, Janice D. [Rep.-D-IL-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4433 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to ban certain substances in cosmetic products, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Schakowsky, Janice D. [Rep.-D-IL-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4425 —To amend the Public Health Service Act to increase the number of permanent faculty in palliative care at accredited allopathic and osteopathic medical schools, nursing schools and other programs, including social work, physician assistant, and chaplaincy education programs, to promote education and research in palliative care and hospice, and to support the development of faculty careers in academic palliative and hospice care; Sponsor: Carter, Earl L. “Buddy” [Rep.-R-GA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.2356 — A bill to expand psychological mental and behavioral health services to Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP beneficiaries by permitting reimbursement of psychological services provided by certain supervised psychology trainees, and facilitating the reimbursement of those services; Sponsor: Barrasso, John [Sen.-R-WY]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2355 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for hospital and insurer price transparency; Sponsor: Marshall, Roger [Sen.-R-KS]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2353 — A bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, to conduct a study, and submit to Congress a report, on the human health impacts of exposure to microplastics in food and water; Sponsor: Merkley, Jeff [Sen.-D-OR]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2348 — A bill to amend the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act to authorize grants to strengthen relationships between health and wellness providers or systems (including for behavioral health) and community-based sexual assault programs to support survivors of sexual assault across the lifespan of the survivor, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Murkowski, Lisa [Sen.-R-AK]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2347 — A bill to prohibit discrimination in health care and require the provision of equitable health care, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Padilla, Alex [Sen.-D-CA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2345 — A bill to allow for expedited approval of generic prescription drugs and temporary importation of prescription drugs in the case of marginally competitive drug markets and drug shortages; Sponsor: Klobuchar, Amy [Sen.-D-MN]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2340 — A bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and implement a program and national strategic action plan to prepare and empower the health care sector to protect the health and well-being of our workers, our communities, and our planet in the face of the climate crisis, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2339 — A bill to reauthorize the Young Women’s Breast Health Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act of 2009; Sponsor: Klobuchar, Amy [Sen.-D-MN]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2336 — A bill to ensure references to opioid overdose reversal agents in certain grant programs of the Department of Health and Human Services are not limited to naloxone; Sponsor: Cornyn, John [Sen.-R-TX]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2332 — A bill to require research with respect to fentanyl and xylazine test strips, to authorize the use of grant funds for such test strips, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hassan, Margaret Wood [Sen.-D-NH]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2329 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect beneficiaries with limb loss and other orthopedic conditions by providing access to appropriate, safe, effective, patient-centered orthotic and prosthetic care, to reduce fraud, waste, and abuse with respect to orthotics and prosthetics, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Warner, Mark R. [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

H.Res.593 — Congratulating the Oncology Nursing Society on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kiggans, Jennifer A. [Rep.-R-VA-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4545 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the provision of certain information with respect to breast reconstruction surgery under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Waters, Maxine [Rep.-D-CA-43]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.4543 — To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to require coverage for certain individual with breast or cervical cancer under the Medicaid program; Sponsor: Waters, Maxine [Rep.-D-CA-43]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4541 — To reauthorize the Young Women’s Breast Health Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act of 2009; Sponsor: Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [Rep.-D-FL-25]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4525 — To protect an individual’s ability to access medicines approved by the Food and Drug Administration to protect a health care providers ability to provide such medicines, and information related to such medicines; Sponsor: Ross, Deborah K. [Rep.-D-NC-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4518 — To amend the Controlled Substances Act to require electronic communication service providers and remote computing services to report to the Attorney General certain controlled substances violations; Sponsor: Miller-Meeks, Mariannette [Rep.-R-IA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Judiciary

 

H.R.4517 — To amend section 485 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require certain institutions of higher education to develop and implement a venue-specific heat-related illnesses emergency action plan, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Mfume, Kweisi [Rep.-D-MD-7]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.4515 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and implement a program and national strategic action plan to prepare and empower the health care sector to protect the health and well-being of our workers, our communities, and our planet in the face of the climate crisis, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Matsui, Doris O. [Rep.-D-CA-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4510 — To amend the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act to authorize grants to strengthen relationships between health and wellness providers or systems (including for behavioral health) and community-based sexual assault programs to support survivors of sexual assault across the lifespan of the survivor, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Leger Fernandez, Teresa [Rep.-D-NM-3]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.4509 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs furnishes certain non-opioid pain medications to veterans, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Landsman, Greg [Rep.-D-OH-1]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.4493 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to declare a public health emergency in connection with health risks associated with climate change, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Dexter, Maxine [Rep.-D-OR-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4492 — To amend title 11, United States Code, to account for the protection of genetic information in bankruptcy; Sponsor: Cline, Ben [Rep.-R-VA-6]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.4486 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, to conduct a study, and submit to Congress a report, on the human health impacts of exposure to microplastics in food and water; Sponsor: Bynum, Janelle S. [Rep.-D-OR-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4484 — To expand psychological mental and behavioral health services to Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP beneficiaries by permitting reimbursement of psychological services provided by certain supervised psychology trainees, and facilitating the reimbursement of those services; Sponsor: Balderson, Troy [Rep.-R-OH-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.4475 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to protect beneficiaries with limb loss and other orthopedic conditions by providing access to appropriate, safe, effective, patient-centered orthotic and prosthetic care, to reduce fraud, waste, and abuse with respect to orthotics and prosthetics, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Thompson, Glenn [Rep.-R-PA-15]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

Appropriations Update – The Senate began its work on fiscal year (FY) 2026 spending last week, with the Appropriations Committee completing consideration of the Legislative Branch spending measure and advancing a $7 billion Agriculture-Food and Drug Administration (FDA) measure in a unanimous, bipartisan vote. The bill includes $3.6 billion in taxpayer funding and $3.4 billion in user fee revenue, approximately even with 2025 enacted levels. The bill was considered by the full committee without first going through the subcommittee markup process. House Republicans’ FDA funding bill that was advanced out of committee last month provided a total of $6.8 billion for the agency, in line with the President’s budget request. The Senate’s higher funding level reflects the chamber’s 60-vote threshold and the Democratic support that would be required for passage.

 

While the House of Representatives was in recess last week, the chamber has already successfully cleared the FY 2026 Military-Construction-Veterans Affairs spending measure, as well as the Agriculture-FDA, Defense, Homeland Security, and Legislative Branch bills. Lawmakers are nevertheless expected to rely on a continuing resolution to avoid a federal government shutdown at the end of the fiscal year on September 30 in the absence of a broader government funding agreement. Such stopgap spending measures often serve as a vehicle for health extenders.

 

Senate Panel Advances CDC Nominee  – The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee advanced the nomination of Susan Monarez to serve as the next director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in a 12-11 party line vote on Wednesday. Monarez has worked in the federal government for two decades, most recently serving as the acting director of the CDC after working as the deputy director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health. Opposition to her nomination from panel Democrats appeared to be a referendum on recent actions by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and in particular changes made to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. If confirmed by the full Senate, Monarez would be the first person without a medical degree to lead the CDC since 1953. She would also become the first Senate-confirmed CDC director, following a statutory change made in 2022 requiring approval of the CDC director by the upper chamber. A final vote on her nomination on the Senate floor has not yet been scheduled.

 

Senate Approaches Deadline on President’s Rescissions Request – The Senate currently faces a July 18 deadline to pass the White House’s proposed rescissions package, or the President’s request to claw back $9.4 billion in funding will expire and the administration will be required to spend the money as Congress originally intended. Several Senate Republicans, however, have expressed concerns in recent days about the impact of the proposed cuts on global health; the package would rescind $900 million in funding for global AIDS and other international health efforts. Some GOP members have suggested that the proposal will need to be modified in order to garner the support necessary for passage. If the request is revised, it will need to be sent back to the House of Representatives for a final vote. Senate Republicans can afford to lose three GOP votes and still achieve passage with Vice President JD Vance breaking a tie.

 

New GAO Report on Assisted Outpatient Treatment – The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a new report on HHS’s management of assisted outpatient treatment programs that receive grants from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). GAO found that HHS has struggled to assess the results from assisted outpatient treatment programs, under which adults with serious mental illnesses can be ordered by a judge to adhere to community-based treatment.  The report describes the department’s efforts to assess the effects of the grant program on participants’ health and social outcomes, and what the assessments have revealed. Topics studied by HHS include treatment adherence, psychiatric emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and arrests. SAMHSA has awarded approximately $146 million in grants for the program to more than 60 organizations since 2016.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health hearing “Right Time, Right Place, Right Treatment with VA Community Care;” 2:15 p.m.; July 15

 

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations hearing “Voices of the Vaccine Injured;” 3:00 p.m.; July 15

 

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing “Legislative Proposals to Maintain and Improve the Public Health Workforce, Rural Health, and Over-the-Counter Medicines;” 10:00 a.m.; July 16

 

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee nomination hearing to consider Dr. Brian Christine to be Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of Health and Human Services; 10:00 a.m.; July 16

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.4272 — To prioritize health care facilities and mental or behavioral health facilities in the Community Facilities program for fiscal years 2026 through 2031, and allow loans and grants under the program to be used for medical supplies, increasing telehealth capabilities, supporting staffing needs, or renovating and remodeling closed facilities; Sponsor: Underwood, Lauren [Rep.-D-IL-14]; Committees: House – Agriculture

 

H.R.4273 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise and extend the user fee program for over-the-counter monograph drugs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Latta, Robert E. [Rep.-R-OH-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4277 — To amend Title XIX of the Social Security Act to clarify that rural emergency hospitals are treated as outpatient hospitals for purposes of Medicaid payment, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Davis, Donald G. [Rep.-D-NC-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4282 — To amend the Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act to modernize verification of contact lens prescriptions, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Griffith, H. Morgan [Rep.-R-VA-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4289 — To amend title 10, United States Code, to reduce the distance required for the Secretary of Defense to reimburse travel expenses relating to specialty care, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Vasquez, Gabe [Rep.-D-NM-2]; Committees: House – Armed Services

 

H.R.4299 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a rebate by manufacturers for selected drugs and biological products subject to maximum fair price negotiation; Sponsor: Murphy, Gregory F. [Rep.-R-NC-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

S.2211 — A bill to reauthorize the Special Diabetes Program for Type 1 Diabetes and the Special Diabetes Program for Indians; Sponsor: Collins, Susan M. [Sen.-R-ME]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2220 — A bill to expand presumptions of exposure by members of the Armed Forces to toxic substances, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rosen, Jacky [Sen.-D-NV]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.2225 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to add physical therapists to the list of providers allowed to utilize locum tenens arrangements under Medicare; Sponsor: Luján, Ben Ray [Sen.-D-NM]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.Res.318 — A resolution recognizing that climate change poses a growing threat to public health and necessitates coordinated action to mitigate its impacts and safeguard the health and well-being of all people in the United States; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2256 — An original bill making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hoeven, John [Sen.-R-ND]; Committees: Senate – Appropriations

 

S.2244 — A bill to require immediate changes to Medicaid relating to alien eligibility and payments to Medicaid expansion States that furnish health care to certain aliens; Sponsor: Paul, Rand [Sen.-R-KY]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2237 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend acute hospital care at home waiver flexibilities, and to require an additional study and report on such flexibilities; Sponsor: Scott, Tim [Sen.-R-SC]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

H.Res.568 — Recognizing that climate change poses a growing threat to public health and necessitates coordinated action to mitigate its impacts and safeguard the health and well-being of all people in the United States; Sponsor: Barragán, Nanette Diaz [Rep.-D-CA-44]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Natural Resources; Education and Workforce

 

H.Res.573 — Recognizing World Misophonia Awareness Day; Sponsor: Kim, Young [Rep.-R-CA-40]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4309 — To direct the establishment and maintenance of a National Concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury Clearinghouse, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Bacon, Don [Rep.-R-NE-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4313 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend acute hospital care at home waiver flexibilities, and to require an additional study and report on such flexibilities; Sponsor: Buchanan, Vern [Rep.-R-FL-16]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.4317 — To assure pharmacy access and choice for Medicare beneficiaries, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Carter, Earl L. “Buddy” [Rep.-R-GA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Education and Workforce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.4321 — To direct the Secretary of Defense to develop a strategy for treating traumatic brain injuries through digital health technologies; Sponsor: Crow, Jason [Rep.-D-CO-6]; Committees: House – Armed Services

 

H.R.4331 — To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a process to expand access to claims data under certain Federal health plans in order to facilitate research and quality improvement; Sponsor: Joyce, John [Rep.-R-PA-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.4340 — To require hospitals, medical examiner offices, and coroner offices to report to the Consumer Product Safety Commission with respect to certain incidents involving the death or serious injury of a child, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Mace, Nancy [Rep.-R-SC-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.4342 — To amend the 21st Century Cures Act to improve the administration, oversight, and impact of opioid use disorder grants, and for other purposes; Sponsor: McDowell, Addison P. [Rep.-R-NC-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4345 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand the definition of critical access hospital under the Medicare program to include certain hospitals on Indian reservations; Sponsor: Newhouse, Dan [Rep.-R-WA-4]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.4350 — To establish a loan program to expand capabilities to manufacture critical materials to secure the United States supply chain, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide credits for qualified investments into critical material facilities and production credits for manufacturing critical materials, and to authorize cross-cutting research, development, and demonstration activities relating to critical material supply chains, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Stevens, Haley M. [Rep.-D-MI-11]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce; Natural Resources; Education and Workforce; Science, Space, and Technology

 

H.R.4353 — To direct the Secretary of Labor to conduct a study on the effectiveness of spending by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to provide technical assistance and compliance assistance in relation to heat-related illness; Sponsor: Tenney, Claudia [Rep.-R-NY-24]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

President Signs One Big Beautiful Bill Act into Law – President Donald Trump signed the budget reconciliation package known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) into law on Friday during a military family picnic at the White House for the Fourth of July. The ceremony marked a significant victory for congressional Republicans and the Trump administration in finalizing the $3.4 trillion tax and spending package containing the President’s domestic policy agenda.

 

The Senate passed the bill on Tuesday after a marathon voting session known as a vote-a-rama during which Democrats attempted to put Republicans on the record through amendments to the package, many of which related to cuts to social-safety net programs. The final Senate vote was 51-50, with Vice President JD Vance breaking a tie and Republican Sens. Susan Collins (Maine), Rand Paul (Ky.), and Thom Tillis (N.C.) joining Democrats in opposition to the legislation.

 

The House of Representatives followed suit, passing the motion to concur in the Senate amendment to H.R. 1 on Thursday, after nearly 24 hours of deliberation, in a 218-214 final vote. Republican Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.) and Thomas Massie (Ky.) joined Democrats in opposition to the bill. Prior to the final vote, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) delivered a record breaking, nine-hour floor speech attacking the package. House Republican leadership successfully overcame intraparty discord related to the changes made by the Senate to the bill. Concerns from moderate Republicans related to deeper cuts to the Medicaid program, while fiscal hawks objected to additional tax cuts added by the upper chamber. The President and Republican leadership made assurances to GOP holdouts behind closed doors but did not entertain changes to the bill text. Had the House made any further revisions to the package, the Senate would have been forced to vote again, delaying passage of the measure and potentially risking Republicans’ self-imposed Independence Day deadline.

 

The final bill text includes a one-year Medicare physician payment fix to increase provider reimbursements by 2.5% in 2026. It establishes new Medicaid work requirements and would phase in a 3.5% limit on provider taxes in Medicaid-expansion states. The new law also includes a $50 billion fund to support rural hospitals in response to concerns about the impact of the bill’s Medicaid cuts – which total approximately $1 trillion – on financially vulnerable hospitals. The budget reconciliation bill will also expand the orphan drug exemption under the Medicare drug price negotiation program.

 

Federal Judge Issues Preliminary Injunction Against HHS Staff Cuts and Restructuring – On July 1, 2025, U.S. District Judge Melissa Dubose of the District Court of Rhode Island issued a preliminary injunction against the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in response to mass staff cuts at the agency. The plaintiffs—a group of 19 state attorneys general—had originally argued that the layoffs by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had been an overstep of constitutional authority. They further claimed that the HHS restructuring and dismantling of several sub-agencies (including the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Center for Tobacco Products (CTP)) had effectively eliminated public health programs on which their states rely.  In issuing the preliminary injunction, the court found that (i) the Secretary’s actions were arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedures Act; (ii) the cuts and reorganization of HHS would cause irreparable harm to the states if allowed to continue; and (iii) the plaintiffs were likely to succeed in proving their case on the merits. The federal government is therefore barred from further executing any existing reduction in force (RIF) notices or sub-agency restructuring and cannot issue any more termination or administrative leave notices until the case has been fully decided on the merits. HHS has requested that the injunction be paused pending an appeal.

 

New GAO Report on U.S. Health Care Spending and Value – The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has published a report on its October 2024 forum on U.S. health care spending. During the forum, participants identified approaches in the following five areas that could help reduce health care spending or increase the value for that spending: (1) supporting a high-functioning primary care system; (2) expanding  the health care workforce; (3) reforming health care pricing and promoting high-value care; (4) reforming Medicare physician payments; and (5) mitigating anticompetitive incentives and practices. Participants agreed that legislative action, federal investment, or both would be needed to implement most of the approaches discussed.

 

Carter Relinquishes Health Subcommittee Chair – Rep. Buddy Carter, BSPharm (R-Ga.) announced last week that he is stepping down as chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health. Carter, who launched a campaign for the Senate earlier this year, stated that he will continue to be an active member of the subcommittee and work to advance the President’s Make America Healthy Again agenda. Shortly following Carter’s announcement, Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) appointed Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) as the new Health Subcommittee chairman. The full extent of the resulting subcommittee leadership and member subcommittee assignment changes can be found here.

 

Recently Announced Congressional Retirements – Rep. Dwight Evans (D-Pa.) has announced his plans to retire at the end of the 119^th Congress. Evans is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee and has served in the House of Representatives since 2016. Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) also officially announced his decision to not seek reelection in 2026. He was first elected to the House in 2016. Bacon, who has a reputation as a centrist, cited the current “political dysfunction” as a reason behind his decision to retire.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health markup of H.R.2605, Service Dogs Assisting Veterans Act, H.R.3400, the Territorial Response and Access to Veterans’ Essential Lifecare Act; H.R.3643, VA Data Transparency  and Trust Act; H.R.3726, Fisher House Availability Act of 2025; H.R.3767, HPSP Improvement Act of 2025; H.R.3855, To amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit smoking on the premises of any facility of the Veterans Health Administration, and for other purposes; H.R.3863, VA Mental Health Outreach and Engagement Act; and H.R.2148, Veteran Caregiver Re-education, Reemployment, and Retirement Act; 10:15 a.m.; July 8 (may be postponed due to no votes in the House)

 

Senate HELP Committee executive session to consider the nomination of Susan Monarez to be Director of the CDC; 9:45 a.m.; July 9

 

Senate HELP Committee hearing “Securing the Future of Health Care: Enhancing Cybersecurity and Protecting Americans’ Privacy;” 10:00 a.m.; July 9

 

Senate Appropriations Committee hearing “A Future Without Type 1 Diabetes: Accelerating Breakthroughs and Creating Hope;” 10:00 a.m.; July 9

 

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing “Legislative Proposals to Maintain and Improve the Public Health Workforce, Rural Health, and Over-the-Counter Medicines;” 10:15 a.m.; July 9 (may be postponed due to no votes in the House)

 

Senate Appropriations Committee markup of Commerce, Justice, Science, Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA, and Legislative Branch Appropriations Acts;” 9:30 a.m.; July 10

 

House Appropriations subcommittee markup of Fiscal Year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Bill; 5:00 p.m.; July 21

 

House Appropriations full committee markup of Fiscal Year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Bill; 10:00 a.m.; July 24

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.4244 — To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to prohibit payments under the Medicaid program for conversion therapy, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Thanedar, Shri [Rep.-D-MI-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4243 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow qualified distributions from health savings accounts for certain home care expenses; Sponsor: Smith, Adrian [Rep.-R-NE-3]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.4242 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modernize the National Firearms Act to account for advancements in technology and less-than-lethal weapons, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Schweikert, David [Rep.-R-AZ-1]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.4231 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the coordination of programs to prevent and treat obesity, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kelly, Mike [Rep.-R-PA-16]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.4227 — To amend title 18, United States Code, to prevent bulk sales of ammunition, promote recordkeeping and reporting about ammunition, end ammunition straw purchasing, and require a background check before the transfer of ammunition by certain Federal firearms licensees to non-licensees; Sponsor: Garcia, Robert [Rep.-D-CA-42]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.4225 — To amend chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, to require adequate supervision before a juvenile can possess a firearm, to require the safe storage of firearms, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Dean, Madeleine [Rep.-D-PA-4]; Committees: House – Judiciary; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.4224 — To establish a grant program through the Department of Justice to incentivize States to establish point-of-contact systems for firearm sales subject to a background check, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Dean, Madeleine [Rep.-D-PA-4]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.4223 — To repeal certain impediments to the administration of the firearms laws; Sponsor: Dean, Madeleine [Rep.-D-PA-4]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.4222 — To amend chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, to restrict the ability to transfer business inventory firearms, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Dean, Madeleine [Rep.-D-PA-4]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.4221 — To modernize the Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988; Sponsor: Dean, Madeleine [Rep.-D-PA-4]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.4220 — To require the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network to issue an advisory about how homegrown violent extremists and other perpetrators of domestic terrorism procure firearms and firearm accessories, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Dean, Madeleine [Rep.-D-PA-4]; Committees: House – Financial Services

 

H.R.4218 — To amend the Clean Air Act to facilitate State implementation of national ambient air quality standards, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Carter, Earl L. “Buddy” [Rep.-R-GA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.555 — Expressing support for the designation of June 28, 2025, as “Community is Stronger than Cancer Day”; Sponsor: Dingell, Debbie [Rep.-D-MI-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.562 — Supporting the goals and ideals of Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month; Sponsor: Barragán, Nanette Diaz [Rep.-D-CA-44]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4250 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a floor on payments to sole community hospitals located in Alaska and Hawaii under the hospital outpatient prospective payment system; Sponsor: Begich, Nicholas J. [Rep.-R-AK-At Large]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.4258 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand the definition of critical access hospital under the Medicare program to include certain hospitals on Indian reservations; Sponsor: Newhouse, Dan [Rep.-R-WA-4]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.4262 — To reauthorize programs related to health professions education, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Schakowsky, Janice D. [Rep.-D-IL-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4269 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the application of a cost-of-living adjustment to the non-labor related portion for hospital outpatient department services furnished in Alaska and Hawaii; Sponsor: Tokuda, Jill N. [Rep.-D-HI-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means