Month: September 2026

White House Drops Plan to Issue Executive Order on NIH Research – On Wednesday, Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) announced that the White House has agreed to abandon plans to issue an executive order to establish a board of political appointees to oversee the awarding of grants by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The announcement followed bipartisan congressional pushback to the plan, including a letter sent by Sen. Collins to Russell Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Director of the NIH, arguing that political control over NIH grants would undermine the peer review process credited with breakthrough medical research and contributing to 174 scientists becoming recipients of the Nobel Prize. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Appropriations Committee Vice Chair, also issued a statement, asserting that “only one question should decide which research gets funded: is this good science that could save lives?” Earlier this month, Congress passed legislation that paused a similar OMB-proposed rule on federal grantmaking through December 11.

 

White House Moves to Block Funding Via Pocket Recissions – With less than one week remaining in fiscal year 2026, President Donald Trump informed congressional leadership that he has canceled nearly $1 billion in spending without congressional consent – a budgetary maneuver known as a pocket recission. The money being clawed back includes appropriations for immigration services, support for foreign countries, education programs, health research efforts, and assistance for businesses owned by minorities. Many have questioned the legality of the maneuver. While the President is allowed to request that Congress rescind federal funding – and withhold that funding for a 45-day period in which lawmakers approve, reject, or ignore the request – the administration argues that it can cancel funding without congressional action as there are less than 45 days left in the fiscal year, when unspent funds automatically get cancelled. Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) criticized the announcement, characterizing it as a “clear violation of the law.”

 

In related news, Sen. Collins sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other  administration officials earlier last week, calling on the White House to spend more than one billion dollars of congressionally appropriated global health funds. She urges that the $1.3 billion be spent as Congress intended – to protect maternal and child health and counter infectious diseases – and not to pay for “unknown closeout costs” associated with last year’s elimination of the U.S. Agency for International Development. Similarly, Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Labor-Health and Human Services Subcommittee Ranking Member Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) wrote to the administration asking how it plans to spend down funding for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). “Research funded by AHRQ grants has saved tens of thousands of lives and billions of dollars in health care costs, but once again, instead of getting these funds provided by Congress out the door as is required by law, this administration is on track to impound these resources and kill lifesaving research,” write Murray and Baldwin.

 

Finance Committee Advances HHS Nominees – The Senate Finance Committee favorably reported out the nominations of Chris Klomp to be Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services and Ge Bai to be an Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services on Thursday. Klomp’s nomination was advanced in a 15-12 vote, with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) joining Republicans in support of the nominee. Bai’s nomination was advanced in a 14-13 vote.

 

The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee postponed its scheduled votes on several other health nominees due to attendance issues. The panel had planned to vote on Thursday to advance the nominations of Nicole Saphier, MD to be Surgeon General/Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service, Timothy Westlake, MD to be Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, and Mary Lazare to be Assistant Secretary for Aging. The votes have been rescheduled for September 30.

 

Senators Request Reconsideration of RPM Policy – Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) have written to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to share their concerns about a policy that would cut provider reimbursement for remote patient monitoring (RPM). The proposal would require doctors and hospitals to use their own staff to monitor patients via RPM, eliminating reimbursement for providers who use the RPM vendors’ clinical staff for such monitoring. They specifically express concern about the impact of the proposal on rural communities. “Remote monitoring services are especially important in rural communities, where patients often face long travel distances, transportation barriers, clinician shortages, hospital closures, and limited access to timely follow-up care,” they stated in the letter.  Blackburn and Warner introduced the Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act (S. 1535) together earlier this year to improve Medicare coverage for RPM in rural areas.

 

HSGAC Rejects Push to Compel Fauci Aide’s Testimony – The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) rejected a vote last week to compel testimony under immunity from a former special assistant to Anthony Fauci. The committee recently subpoenaed the unnamed assistant, who worked for Fauci from 2007 to 2022; the assistant subsequently pleaded the 5^th and did not answer questions during a closed-door meeting. Wednesday’s vote would have required the support of two-thirds of the panel; the committee voted 8-7 on party lines to compel testimony under immunity from the aide, falling short of the necessary margin. The effort is a part of Chair Rand Paul’s (R-Ky.) longstanding investigation into the origins of COVID-19.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee executive session to vote on nominations, including Nicole Saphier to be Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service; Timothy Westlake to be Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, Department of Health and Human Services; and Mary Lazare to be Assistant Secretary for Aging, Department of Health and Human Services; 9:45 a.m.; September 30

 

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.Res.1567 — Expressing support for the designation of September 22, 2026, as “National Hispanic Nurses Day” and recognizing the National Association of Hispanic Nurses as the leading organization representing and advocating for Hispanic nurses; Sponsor: Barragán, Nanette Diaz [Rep.-D-CA-44]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.1569 — Recognizing the importance of protecting continuous Medicaid coverage for individuals undergoing active cancer treatment; Sponsor: Dingell, Debbie [Rep.-D-MI-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10520 — To provide for research and improvement of cardiovascular health among the South Asian population of the United States, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Jayapal, Pramila [Rep.-D-WA-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10521 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to revise the regulations implementing the 5-star rating system under Medicare Advantage; Sponsor: Kelly, Mike [Rep.-R-PA-16]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10522 — To prohibit the obligation or expenditure of Department of Health and Human Services funds for the use of live dogs and live cats in biomedical research, to strengthen accountability for Federal research expenditures, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Langworthy, Nicholas A. [Rep.-R-NY-23]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10523 — To amend the Animal Welfare Act to prohibit breeding of dogs for research purposes, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Mace, Nancy [Rep.-R-SC-1]; Committees: House – Agriculture

 

S.5449 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve maternal health and promote safe motherhood; Sponsor: Kaine, Tim [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.Res.892 — A resolution supporting the designation of September 18, 2026, as “National Concussion Awareness Day”; Sponsor: Hassan, Margaret Wood [Sen.-D-NH]; Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

 

S.Res.894 — A resolution designating September 25, 2026, as “National Ataxia Awareness Day”, and raising awareness of ataxia, ataxia research, and the search for a cure; Sponsor: Hyde-Smith, Cindy [Sen.-R-MS]; Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

 

S.5462 — A bill to extend the Frontier Community Health Integration Project Demonstration; Sponsor: Hoeven, John [Sen.-R-ND]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5464 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the report on the health of women veterans, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Boozman, John [Sen.-R-AR]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.5471 — A bill to require disclosure of certain information relating to artificial intelligence systems, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Coons, Christopher A. [Sen.-D-DE]; Committees: Senate – Commerce, Science, and Transportation

 

S.5475 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure timely review of local coverage determination requests under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Luján, Ben Ray [Sen.-D-NM]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5488 — A bill to establish a program to address sickle cell disease and other heritable hemoglobinopathies; Sponsor: Van Hollen, Chris [Sen.-D-MD]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5489 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize a scholarship and loan repayment program to incentivize physicians to enter into the field of sickle cell disease research, treatment, and patient care, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Van Hollen, Chris [Sen.-D-MD]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5493 — A bill to establish the Department of Artificial Intelligence and to provide for the regulation of advanced artificial intelligence systems, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Sanders, Bernard [Sen.-I-VT]; Committees: Senate – Commerce, Science, and Transportation

 

S.Res.899 — A resolution recognizing suicide as a serious public health problem and expressing support for the designation of September as “National Suicide Prevention Month”; Sponsor: Murphy, Christopher [Sen.-D-CT]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.Res.902 — A resolution supporting the designation of the week of September 20 through September 26, 2026, as “Telehealth Awareness Week”; Sponsor: Schatz, Brian [Sen.-D-HI]; Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

 

S.Res.906 — A resolution supporting the designation of the week of August 24 through August 28, 2026, as the fourth annual “National Community Health Worker Awareness Week”; Sponsor: Wyden, Ron[Sen.-D-OR]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.Res.907 — A resolution supporting the designation of September 2026 as “National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month”; Sponsor: Slotkin, Elissa [Sen.-D-MI]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.Res.910 — A resolution expressing support for the designation of October 2026 as “Lewy Body Dementia Awareness Month”; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5496 — A bill to expand access to and lower the cost of health care; Sponsor: Warner, Mark R. [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5497 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reimburse State homes for the cost of, or to furnish to State homes, certain costly medications provided to veterans who receive nursing home care in such State homes, and for other purposes; Sponsor: King, Angus S., Jr. [Sen.-I-ME]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.5498 — A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to add alpha-gal to the definition of “major food allergen”; Sponsor: Warner, Mark R. [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5499 — A bill to amend the 21st Century Cures Act to reauthorize the Tick-Borne Disease Working Group, to reauthorize the Kay Hagan Tick Act, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Warner, Mark R. [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5502 — A bill to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for the protection of biotechnology and biomanufacturing infrastructure by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hassan, Margaret Wood [Sen.-D-NH]; Committees: Senate – Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

 

S.5513 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Program to establish a pilot program to incentivize certain hospitals to purchase personal protective equipment and medical consumables that are domestic products, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cassidy, Bill [Sen.-R-LA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5515 — A bill to improve Federal efforts with respect to the prevention of maternal mortality, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Durbin, Richard J. [Sen.-D-IL]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5520 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to require the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology to establish a national computable-guideline framework for cancer screening recommendations, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Grassley, Chuck [Sen.-R-IA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5522 — A bill to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of the Department of Homeland Security to protect genetic and other sensitive biometric data, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Young, Todd [Sen.-R-IN]; Committees: Senate – Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

 

S.5536 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide flexibility in the treatment of nonpayment of Medicare prescription drug plan premiums; Sponsor: Blunt Rochester, Lisa [Sen.-D-DE]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5539 — A bill to require group health plans and group or individual health insurance coverage to provide coverage for over-the-counter contraceptives; Sponsor: Murray, Patty [Sen.-D-WA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5543 — A bill to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to reauthorize the residential substance use disorder treatment program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cornyn, John [Sen.-R-TX]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.5546 — A bill to provide women with increased access to preventive and life-saving cancer screening; Sponsor: Murray, Patty [Sen.-D-WA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5554 — A bill to modernize and strengthen Federal efforts to improve ovarian cancer awareness, hereditary cancer risk assessment, access to genetic counseling and testing, and access to specialty care, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Slotkin, Elissa [Sen.-D-MI]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5564 — A bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out activities relating to neglected diseases of poverty; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5565 — A bill to amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the use of Federal foreign assistance funds for comprehensive reproductive health care services, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Foreign Relations

 

H.Con.Res.120 — Supporting the designation of the week of September 21 through September 25, 2026, as “National Falls Prevention Awareness Week” to raise awareness and encourage the prevention of falls among older adults; Sponsor: Frankel, Lois [Rep.-D-FL-22]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Con.Res.121 — Expressing the sense of the Congress that assisted suicide (sometimes referred to using other terms) puts everyone, including those most vulnerable, at risk of deadly harm; Sponsor: Murphy, Gregory F. [Rep.-R-NC-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.1577 — Expressing support for the designation of September 2026 as “Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month” in order to educate communities across the United States about sickle cell disease and the need for research, early detection methods, effective treatments, and preventative care programs with respect to complications from sickle cell disease and conditions related to sickle cell disease; Sponsor: Davis, Danny K. [Rep.-D-IL-7]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.Res.1578 — Supporting the designation of September 2026 as “National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month”; Sponsor: DeLauro, Rosa L. [Rep.-D-CT-3]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.R.10531 — To establish a program to address sickle cell disease and other heritable hemoglobinopathies; Sponsor: Adams, Alma S. [Rep.-D-NC-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10538 — To establish the Department of Artificial Intelligence and to provide for the regulation of advanced artificial intelligence systems, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Casar, Greg [Rep.-D-TX-35]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.R.10541 — To authorize the Secretary of Defense to establish joint education and training programs on military trauma care and research with military forces of foreign countries; Sponsor: Crow, Jason [Rep.-D-CO-6]; Committees: House – Armed Services

 

H.R.10544 — To modernize and strengthen Federal efforts to improve ovarian cancer awareness, hereditary cancer risk assessment, access to genetic counseling and testing, and access to specialty care, and for other purposes; Sponsor: DeLauro, Rosa L. [Rep.-D-CT-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10547 — To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to improve access to the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), to reduce regulatory burdens on PACE providers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Dingell, Debbie [Rep.-D-MI-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.10549 — To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to prohibit certain group health plans and health insurance issuers from limiting choice in specialty pharmacies; Sponsor: Dunn, Neal P. [Rep.-R-FL-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10555 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide care, treatment, and rehabilitative services to veterans suffering from serious mental illness and veterans who are homeless, regardless of whether such veteran is eligible for hospital, nursing home, and domiciliary care, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Golden, Jared F. [Rep.-D-ME-2]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.10559 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to eligible health centers to provide patient access to long-acting reversible contraception, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hinson, Ashley [Rep.-R-IA-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10568 — To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of the Department of Homeland Security to protect genetic and other sensitive biometric data, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Khanna, Ro [Rep.-D-CA-17]; Committees: House – Homeland Security

 

H.R.10569 — To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide for the protection of biotechnology and biomanufacturing infrastructure by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Khanna, Ro [Rep.-D-CA-17]; Committees: House – Homeland Security

 

H.R.10571 — To amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to State support for newborn screening, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Langworthy, Nicholas A. [Rep.-R-NY-23]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10597 — To require group health plans and group or individual health insurance coverage to provide coverage for over-the-counter contraceptives; Sponsor: Pressley, Ayanna [Rep.-D-MA-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Education and Workforce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.10599 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide flexibility in the treatment of nonpayment of Medicare prescription drug plan premiums; Sponsor: Ross, Deborah K. [Rep.-D-NC-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.10600 — To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to authorize the use of Federal foreign assistance funds for comprehensive reproductive health care services, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Schakowsky, Janice D. [Rep.-D-IL-9]; Committees: House – Foreign Affairs

House Passes Health Bills Before Recessing Until After Midterms – The House of Representatives passed several bills last week aimed at protecting communities from illicit drugs:

• The Combating Illicit Xylazine Act (H.R. 1266) would classify xylazine as a Schedule III drug.
• Tyler’ Law (H.R. 2004) would require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to study and issue guidance on whether hospital emergency departments should implement fentanyl testing as a routine procedure for patients experiencing an overdose.
• The Stop Pills That Kill Act (H.R. 8005) would strengthen the Drug Enforcement Administration’s ability to conduct regulatory oversight of pill press machines and their parts.

 

Other bills passed by the chamber last week include H.R. 2846, entitling officers of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps to the same leave benefits currently available to the rest of the uniformed services forces, and H.R. 10326, legislation to require states to release records related to safety-net and grant programs, including Medicaid, at the request of the attorney general. Such records could include ID verification, provider billing statements, benefit disbursement logs, and demographic information.

 

Finally, the Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act (S. 2398) is being sent to the President for his signature after being unanimously passed by the House on Tuesday. The bill, which was approved by the Senate last month, would reauthorize through fiscal year 2030 the National Strategy and Regional Centers of Excellence in Vector-Borne Disease and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s cooperative agreements with health departments in areas at high risk of vector-borne diseases. The President is expected to sign the legislation into law.

 

House lawmakers have now departed Washington until after the midterms, while the Senate is currently scheduled to remain in session through October 2. Both chambers are then currently scheduled to reconvene on November 9.

 

HELP to Vote on Three Health Nominees This Week – The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee will meet on Thursday to vote on the nominations of Nicole Saphier, MD to be Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service and Surgeon General of the Public Health Service, Timothy Westlake, MD to be Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, and Mary Lazare to be Assistant Secretary for Aging. The nominations are expected to be advanced for confirmation votes on the Senate floor. Following the nomination votes, the committee will hold a confirmation hearing for Heidi Overton, MD, PhD, the Trump administration’s nominee for Commissioner of Food and Drugs.

 

Ways and Means Marks Up Four Health Bills – The House Ways and Means Committee held a markup of four health care related bills last week:

• The Alzheimer’s Screening and Prevention Act (H.R. 6130), which would provide for Medicare coverage of blood tests for Alzheimer’s, passed the committee in a 40-0 vote.
• The Medically Tailored Home-Delivered Meals Program Pilot Act (H.R. 5439), which would create a Medicare pilot program to deliver medically tailored food for patients, also passed the committee unanimously in a 39-0 vote.
• The Apples to Apples Comparison Act (H.R. 4093) was advanced in a 25-15 vote. The bill would require the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to publish detailed annual fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage plan expenditure data for each calendar year, allowing full comparison of the two programs. It also directs the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to conduct retrospective analysis comparing federal expenditures for Medicare enrollees.
• The Empowering Moms Act (H.R. 10356) passed the committee in a 25-13 vote. The bill codifies Moms.gov as a central clearinghouse of resources for pregnant women with information about pregnancy resource centers, adoption agencies, and other public and private resources available near their zip code and surrounding areas.

 

Budget Committee Advances Health Scoring Legislation – The House Budget Committee unanimously voted to advance the Preventive Health Savings Act (H.R. 4464) on Wednesday. The bipartisan measure would establish a mechanism for the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to, upon a bipartisan request, assess budgetary savings from preventive health care legislation over a 30-year window. Under current rules, CBO primarily scores legislation within a 10-year budget window.

 

Landsman, Onder Introduced MA Prior Authorization Bill – Representatives Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) and Bob Onder, MD (R-Mo.) introduced the Protecting Approved Care Act (H.R. 10394) last week. The legislation aims to protect patients and providers from coverage decision reversals or changes after care is approved by insurers in the Medicare Advantage (MA) program. For a service that has been granted prior authorization, the bill would specifically prohibit plans from denying coverage based on lack of medical necessity, reopening the determination (except for good cause or fraud), and changing the billing code assigned to the claim to reduce payment, except under limited exceptions. For services that do not require prior authorization, the service must be treated as if prior authorization was granted and the same protections apply. The full bill text can be found here.

 

Former Sen. Jon Kyl Dies at 84 – Former U.S. Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona died last week at the age of 84 from complications of a neurological disorder. Kyl had announced in December 2025 that he had been diagnosed with dementia.  The Republican lawmaker served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1987 to 1995 and in the Senate from 1995 to 2013, including holding party leadership positions as Republican Policy Committee chairman, Republican Policy chairman, and Senate Minority Whip, then briefly returned in 2018 to fill the seat left vacant by Sen. John McCain’s death. Kyl is remembered as a pragmatic and hardworking legislator and for his policy expertise on arms control, immigration, and water rights.

 

Secretary Kennedy Appoints New USPSTF Members – HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced the addition of eight new members to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) last week, bringing the total number of USPSTF members to 16. The task force has not met since March 2025. The new members include:

• Seth J. Corey, MD, MPH, is a pediatric hematologist-oncologist in the Departments of Pediatrics and Heart, Blood, and Kidney Research at Cleveland Clinic and the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center and a professor of molecular medicine at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Corey will serve as USPSTF chair.
• Patrick K. Hunter, MD, MSc, is a pediatrician at Pensacola Pediatrics, assistant clinical professor at Florida State University, and a member of the Florida State Board of Medicine.
• Ronald P. Karlsberg, MD, is a clinical professor of medicine at the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, president and co-founder of the National Institute for Cardiovascular Research and Innovation, and managing partner of the Cardiovascular Medical Group of Southern California.
• Venkatesh L. Murthy, MD, PhD, is the Melvyn Rubenfire professor of preventive cardiology in the department of internal medicine at the University of Michigan.
• Stephen T. Parente, PhD, is the Minnesota Insurance Industry Chair of Health Finance, director of the Medical Industry MBA program, associate dean of the Carlson Global Institute, and professor in the department of finance at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.
• Goldie Stands-Over-Bull, MD, is the lead family medicine physician at Texas Native Health.
• Louis J. Wilson, MD, is an internist specializing in gastroenterology, hepatology, and clinical nutrition, managing partner of Wichita Falls Gastroenterology Associates, section chief for Gastroenterology in the Department of Medicine at United Regional Healthcare System, and medical director at Digestive Health Research of North Texas.
• Dennis W. Wulfeck, MD, MBA, DHA, is a diagnostic radiologist and president of the practice board at RadPartners MBB Radiology.

 

White House Drafting Executive Order on NIH Grants – Several reports this weekend indicate that the White House is drafting an executive order to establish a new external committee with the power to veto National Institutes of Health (NIH) awards that do not align with the President’s political agenda. The Washington Post and other publications report that a contentious meeting took place on Friday between Office of Management and Budget director Russ Vought, who supports the proposal, and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, MD, who has resisted it. Earlier this month, Congress temporarily blocked a proposed rule that would give OMB more authority over federal financial assistance, including NIH grants.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing “Leveling the Playing Field: Restoring America’s Edge in Generic Drug Manufacturing;” 3:30 p.m.; September 23

 

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee executive session to vote on the nominations of  Nicole Saphier to be Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service; Timothy Westlake to be Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, Department of Health and Human Services; and Mary Lazare to be Assistant Secretary for Aging, Department of Health and Human Services; 10:00 a.m.; September 24

 

Senate HELP Committee hearing on the nomination of Heidi Overton to be Commissioner of Food and Drugs; 10:30 a.m.; September 24

 

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

S.Res.850 — A resolution supporting the designation of the week of September 14 through September 18, 2026, as “Malnutrition Awareness Week”; Sponsor: Murphy, Christopher [Sen.-D-CT]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.Res.1534 — Expressing support for the designation of the week of September 13 to 19, 2026, as “National Co-Responder and Crisis Clinician Week”; Sponsor: Evans, Gabe [Rep.-R-CO-8]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.R.10356 — Empowering Moms Act; Sponsor: Fischbach, Michelle [Rep.-R-MN-7]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10358 — To assist survivors of stroke and other debilitating health occurrences in returning to work; Sponsor: Beatty, Joyce [Rep.-D-OH-3]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.10359 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to permanently extend the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award priority review vouchers for rare pediatric disease products; Sponsor: Bilirakis, Gus M. [Rep.-R-FL-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10369 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act, and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, to create certain requirements with respect to pharmacy benefit managers; Sponsor: Mackenzie, Ryan [Rep.-R-PA-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.10370 —To better coordinate Federal efforts to utilize advance technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to improve diagnoses, treatments, cures, and prevention strategies for pediatric cancer, and for other purposes; Sponsor: McCaul, Michael T. [Rep.-R-TX-10]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10373 — Protecting Workers’ Wages from Medical Debt Act; Sponsor: Scott, Robert C. “Bobby” [Rep.-D-VA-3]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.10374 — To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to continue the Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Sewell, Terri A. [Rep.-D-AL-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.10376 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish reporting and transparency requirements for data related to telehealth services under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Walkinshaw, James R. [Rep.-D-VA-11]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

S.Res.853 — A resolution recognizing suicide as a serious public health problem and expressing support for the designation of September 8, 2026, as “988 Day” and the role of 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.Res.1538 — Supporting the designation of the week of September 14 through September 18, 2026, as “Malnutrition Awareness Week”; Sponsor: Bonamici, Suzanne [Rep.-D-OR-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Agriculture; Education and Workforce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.10394 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish requirements with respect to the use of prior authorization and claims denial under Medicare Advantage plans; Sponsor: Landsman, Greg [Rep.-D-OH-1]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10398 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to modify payment rates under the Federally qualified health center prospective payment system under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rulli, Michael A. [Rep.-R-OH-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

S.Res.856 — A resolution supporting the designation of September 19, 2026, as “National Stillbirth Prevention and Awareness Day”, recognizing tens of thousands of families in the United States that have endured a stillbirth, and seizing the opportunity to keep other families from experiencing the same tragedy; Sponsor: Merkley, Jeff [Sen.-D-OR]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5406 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the limitation on waiver for pay of critical health care personnel of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: King, Angus S., Jr. [Sen.-I-ME]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.5409 — A bill to restore and strengthen the obligation of the Environmental Protection Agency to protect human health and the environment, to halt unlawful deregulatory actions, to require enforcement of the Clean Air Act, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Whitehouse, Sheldon [Sen.-D-RI]; Committees: Senate – Environment and Public Works

 

S.5410 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish the Firefighter PFAS Injury Compensation Program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5415 – A bill to direct the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to enter into appropriate arrangements with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to provide for a report on the health impacts of air traffic noise and pollution, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Warren, Elizabeth [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Commerce, Science, and Transportation

 

S.5419 — A bill to establish certain procedures for physicians and other licensed health professionals, place certain requirements on medical practices and management services organizations, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Warren, Elizabeth [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Commerce, Science, and Transportation

 

H.Res.1548 — Supporting the designation of September 19, 2026, as “National Stillbirth Prevention and Awareness Day”, recognizing tens of thousands of families in the United States that have endured a stillbirth, and seizing the opportunity to keep other families from experiencing the same tragedy; Sponsor: Hinson, Ashley [Rep.-R-IA-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.1555 — Supporting the designation of September 20, 2026, as “Pharmacy Workforce Suicide Awareness Day” to raise awareness of, and promote a national discussion about, pharmacy workforce suicide and to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Tonko, Paul [Rep.-D-NY-20]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Con.Res.118 — Designating September 2026, as “Gynecologic Cancers Awareness Month”; Sponsor: Dingell, Debbie [Rep.-D-MI-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10405 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to ensure that pediatric cancer experts are represented in State comprehensive cancer control coalitions, to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a pediatric cancer advisory committee, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Gottheimer, Josh [Rep.-D-NJ-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10410 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a national graduate nurse education program; Sponsor: Underwood, Lauren [Rep.-D-IL-14]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10414 — To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to increase access to community health workers under the Medicare and Medicaid programs; Sponsor: Adams, Alma S. [Rep.-D-NC-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.10419 — To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a pilot program to improve access to and awareness of community-based dental services for veterans residing in rural areas, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Bergman, Jack [Rep.-R-MI-1]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.10425 — To restore and strengthen the obligation of the Environmental Protection Agency to protect human health and the environment, to halt unlawful deregulatory actions, to require enforcement of the Clean Air Act, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Casten, Sean [Rep.-D-IL-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Natural Resources; Agriculture; Transportation and Infrastructure

 

H.R.10440 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish a refundable tax credit for health care providers in rural areas; Sponsor: Harrigan, Pat [Rep.-R-NC-10]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.10444 — To establish certain protections for physicians and other licensed health professionals, place certain requirements on medical practices and management services organizations, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hoyle, Val T. [Rep.-D-OR-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.10462 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to establish the Firefighter PFAS Injury Compensation Program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Soto, Darren [Rep.-D-FL-9]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce; Budget

 

H.R.10476 — To require coverage of annual glaucoma screenings for certain individuals, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Wilson, Frederica S. [Rep.-D-FL-24]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Oversight and Government Reform

 

S.Res.866 — A resolution supporting the designation of October 2026 as “Substance Use & Misuse Prevention Month” to raise awareness of substance use and misuse in the United States; Sponsor: Ricketts, Pete [Sen.-R-NE]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5424 — A bill to amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to increase access to community health workers under the Medicare and Medicaid programs; Sponsor: Blunt Rochester, Lisa [Sen.-D-DE]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.5425 — A bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a centralized application for substance use disorder grant programs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hassan, Margaret Wood [Sen.-D-NH]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5430 — A bill to provide for research and improvement of cardiovascular health among the South Asian population of the United States, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.5433 — A bill to authorize the Federal Wildland Firefighter Health and Wellbeing Program, a comprehensive initiative to improve the health of Federal wildland firefighters, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Padilla, Alex [Sen.-D-CA]; Committees: Senate – Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

 

S.5443 — A bill to amend titles XI and XVIII of the Social Security Act to strengthen, increase oversight of, and compliance with, security standards for health information, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Warner, Mark R. [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

H.Res.1558 — Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that, to maintain the health care safety net, Federally Qualified Health Centers should continue to operate under their longstanding single patient definition for delivery of all services, including prescription drugs; Sponsor: Bergman, Jack [Rep.-R-MI-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.1561 — Expressing support for the designation of the third week of September as “Fungal Disease Awareness Week” and encouraging efforts to improve awareness, diagnosis, treatment, surveillance, and prevention of fungal diseases in the United States; Sponsor: Fong, Vince [Rep.-R-CA-20]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10483 — Bone Marrow Radiation Shielding Act; Sponsor: Bacon, Don [Rep.-R-NE-2]; Committees: House – Armed Services

 

H.R.10485 — Minuteman III Health and Safety Act; Sponsor: Bacon, Don [Rep.-R-NE-2]; Committees: House – Armed Services

 

H.R.10487 — To amend title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to require project sponsors to offer substance use disorder treatment to persons admitted to emergency shelter, transitional housing, or permanent housing, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Burchett, Tim [Rep.-R-TN-2]; Committees: House – Financial Services

 

H.R.10488 — To restore and strengthen the obligation of the Environmental Protection Agency to protect human health and the environment, to halt unlawful deregulatory actions, to require enforcement of the Clean Air Act, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Casten, Sean [Rep.-D-IL-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Transportation and Infrastructure; Agriculture; Natural Resources; Science, Space, and Technology

 

H.R.10491 — To direct the National Institutes of Health to conduct a study on the effects of 750-kilovolt or greater transmission lines, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Davidson, Warren [Rep.-R-OH-8]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10492 — To authorize the Federal Wildland Firefighter Health and Wellbeing Program, a comprehensive initiative to improve the health of Federal wildland firefighters, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Dexter, Maxine [Rep.-D-OR-3]; Committees: House – Natural Resources; Agriculture; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.10508 — To strengthen services provided in rural areas, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Thompson, Mike [Rep.-D-CA-4]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce; Judiciary; Agriculture; Education and Workforce; Transportation and Infrastructure

Senate Health Panels to Hold Confirmation Hearings This Week – Several of the Trump administration’s health care nominees are scheduled to appear before lawmakers during their confirmation hearings this week. On Tuesday, the Senate Finance Committee will consider the nominations of Chris Klomp, MBA to serve as Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services and Ge Bai, Ph.D., CPA to serve as an Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services. Klomp will then appear before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on Wednesday, alongside Nicole Saphier, M.D., the nominee for Surgeon General, and Timothy Westlake, M.D., the nominee for Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use.

 

House Democrats Consider Formation of AI Select Committee – Democrats in the House of Representatives are considering the formation of a select committee on artificial intelligence should they retake control of the chamber in November, according to POLITICO. The talks are being led by Reps. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) and Rep. Bill Foster (D-Ill.). House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has reportedly been included in the planning effort and expressed an openness to the idea. House select committees are created through a full House vote and operate for only the two years of the Congress that created them.

 

Wyden, Hassan Write Secretary Kennedy on “Vanity Project” Spending – Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and committee member Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) have sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding his use of time and taxpayer funded resources to promote his personal brand. “On a bipartisan basis, Congress has provided your department with targeted resources to fight outbreaks of disease….However, it appears that you are not using this Office or comparable department resources to address ongoing public health crises,” the senators write, “Instead, you appear to be directing taxpayer dollars and official federal resources to produce vanity projects.” The lawmakers specifically request records and information related to projects such as Kennedy’s “The Real Food Show,” and “The Secretary Kennedy Podcast.”

 

HHS Announces Key FDA Leadership Selections – HHS recently announced the selection of four senior leaders at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). According to HHS, the appointments are intended to strengthen FDA leadership as the agency focuses on innovation, national health security, access to affordable medicines and medical products, and health and wellness. The selections include:

• Entrepreneur Jared Seehafer, M.S. to serve as FDA’s first Deputy Commissioner for Technology and Artificial Intelligence;
• Psychiatrist Michael Davis, M.D., Ph.D. to serve as Director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research;
• Former Merck official Karim Mikhail, B.Pharm, MSc to serve as Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research; and
• Attorney and longtime FDA official Bret Koplow, Ph.D., J.D. to serve as Director of the Center for Tobacco Products.

 

President Promises Rebate Checks to ACA Exchange Enrollees – President Donald Trump announced last week that his administration will send $500 rebate checks to nearly one million Americans who he argues were overcharged for coverage under the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace. The checks will be mailed starting in October to people across the 30 states that use Healthcare.gov.

 

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

House Judiciary Subcommittee on Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust field hearing “Examining Healthcare Markets: Fraud and Competition;” 9:00 a.m.; September 14

 

Senate Finance Committee nomination hearing to consider Gerard Klomp to be Deputy Secretary of HHS and Ge Bai to be an Assistant Secretary of HHS; 10:00 a.m.; September 15

 

House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services hearing “Unequal Treatment: Addressing the Drivers of Unaffordability for Oral Chemotherapy;” 10:00 a.m.; September 15

 

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing “Examining Legislative Proposals to Reform Medicare Provider Payment and Bolster Health Care Cybersecurity;” 10:15 a.m.; September 15

 

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee nomination hearing to consider Chris Klomp to be Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services, Nicole Saphier to be Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service and Surgeon General of the Public Health Service, and Timothy Westlake to be Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use; 10:00 a.m.; September 16

 

House Select Committee on China – “Import Controls: Tools to Counter the CCP’s Industrial Policy and Supply Chain Threats;” 10:00 a.m.; September 16

 

House Financial Services Committee markup of various measures, including the Securing Facilities for Mental Health Services Act (H.R. 7030); 10:00 a.m.; September 16

 

Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing “Half the Country, Zero Hearings: Meeting the Moment to End the Menopause Care Gap in America;” 3:30 p.m.; September 16

 

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R. 10311 – A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a civil monetary penalty for certain hospitals failing to comply with certain requirements where such failure immediately jeopardizes the health or safety of patients; Sponsor: Chuck Edwards [Rep.-R-NC-11]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R. 10319 – A bill to amend title 5, United States Code, to provide for requirements sensitive Government positions relating to gender dysphoria, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Nancy Mace [Rep.-R-SC-01]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform

 

Res. 1514– A resolution recognizing suicide as a serious public health problem, expressing support for the designation of September 8, 2026, as “988 Day” and the role of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Wesley Bell [Rep.-D-MO-01]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

Res. 1515 – A resolution recognizing New Jersey’s first responders, including its law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel, who responded to the September 11, 2001, attacks at the World Trade Center and who carried out the rescue, recovery, and medical relief efforts in the days and months that followed; Sponsor: Josh Gottheimer [Rep.-D-NJ-05]; Committees: House – Transportation and Infrastructure; Judiciary; Energy and Commerce

 

Res. 1516 – A resolution expressing support for the designation of September 9 as “National African Immigrant and Refugee HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis Awareness (NAIRHHA) Day”; Sponsor: Hank Johnson [Rep.-D-GA-04]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

Res. 1519 – A resolution supportingthe designation of September 17, 2026, as “National Physician Suicide Awareness Day” to raise awareness of, and promote a national discussion about, physician suicide and to reduce the stigma of mental health conditions, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Haley Stevens [Rep.-D-MI-11]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.1528 — Recognizing suicide as a serious public health problem and expressing support for the designation of September, 2026, as “National Suicide Prevention Month” as well as September 10, 2026, as “World Suicide Prevention Day”; Sponsor: Thanedar, Shri [Rep.-D-MI-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10331 — To provide payment for patient navigator services under title XIX of the Social Security Act, and for other purposes; Sponsor: DeSaulnier, Mark [Rep.-D-CA-10]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10336 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to encourage innovation and increase and protect consumer access with respect to dietary supplements by clarifying the regulatory framework governing drug preclusion, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Harshbarger, Diana [Rep.-R-TN-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10345 — To require continued participation by the United States in the World Health Organization, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Mfume, Kweisi [Rep.-D-MD-7]; Committees: House – Foreign Affairs

 

H.R.10348 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to strengthen program integrity oversight for the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Suozzi, Thomas R. [Rep.-D-NY-3]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10349 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a Public Safety Mental Health Fellowship Program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Tran, Derek [Rep.-D-CA-45]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

Congress Extends Government Funding Through Dec. 11 – The House of Representatives voted 370-48 to concur to the Senate amendment to H.R. 6500, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027, on Wednesday. The bipartisan package extends fiscal year 2026 funding through December 11. It includes provisions to block the Office of Management and Budget’s proposed rule regarding federal financial assistance from taking effect during the length of the stopgap, and would delay a ban on intoxicating hemp products, which was set to go into effect November 12. The President has signed the spending bill into law, preventing a government shutdown ahead of the end of the fiscal year on September 30 and delaying further appropriations debate until after November’s midterm elections.

 

Following passage of the continuing resolution (CR), House GOP leadership announced a change to the chamber’s calendar, cancelling the final two weeks of its scheduled September session. The House and the Senate will both reconvene on September 14 following this week’s Labor Day break. The House will then remain in session through September 17, when members will leave Capitol Hill and the chamber will recess until mid-November. House Republican leadership noted that lawmakers could still be called back to Washington pending Senate adoption of H.Con.Res. 113, the GOP’s budget reconciliation package, which focuses on defense spending, aid to farmers, and voting integrity.

 

Pallone Requests Information from Six IDREs – House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) wrote to six certified independent dispute resolution entities (IDREs) last week requesting details on how each company conducts arbitration in compliance with the No Surprises Act. “While the law has protected millions of families from surprise medical bills, I am concerned that the independent dispute resolution process is not functioning as Congress intended and is resulting in increased out-of-pocket costs and higher premiums for consumers,” Pallone writes, citing the increase in IDR case volume and the significant number of cases brought by a small number of private equity backed provider organizations. The letters were sent to the following companies that did not respond to previous requests for briefings and information: C2C Innovative Solutions, Inc., Commence, Dane Street, LLC, EdiPhy Advisors, LLC, National Medical Reviews, Inc., and ProPeer Resources, LLC. Responses from the companies are requested by September 24.

 

House VA Panel Votes to Subpoena Oracle Executives – The House Veterans’ Affairs Committee voted 19-0 on Wednesday to subpoena Larry Ellison, executive chairman of Oracle Corp., and Mike Sicilia, Oracle CEO, about the company’s prime contractor role for the Department of Veterans Affairs’ electronic health record system. While the panel has heard testimony from the VA and Government Accountability Office (GAO) about the recent increase to Oracle’s contract ceiling with the department, representatives from the company itself have declined to appear before the committee, citing time constraints. The GAO recently reported that VA has not implemented the majority of its recommendations to improve cost estimating, schedule, program management, user adoption and satisfaction, and operational testing of its health information system.

 

President Appoints Pastor Darrell Scott as CDC Tobacco Adviser – President Donald Trump has chosen Darrell Scott to serve as tobacco adviser to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director. Scott is a pastor and a long-time supporter of the president, having cofounded the National Diversity Coalition for Trump. “For far too long, tobacco-related disease has taken an enormous toll on American Families, including Communities that have too often been overlooked and underserved. Pastor Scott understands these Communities, and the challenges they face, and he knows how to bring people together to get RESULTS,” President Trump wrote in a social media post.

 

Congressional Elections Update – Sen. Ed Markey (Mass.) defeated Rep. Seth Moulton (Mass.) in Tuesday’s Democratic Senate primary. Markey has served in the Senate since 2013 and is currently a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. In the House of Representatives, Reps. Everton Blair (D-Ga.) and Aisha Wahab (D-Calif.) were sworn in last week. Blair won a special election to fill the remainder of the late Rep. David Scott’s (D) term, while Wahab was the winner of a special election to complete the term of former Rep. Eric Swalwell (D). The total number of members in the House reached 433 upon their swearing in.

 

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.Res.1503 — Supporting the goals of Overdose Awareness Day and strengthening efforts to combat the opioid crisis in the United States; Sponsor: Trahan, Lori [Rep.-D-MA-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10185 — To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a temporary premium credit for enrollees in prescription drug plans under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Bilirakis, Gus M. [Rep.-R-FL-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.10197 — To improve the security of nucleic acid synthesis in interstate and foreign commerce, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Pfluger, August [Rep.-R-TX-11]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.1506 — Expressing support for the designation of September 2026 as “National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month”; Sponsor: Carter, Troy A. [Rep.-D-LA-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10206 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to terminate Federal student loan limits and restore the availability of Federal Direct PLUS Loans for graduate and professional students; Sponsor: Figures, Shomari [Rep.-D-AL-2]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.10208 — To provide for the continued use of certain trust land in San Diego County for healthcare purposes; Sponsor: Issa, Darrell [Rep.-R-CA-48]; Committees: House – Natural Resources

 

H.R.10209 — To provide for green and resilient health care infrastructure, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Jayapal, Pramila [Rep.-D-WA-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10210 — 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 regulate the use of artificial intelligence in the review of claims by group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage; Sponsor: Landsman, Greg [Rep.-D-OH-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.10212 — To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to study the potential benefits of peptide-based therapies for veterans receiving care through the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Mace, Nancy [Rep.-R-SC-1]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.10215 — To prohibit certain noncompete agreements, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Peters, Scott H. [Rep.-D-CA-50]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.10216 —To amend title 49, United States Code, to require recipients of assistance under chapter 53 of such title to display information regarding the suicide prevention hotline on public transportation owned or operated by the recipient; Sponsor: Pettersen, Brittany [Rep.-D-CO-7]; Committees: House – Transportation and Infrastructure

 

H.Res.1508 — Supporting the goals and ideals of “National Clinical Nurse Specialist Week”; Sponsor: Kiggans, Jennifer A. [Rep.-R-VA-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10223 — To prevent, treat, and cure tuberculosis globally; Sponsor: Bera, Ami [Rep.-D-CA-6]; Committees: House – Foreign Affairs

 

H.R.10227 — To reduce the price of insulin and provide for patient protections with respect to the cost of insulin; Sponsor: DeGette, Diana [Rep.-D-CO-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.10228 — To amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to require the provision of training and information to certain personnel relating to food allergy identification and response, and for other purposes; Sponsor: DeSaulnier, Mark [Rep.-D-CA-10]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.10233 — To support programs for mosquito-borne and other vector-borne disease surveillance and control; Sponsor: Neguse, Joe [Rep.-D-CO-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.1509 — Recognizing the extraordinary resilience and courage of children and families fighting neuroblastoma and supports the incredible effort of clinicians and researchers working to address this disease and expressing support for September 3, 2026, to be designated as “Neuroblastoma Awareness Day”; Sponsor: Chu, Judy [Rep.-D-CA-28]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.R.10240 — To provide coverage of crisis response services under certain programs; Sponsor: McClellan, Jennifer L. [Rep.-D-VA-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Armed Services; Veterans’ Affairs; Oversight and Government Reform; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.10245 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to convene a panel to issue recommendations relating to the training requirements and protocols for 9–1–1 dispatchers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Balint, Becca [Rep.-D-VT-At Large]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10246 — To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to provide for health center capital grants, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Barragán, Nanette Diaz [Rep.-D-CA-44]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10252 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to expand coverage for adult children; Sponsor: Bynum, Janelle S. [Rep.-D-OR-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10254 —To promote affordable access to evidence-based opioid treatments under the Medicare program and require coverage of medication assisted treatment for opioid use disorders, opioid overdose reversal medications, and recovery support services by health plans without cost-sharing requirements; Sponsor: Dean, Madeleine [Rep.-D-PA-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.10258 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to clarify due process rights in the case of an action to terminate tax exempt status; Sponsor: Doggett, Lloyd [Rep.-D-TX-37]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.10270 — To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to revise the IMD exclusion under Medicaid; Sponsor: Goldman, Daniel S. [Rep.-D-NY-10]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10274 — To expand access to integrated, community-driven health and nutrition services for underserved populations with high chronic disease prevalence, through coordinated local partnerships, measurable outcomes, and sustainable delivery models, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Harder, Josh [Rep.-D-CA-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Agriculture

 

H.R.10280 — To provide for improvements in the implementation of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Matsui, Doris O. [Rep.-D-CA-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Armed Services; Veterans’ Affairs; Oversight and Government Reform; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.10287 — To amend title V of the Public Health Service Act and title XIX of the Social Security Act to promote access to mental health crisis response services; Sponsor: Schrier, Kim [Rep.-D-WA-8]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.10293 — To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to make improvements relating to the designation of rural emergency hospitals; Sponsor: Tokuda, Jill N. [Rep.-D-HI-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.10295 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to new or existing crisis call centers serving regional or local areas, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Trahan, Lori [Rep.-D-MA-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce