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Republicans Debate How to Address Rising Premiums, Expiring Tax Credits – Lawmakers recessed for the Thanksgiving holiday without a plan to address the spike in health insurance premiums that are expected from the expiration of enhanced advanced premium tax credits at the end of this year. Democrats continue to push for a straightforward extension of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has agreed to hold a vote on an extension no later than the second week of December. While House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has refused to commit to such a vote, there is some support in his chamber for a bipartisan solution. The Bipartisan Healthcare Optimization, Protection, and Extension (HOPE) Act, introduced by Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), and Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.) last week, would extend the enhanced subsidies for two years while phasing out access to the tax credits for those earning between $200,000 and $300,000 for a family of four.

 

Republicans are engaged in a debate amongst themselves on a path forward for a fix, along with potential reforms to address health care costs more broadly.  During a Senate Finance Committee hearing last week, Sen. Bill Cassidy, MD unveiled his proposal to fund tax-advantaged health savings accounts (HSAs) for bronze-level and catastrophic plan enrollees in the ACA marketplace. Similarly, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) introduced legislation (S. 3264) to establish Trump Health Freedom Accounts, which would provide the value of premium tax credits and cost-sharing reduction payments directly to enrollees to be spent on health care expenses or insurance premiums.  In a post on Truth Social last week, President Donald Trump stated that he will not support legislation to extend expanded ACA subsidies, noting that he will only support direct payments to individual Americans to help with their health care expenses. The President has not specifically endorsed any of the above proposals, but has indicated that he hopes to secure a solution by January 30.

 

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report last week on HSAs. The report, which was requested by House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-Mass.), found that HSA use is concentrated among higher-income households, Asian and White individuals, people in excellent health, and those with employer coverage. Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee have pitched a proposal that would allow ACA enrollees to elect to receive financial assistance from insurers via their HSAs.  During a closed-door meeting on Tuesday, House GOP leadership expressed a preference for broader health care reform rather than a tax credit extension. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) has stated that he is in conversation with the three committees with health policy jurisdiction on a legislative solution for lowering health costs, and that he expects to bring forward bills to promote HSAs and association health plans.

 

2026 Congressional Calendars – Both chambers of Congress have released their calendars for 2026. Both the Senate and the House of Representatives will recess for nearly all of the months of August and October ahead of the midterm elections. The two chambers will also recess alternating weeks leading up to January 30, the next government funding deadline: the Senate is set to be is out the week of January 19, while the House is set to be out the week of January 26 as the January 30^th funding deadline approaches. The yearly congressional calendars, however, are always subject to change.

 

Government Funding Update – The Senate has hotlined an appropriations minibus package including the following fiscal year (FY) 2026 appropriations bills:

• Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
• Defense
• Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
• Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies

 

Leadership hopes to advance the funding package after the Thanksgiving holiday. The Senate hotline process will identify which senators have objections to the package. The latest continuing resolution extended government funding for these agencies through January 30. Enacting the FY 2026 spending bills would provide funding through September 30. House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) has indicated that House Republicans are unlikely to consider any more FY 2026 appropriations measures until the Senate completes work on the minibus it is seeking to advance.

 

Senate Panels Advance HHS Watchdog Nominee – The Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee have advanced the nomination of Thomas Bell to serve as inspector general of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  Bell most recently worked as general counsel for Republicans in the House of Representatives. Both Senate panels approved his nomination along party lines. Senate Democrats have characterized the President’s removal of the prior HHS inspector general as unlawful, raising foundational concerns with Bell’s nomination process. Bell now awaits a Senate floor vote on final confirmation.

 

Ed Workforce Democrats Urge Administration to Act on Improper Claims Denials – Democratic leadership of the House Education and Workforce Committee have written to the Trump administration regarding wrongful and improper claim denials by group health plans and insurance companies. “Improper claim denials impose substantial health and financial hardships on individuals, leading to delays in necessary treatments, worsened health outcomes, and high out-of-pocket costs…. In far too many tragic cases, denials lead to the unnecessary deaths of people who have earned benefits through their plan, but are nonetheless denied the care that could have saved their lives,” the letter states. The lawmakers urge the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) to implement transparency requirements to collect data on health claim denials by insurance companies and group health plans, commit to fully enforcing the law and to ensuring that EBSA is adequately staffed to fulfill its mission, and to take action to improve consumers’ ability to appeal wrongfully denied health benefits.

 

Democratic Health Leaders Introduce Bill to Lower Drug Prices – Democratic committee leaders have introduced drug pricing legislation to build upon the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation program. The Lowering Drug Costs for American Families Act was introduced by Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-Mass), and Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-Va.). The bill would:

• Extend the drug price negotiation program to Americans with private coverage;
• Apply inflationary rebates to individuals covered by private health plans;
• Increase the annual number of prescription drugs selected for negotiation from 20 to 50;
• Extend the annual $2,000 out-of-pocket cap on prescription drugs to people with private health insurance;
• Limit out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 per month for people with private health insurance;
• Close the orphan drug designation drug price negotiation loophole; and
• Require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services secretary to consider the international price for the drug when negotiating prices.

 

Schrier Leads Letter on ACIP Reform – Rep. Kim Schrier, MD (D-Wash.) has led a letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding the recent acceptance of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) September 2025 vaccine recommendations, and the “broader erosion of scientific integrity and trust” in the CDC’s vaccine recommendation process. The lawmakers urge the reinstatement of all 17 former ACIP members, a recommitment to transparency and scientific rigor in the ACIP process, and clear, evidence-based communication to both health care providers and the public regarding the recently accepted ACIP recommendations. The letter was signed by 29 Democratic representatives.

 

Senators Write HHS on NSA Implementation – A bipartisan group of senators have sent a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding the regulatory and operational gaps impacting the implementation of the No Surprises Act (NSA). The lawmakers specifically express concern about the challenges faced by air ambulance providers and other emergency medical services. They urge the department to act swiftly to “restore the NSA’s promise of fair, timely, and transparent reimbursement for air ambulance services, along with its objective to protect patients from surprise medical bills,” arguing that “strengthening these protections is essential to safeguarding patient access and the sustainability of critical care providers nationwide.” The letter was signed by Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Angus King (I-Maine), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.).

 

Gallego Seeks Clarification Around Anti-Obesity Medication Agreements – Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) has written to Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk requesting details on the companies’ agreements with the Trump administration to lower the prices of their weight-loss drugs. The letter seeks clarification around how the newly announced deals fit within existing law. Sen. Gallego also asks for information about the companies’ participation in TrumpRx and the implementation of most favored nation pricing in the Medicaid program.

 

Arizona Lawmakers Request More Support from Rural Health Transformation Program – A bipartisan portion of Arizona’s congressional delegation has sent a letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Director Mehmet Oz, MD regarding the state’s participation in the Rural Health Transformation Program. While the lawmakers thank Dr. Oz for ensuring that Arizona receives at least $200 million annually over five years, they assert that “given the vast area, significant needs of the State, and rurality of so many Arizonans, Arizona should receive much more than that in order to adequately address the significant needs of its rural communities.” The letter was signed by Sens. Mark Kelly (D) and Ruben Gallego (D) and Reps. Juan Ciscomani (R), Yassamin Ansari (D), and Greg Stanton (D).

 

Latest Lawmaker Election Bids, Resignations – Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) announced his bid for governor of California last week. Swalwell was first elected to Congress in 2012. He currently serves on the House Judiciary and Homeland Security committees. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) announced that she will resign from Congress on January 5. Greene was elected to Congress in 2020, and she currently serves on the Oversight and Accountability and Homeland Security committees. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (D) has announced a special election to fill Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill’s (D) seat in the House of Representatives. The primary has been scheduled for February 5, and the special general election will take place on April 16. The House GOP holds a 219-213 majority following Sherrill’s recent resignation. This advantage will be further narrowed upon Greene’s resignation.

 

New GAO Report on Medicaid Improper Payments – The GAO has released a new report about improper payments and fraud in the Medicaid program. GAO’s review of California, Georgia, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas found approximately $1.6 billion in improper spending on behalf of approximately 500,000 individuals in fiscal year 2023. These individuals were simultaneously enrolled across multiple states in Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) or receiving an advance premium tax credit (APTC) across multiple states. The GAO recommends that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (1) design or modify controls to help detect and prevent duplicate Social Security numbers from being used on multiple marketplace policies receiving APTC benefits; and (2) require marketplaces and Medicaid and CHIP agencies to submit all enrollment data to a data-matching system for interstate matching on a frequently recurring basis and to resolve all matches to verify eligibility or terminate coverage as appropriate.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing “Examining the Future of the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network;” 10:00 a.m.; December 11

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.Res.877 — Expressing support for the designation of “Prematurity Awareness Month”; Sponsor: McClellan, Jennifer L. [Rep.-D-VA-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6054 — To ensure that a fair percentage of Federal cancer research funds are dedicated to pediatric cancer research; Sponsor: Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [Rep.-R-PA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6052 —To amend the Public Health Service Act with regard to research on asthma, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Dingell, Debbie [Rep.-D-MI-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6050 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend certain provisions of the health insurance premium tax credit, to rescind unobligated balances for providing assistance to Argentina, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Horsford, Steven [Rep.-D-NV-4]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Appropriations

 

S.Res.502 — A resolution recognizing November 2025 as “National Family Caregivers Month”; Sponsor: Collins, Susan M. [Sen.-R-ME]; Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

 

S.Res.500 — A resolution commemorating the centennial year of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association; Sponsor: Van Hollen, Chris [Sen.-D-MD]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.Res.499 — A resolution supporting the goals and ideals of “Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Awareness Day”; Sponsor: Husted, Jon [Sen.-R-OH]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3188 — A bill to establish a Biopharmaceutical Center of Excellence, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Coons, Christopher A. [Sen.-D-DE]; Committees: Senate – Commerce, Science, and Transportation

 

H.Res.891 — Supporting the goals and ideals of “National Rural Health Day”; Sponsor: Harshbarger, Diana [Rep.-R-TN-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6074 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the enhancement of the health care premium tax credit; Sponsor: Underwood, Lauren [Rep.-D-IL-14]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.6077 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to ensure that medical students, medical residents, and medical faculty receive education and training in the deployment of artificial intelligence in the medical profession, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Barragán, Nanette Diaz [Rep.-D-CA-44]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6089 — Biomanufacturing Excellence Act of 2025; Sponsor: Houlahan, Chrissy [Rep.-D-PA-6]; Committees: House – Science, Space, and Technology

 

H.R.6100 — To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to lower barriers to increase patient access to health care; Sponsor: Moore, Blake D. [Rep.-R-UT-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.6103 — To prohibit reductions in the workforce at the Drug Enforcement Administration, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Pappas, Chris [Rep.-D-NH-1]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.6108 — To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary to exclude certain individuals and entities who commit fraud from participation in any Federal health care program; Sponsor: Pocan, Mark [Rep.-D-WI-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.6109 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish certain requirements with respect to rates of reversed prior authorization coverage determinations under Medicare Advantage plans; Sponsor: Pocan, Mark [Rep.-D-WI-2]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6110 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require Medicare Advantage plans to automatically reconsider determinations denying coverage; Sponsor: Pocan, Mark [Rep.-D-WI-2]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6111 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require any advertisement of a Medicare Advantage plan to include information related to the rates of prior authorization denials under such plan; Sponsor: Pocan, Mark [Rep.-D-WI-2]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6112 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish certain requirements with respect to the average monthly cost to provide coverage to an enrollee under Medicare Advantage plans; Sponsor: Pocan, Mark [Rep.-D-WI-2]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6113 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to impose limitations on contracts with Medicare Advantage organizations offering multiple Medicare Advantage plans under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Pocan, Mark [Rep.-D-WI-2]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6114 — To prohibit funds made available to the Department of Health and Human Services by previous Appropriations Acts from being used for any activity that makes Medicare Advantage the default under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Pocan, Mark [Rep.-D-WI-2]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6115 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to maintain a website for Medicare beneficiaries to search for providers participating in MA plans and traditional Medicare; Sponsor: Pocan, Mark [Rep.-D-WI-2]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6117 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to authorize requiring the manufacturers of a covered device to disclose to a patient all patient-specific data that is recorded or transmitted by the device and accessible to the manufacturer, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Sherrill, Mikie [Rep.-D-NJ-11]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.Res.507 — A resolution designating November 20, 2025, as “National Rural Health Day”; Sponsor: Barrasso, John [Sen.-R-WY]; Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

 

S.3199 — A bill to establish a multi-stakeholder advisory committee tasked with providing detailed recommendations to address challenges to transmitting geolocation information with calls to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Barrasso, John [Sen.-R-WY]; Committees: Senate – Commerce, Science, and Transportation

 

S.3202 — A bill to direct the Director of the National Security Agency to develop guidance to secure artificial intelligence related technologies, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Young, Todd [Sen.-R-IN]; Committees: Senate – Intelligence (Select)

 

S.3204 — A bill to amend the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 respecting the scoring of preventive health savings; Sponsor: King, Angus S., Jr. [Sen.-I-ME]; Committees: Senate – Budget

 

S.3206 — A bill to improve access to evidence-based, lifesaving health care for transgender people, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3209 — A bill 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: Capito, Shelley Moore [Sen.-R-WV]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.3213 — A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to extend the destruction authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to articles that present a significant public health concern, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Scott, Rick [Sen.-R-FL]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3214 — A bill to require a background check for every firearm sale; Sponsor: Murphy, Christopher [Sen.-D-CT]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.3221 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide an option for first responders age 50 to 64 who are separated from service due to retirement or disability to buy into Medicare; Sponsor: Gallego, Ruben [Sen.-D-AZ]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3223 — A bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop and nationally disseminate accurate, relevant, and accessible resources to promote understanding about sensitivities regarding adoption in the health care industry, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Husted, Jon [Sen.-R-OH]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.R.6121 — To provide for the publication by the Secretary of Health and Human Services of physical activity recommendations for Americans; Sponsor: Moore, Blake D. [Rep.-R-UT-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6130 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for Medicare coverage of blood-based dementia screening tests; Sponsor: Buchanan, Vern [Rep.-R-FL-16]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.6131 — To increase the recruitment and retention of school-based mental health services providers by low-income local educational agencies; Sponsor: Chu, Judy [Rep.-D-CA-28]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.6147 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide an option for first responders age 50 to 64 who are separated from service due to retirement or disability to buy into Medicare; Sponsor: Landsman, Greg [Rep.-D-OH-1]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6148 — To amend Public Law 119-21 to repeal certain changes to eligibility redeterminations under the Medicaid program; Sponsor: Larsen, Rick [Rep.-D-WA-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6157 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide benefits under the Medicare program for first responders at the age of 57; Sponsor: Panetta, Jimmy [Rep.-D-CA-19]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6159 — To establish in the Office of Science and Technology Policy the Artificial Intelligence Literacy and Education Commission, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rivas, Luz M. [Rep.-D-CA-29]; Committees: House – Science, Space, and Technology

 

H.R.6160 —To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for an update to a single conversion factor under the Medicare physician fee schedule that is based on the Medicare economic index; Sponsor: Ruiz, Raul [Rep.-D-CA-25]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

S.Res.514 — A resolution designating November 2025 as “American Diabetes Month”; Sponsor: Shaheen, Jeanne [Sen.-D-NH]; Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

 

S.3228 — A bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act to clarify how controlled substance analogues that are imported or offered for import are to be regulated, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Grassley, Chuck [Sen.-R-IA]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.3230 — A bill to amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to develop or expand in-person and virtual peer support programs for family caregivers; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3231 — A bill to amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to develop and expand integrated caregiver support services for family caregivers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3232 — A bill to amend the Older Americans Act to 1965 to authorize funding for the Research, Demonstration, and Evaluation Center for the Aging Network to engage in certain research and evaluation activities with respect to family caregivers and to revise the definition of the term “family caregiver”; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3233 — A bill to amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to provide financial planning services related to the needs of family caregivers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3234 — A bill to amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to establish a pilot program for family caregivers for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder with neurological and organic brain dysfunction; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3235 — A bill to amend the Older Americans Act of 1965 to provide for food-based interventions; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3238 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to prohibit approved medical residency training programs under the Medicare program from requiring opt-out abortion training; Sponsor: Lankford, James [Sen.-R-OK]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3245 — A bill to require the Department of Veterans Affairs-Department of Defense Joint Executive Committee to improve mental health screening conducted under separation health assessments for members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Ricketts, Pete [Sen.-R-NE]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.3248 — A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the limitations on contributions to health savings accounts, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Paul, Rand [Sen.-R-KY]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3250 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reauthorize the Rural Flex program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hassan, Margaret Wood [Sen.-D-NH]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3254 — A bill to establish the IMPROVE Initiative within the National Institutes of Health; Sponsor: Britt, Katie Boyd [Sen.-R-AL]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3264 — A bill to establish a health freedom waiver program, to promote better price reporting and outcomes, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Scott, Rick [Sen.-R-FL]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3267 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for Medicare coverage of blood-based dementia screening tests; Sponsor: Collins, Susan M. [Sen.-R-ME]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3271 — A bill to authorize grants for the support of family caregivers; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3274 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a special enrollment period for pregnant women, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Alsobrooks, Angela D. [Sen.-D-MD]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3280 — A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study on the feasibility of establishing a full-service hospital of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Alaska, Hawaii, and New Hampshire and to provide continued access to care under the Veterans Community Care Program in States that establish such a hospital; Sponsor: Sullivan, Dan [Sen.-R-AK]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.Res.903 — Expressing support for the designation of November as “Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Awareness Month”; Sponsor: Tonko, Paul [Rep.-D-NY-20]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.898 — Recognizing November 2025 as “National Family Caregivers Month”; Sponsor: Evans, Dwight [Rep.-D-PA-3]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce; Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.6245 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish an interagency task force on youth health and wellness to encourage community-supported physical activity spaces; Sponsor: Williams, Nikema [Rep.-D-GA-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6242 — To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to provide for a special enrollment period for pregnant women, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Watson Coleman, Bonnie [Rep.-D-NJ-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Education and Workforce; Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.R.6241 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize grants to provide treatment for diabetes in urban and rural communities; Sponsor: Waters, Maxine [Rep.-D-CA-43]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6240 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to restore State authority to waive for certain facilities the 35-mile rule for designating critical access hospitals under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Vindman, Eugene Simon [Rep.-D-VA-7]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6238 — To establish the IMPROVE Initiative within the National Institutes of Health; Sponsor: Underwood, Lauren [Rep.-D-IL-14]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6232 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend and modify the enhanced premium tax credit, and to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to make certain adjustments to the operation of the Exchanges established under such Act; Sponsor: Suozzi, Thomas R. [Rep.-D-NY-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.6226 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for a national awareness and outreach campaign to improve mental health among the Hispanic and Latino youth population; Sponsor: Salinas, Andrea [Rep.-D-OR-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6220 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a study and submit to Congress a report on neonatal abstinence syndrome, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Newhouse, Dan [Rep.-R-WA-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6219 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to prohibit approved medical residency training programs under Medicare program from requiring opt-out abortion training; Sponsor: Murphy, Gregory F. [Rep.-R-NC-3]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6218 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage under the Medicare program of hearing aids and related hearing services; Sponsor: Mullin, Kevin [Rep.-D-CA-15]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.6214 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to innovative treatment options for end-stage renal disease under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Miller, Carol D. [Rep.-R-WV-1]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6213 — To prohibit the Secretary of Labor from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing a proposed standard with respect to heat injury and illness prevention; Sponsor: Messmer, Mark B. [Rep.-R-IN-8]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.6211 — To amend title 41, United States Code, to expand license portability for health care professionals providing health care services in response to a Federal emergency declaration pursuant to a contract with the Federal Government, and for other purposes; Sponsor: McCormick, Richard [Rep.-R-GA-7]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.R.6199 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand the availability of medical nutrition therapy services under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Kelly, Robin L. [Rep.-D-IL-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.6197 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure appropriate payment of certain algorithm-based healthcare services under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Joyce, John [Rep.-R-PA-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.6191 — To prohibit Federal funds to be used for certain abortion services; Sponsor: Harris, Mark [Rep.-R-NC-8]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6183 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to reform certain rules related to health savings accounts; Sponsor: Doggett, Lloyd [Rep.-D-TX-37]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.6182 — To provide for health coverage with no cost-sharing for additional breast screenings for certain individuals at greater risk for breast cancer; Sponsor: DeLauro, Rosa L. [Rep.-D-CT-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Education and Workforce; Armed Services; Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.6178 — To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to require coverage under State plans under the Medicaid program for annual lung cancer screening with no cost sharing for individuals for whom screening is recommended by U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines, to expand coverage under Medicaid of counseling and pharmacotherapy for cessation of tobacco use, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Castor, Kathy [Rep.-D-FL-14]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.6171 — To amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to establish an out-of-pocket limit on spending for prescription drugs; Sponsor: Auchincloss, Jake [Rep.-D-MA-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6167 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a deduction for certain charity care furnished by physicians, to amend the Public Health Safety Act to limit the liability of physicians providing certain charity care, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Webster, Daniel [Rep.-R-FL-11]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6166 — To expand the drug price negotiation program under title XI of the Social Security Act and repeal certain changes to the program made by Public Law 119-21, to apply prescription drug inflation rebates under the Medicare program to drugs furnished in the commercial market, and to establish out-of-pocket limits on expenditures for prescription drugs under private health insurance; Sponsor: Pallone, Frank [Rep.-D-NJ-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Education and Workforce

Government Reopens Following Record Shutdown – President Donald Trump signed government funding legislation (H.R. 5371) on Wednesday, ending the nation’s longest ever shutdown that had commenced 43 days prior. The deal negotiated by Senate GOP leadership and several Senate Democrats included an appropriations minibus – funding Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Legislative Branch for the entirety of fiscal year (FY) 2026 – as well as a separate stopgap funding the remainder of the federal government through January 30, 2026. The package also provides funding for expired health extenders – including telehealth waivers, the Acute Hospital Care at Home program, and the work Geographic Price Cost Index floor of 1.0 – through January 30.  In exchange for Democratic support, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has pledged to hold a vote on an Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credit extension no later than the second week of December. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has refused to commit to such a vote.

 

The FDA appropriations portion of the package would fund the agency at approximately $7 billion –including $3.4 billion in discretionary funding – similar but not identical to the funding measure unanimously advanced by the Senate Appropriations Committee in July. It includes a five-year reauthorization of the Over-the-Counter Monograph Drug User Fee program. The agreement requires the agency to report on its progress toward the use of alternatives to animal testing for the clearance of new sunscreens and topical over-the-counter drugs. The bill also includes enhanced enforcement provisions against illegal tobacco products.  Majority Leader Thune has stated that the chamber will move quickly to begin passage of additional FY 2026 spending measures this week, including funding for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

 

Discussions are underway amongst the White House and congressional Republicans about how to address the spike in health care premiums that will result from the expiration of the enhanced ACA tax credits on December 31. The President has expressed support for paying Americans directly for their health care expenses, shifting from the current tax credit system to one of cash payments to individuals. The idea has been praised by a number of Republicans on Capitol Hill, several of whom have indicated plans to draft legislation in line with the proposal. House committee chairs are scheduled to hold listening sessions with Republican members about the party’s health care policy agenda and the expiring tax credits this week. On Wednesday, the Senate Finance Committee is holding a hearing to consider solutions to address the rising cost of health care.

 

Sen. Welch Leads Letter on New Drug Pricing Arrangements, TrumpRx – A group of seven Senate Democrats have written to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. requesting information about the recently announced drug pricing arrangements the administration has entered into with Pfizer and AstraZeneca. The letter, led by Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), expresses concern that the introduction of preferential pricing arrangements with individual manufacturers could undermine the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program. The lawmakers also pose questions about the scope, structure, and legal authority for the new TrumpRx direct-to-patient prescription drug sales platform.

 

Democrats Raise Concerns with Mifepristone Review – The Senate Democratic caucus has sent a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Commissioner of Food and Drugs Marty Makary, MD in response to the administration’s announcement that they will open an investigation into the safety and efficacy of mifepristone. “We are alarmed by the department’s obvious attempts to politicize the review, regulation, and approval of mifepristone at the Food and Drug Administration, and we write to request more information on the details of the review of mifepristone,” the letter states. The lawmakers go on to express concerns about the administration’s “clear intent to tee up further restrictions on medication abortion, in light of a recent federal court order holding that the agency has failed to justify its current extreme restrictions on mifepristone and must consider lifting them.” They request a response to a series of related questions by November 28.

 

Fetterman Hospitalized Following Fall – Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) was hospitalized last week after sustaining minor injuries from a fall. According to a social media post from his office, Sen. Fetterman fell after feeling light-headed on a walk near his home on Thursday morning. Doctors determined that the incident was caused by a “ventricular fibrillation flare-up.” The Senator is doing well, but chose to remain at the hospital for observation and for physicians to “fine-tune his medication regimen.”

 

Arrington, Watson Coleman Announce Retirement from House – House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) announced that he will not seek reelection in 2026. Rep. Arrington was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2016. In addition to leading the Budget Committee, he also sits on the Ways and Means Committee.  Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) also announced her decision to not run for reelection next year. Rep. Watson Coleman has served in the House since 2015. She was the first African American woman to represent New Jersey in the House of Representatives, and currently serves on the House Appropriations Committee.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

House Budget Committee hearing “Oversight of the Congressional Budget Office;” 10:15 a.m.; November 18

 

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing “Innovation with Integrity: Examining the Risks and Benefits of AI Chatbots;” 2:00 p.m.; November 18

 

Senate Finance Committee open executive session to consider favorably reporting the nomination of Thomas Bell, of Virginia, to be Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services; 9:45 a.m.; November 19

 

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing “Examining the Future of the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network;” 10:00 a.m.; November 19

 

Senate Finance Committee hearing “The Rising Cost of Health Care: Considering Meaningful Solutions for all Americans;” 10:00 a.m.; November 19

 

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee nomination hearing for Thomas Bell to be Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 10:00 a.m.; November 19

 

House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health Hearing on Modernizing Care Coordination to Prevent and Treat Chronic Disease; 2:00 p.m.; November 19

 

Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing “Made in America: Restoring Trust in Our Medicines;” 3:45 p.m.; November 19

 

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee business meeting to consider the nomination of Thomas Bell to be Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 10:00 a.m.; November 20

 

House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs hearing “Improving Outcomes for Disabled Veterans: Oversight of VA’s Medical Disability Examination Office;” 12:00 p.m.; November 20

 

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

S.3159 —A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to temporarily provide for long-term care pharmacy supply fees in connection with the dispensing of certain drugs; Sponsor: Lankford, James [Sen.-R-OK]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3166 — A bill to rescind unused COVID funding and reduce the deficit; Sponsor: Ernst, Joni [Sen.-R-IA]; Latest Action: Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.

 

H.R.5940 — To prohibit implementation of the WISeR model under the Medicare program; Sponsor: DelBene, Suzan K. [Rep.-D-WA-1]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5943 — To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a Task Force on Complementary and Integrative Health/Whole Health, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Elfreth, Sarah [Rep.-D-MD-3]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.5944 — To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow for Federal financial participation for services furnished to patients in an institution for mental diseases under the Medicaid program; Sponsor: Finstad, Brad [Rep.-R-MN-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5946 — To provide for the issuance of a Veterans Medical Debt Relief Stamp; Sponsor: Flood, Mike [Rep.-R-NE-1]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform; Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.5949 — To establish a pilot program to furnish dental care to veterans who reside in rural and highly rural areas; Sponsor: Gonzales, Tony [Rep.-R-TX-23]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.5969 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to ensure that abortion-inducing drugs bear a label identifying the name and address of the dispenser and the name of the prescriber, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Moore, Barry [Rep.-R-AL-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5972 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to extend the annual open enrollment period for enrolling in a qualified health plan offered by an Exchange for plan year 2026; Sponsor: Pappas, Chris [Rep.-D-NH-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5981 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to waive the requirement of certain veterans to make copayments for hospital care and medical services in the case of an error by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Smucker, Lloyd [Rep.-R-PA-11]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.5986 — To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to destroy adulterated, misbranded, or counterfeit tobacco products offered for import; Sponsor: Van Duyne, Beth [Rep.-R-TX-24]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.Res.492 — A resolution recognizing community care as an essential tool for meeting the health care needs of the veterans of the United States; Sponsor: Blackburn, Marsha [Sen.-R-TN]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.6016 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend and modify the enhanced premium tax credit, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Schneider, Bradley Scott [Rep.-D-IL-10]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.6010 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend and modify the enhanced premium tax credit, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Liccardo, Sam T. [Rep.-D-CA-16]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6009 — Defense Biotechnology Strategy Act; Sponsor: Houlahan, Chrissy [Rep.-D-PA-6]; Committees: House – Armed Services; Foreign Affairs

 

H.R.6005 — To amend the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 to direct the Interagency Working Group on Toxic Exposure to conduct research on the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions of descendants of individuals exposed to toxic substances while serving as members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Dingell, Debbie [Rep.-D-MI-6]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.6001 — To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit a report on risk reduction strategies to lower the incidence and prevalence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in veterans; Sponsor: Crow, Jason [Rep.-D-CO-6]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.6000 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the collection and analysis of data regarding certain suicides by veterans, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Crow, Jason [Rep.-D-CO-6]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.5999 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish an opioid antagonist to a veteran without requiring a prescription or copayment; Sponsor: Conaway, Herbert C. [Rep.-D-NJ-3]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.5996 — To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct reviews of certain budget requests of the President for the medical care accounts of the Department of Veterans Affairs; Sponsor: Brownley, Julia [Rep.-D-CA-26]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.Res.872 — Supporting the goals and ideals of “Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Awareness Day”; Sponsor: Valadao, David G. [Rep.-R-CA-22]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6022 — To amend title 36, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a flag for next of kin of veterans who die by suicide; Sponsor: Bresnahan, Robert P. [Rep.-R-PA-8]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.6024 — To improve mental health services of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Crow, Jason [Rep.-D-CO-6]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs; Armed Services

 

H.R.6030 — To include Puerto Rico in National Survey on Drug Use and Health, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hernández, Pablo Jose [Resident Commissioner-D-PR-At Large]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6031 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a floor in Medicare Advantage benchmark rates for regions with low Medicare fee-for-service penetration; Sponsor: Hernández, Pablo Jose [Resident Commissioner-D-PR-At Large]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.6038 — To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish an integrated project team to improve the process for scheduling appointments for health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Mackenzie, Ryan [Rep.-R-PA-7]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.6043 — MY DATA Act of 2025; Sponsor: Trahan, Lori [Rep.-D-MA-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

Government Shutdown Update – The government shutdown, now in its 40+ day, has surpassed the 35-day previous record for the longest federal shutdown in U.S. history. The previous record was set during President Trump’s first term. The Senate remained in session over the weekend for the first time since the government shut down began last month, voting on Sunday night on a path forward for funding the government. The chamber voted 60-40 on a procedural motion to advance the continuing resolution previously passed by the House of Representatives. The Senate will resume consideration of the funding package at 11:00 a.m. on Monday. Under the deal negotiated by GOP leadership and Sens. Angus King (I-Maine), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), that stopgap spending bill will serve as the vehicle for an appropriations minibus – funding Military Construction, Agriculture/FDA, and the Legislative Branch for the entirety of fiscal year 2026 – as well as a separate stopgap funding the remainder of the federal government through January 30, 2026. In exchange for Democratic support, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has pledged to hold a vote on an Affordable Care Act tax credit extension no later than the 2nd week of December. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has refused to commit to such a vote.

 

A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House of Representatives released a statement of principles last week for temporarily extending and reforming the ACA tax credits. The principles from Reps. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.), Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.), and Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) express support for a two-year extension of the tax credits, paired with an income limit ranging from $200,000 to $400,000 on who can qualify for them. The principles also outline several guardrails to prevent improper payments.

 

The Joint Economic Committee released an issue brief last week arguing that the ACA credits should be allowed to expire. The brief asserts that the credits have outlived their temporary purpose and are fiscally unsustainable. “Maintaining an unsustainable subsidy bubble perpetuates a broken incentive system that deepens market distortions, burdens the American taxpayer, and converts precious federal dollars into economic deadweight loss,” the committee writes.

 

Cassidy Introduces Health Information Privacy Reform Bill – Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) has introduced legislation to expand health data privacy protections to account for new technologies such as smartwatches and health apps. The Health Information Privacy Reform Act would require health technologies that are not currently subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to disclose how consumer information is collected and shared. The bill also aims to expand individuals’ ability to access, correct, and delete their health information.

 

Senate Aging Committee Leadership to Consider Rare Disease Drug Pipeline – Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Ranking Member Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) have written to Commissioner of Food and Drugs Marty Makary, MD, requesting information about the development and approval of treatments for rare diseases. The lawmakers note plans to hold a hearing focused on the rare disease drug development pipeline and the regulatory challenges that can affect patients’ access to lifesaving therapies. They ask for details from Dr. Makary about the initiatives that have been undertaken “to address the unique challenges facing the rare disease community, and how to increase the speed and number of rare disease drug approvals.”

 

Cotton Writes FDA on Illicit Chinese Nicotine Products – Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) has sent a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expressing concern about illicit Chinese nicotine products being sold in the U.S., specifically highlighting the availability of dangerous products targeted at children. Sen. Cotton urges the FDA to increase the number of American products available to consumers, arguing that “only when adult consumers have legal, regulated, and satisfactory alternatives available in the American marketplace will the market demand for illicit Chinese products disappear.” He asks the agency to respond with what additional authorities are needed to curb distribution of illicit Chinese nicotine products, and to provide any plans to increase the number of American products available.

 

Marshall, Moran Urge CMS to Approve Kansas Rural Health Transformation Program Application – Kansas Republican senators Roger Marshall, MD and Jerry Moran are urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to approve their state’s plan for the Rural Health Transformation Program. The two lawmakers have sent separate letters to the health agency regarding the program, which was established under this year’s budget reconciliation bill to support financially vulnerable rural hospitals that could be adversely impacted by the law. “As a physician who practiced in and managed a rural hospital, I understand the challenges these providers are facing. This funding opportunity is an incredible chance to transform our health care delivery system,” Sen. Marshall wrote. Sen. Moran’s letter, which was also signed by Reps. Sharice Davids (D-Kan.), Ron Estes (R-Kan.), Tracey Mann (R-Kan.), and Derek Schmidt (R-Kan.), suggested that Kansas’ plan could “also serve as also serve as a national model for modernizing and sustaining rural health care delivery.”

 

Rep. Stefanik Enters New York Governor’s Race – Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) announced last week that she will run for governor of New York next year. Stefanik will challenge sitting Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), who is running for a second term. Stefanik was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2014 at age 30, making her the youngest woman in history to be elected to Congress. She served as chair of the House Republican Conference from 2021 to 2025, and currently sits on the Armed Services Committee, the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

 

Pelosi Announces Retirement After Nearly Four Decades in Congress – Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), 85, has announced her plans to retire at the end of her term after nearly 40 years in Congress. Pelosi was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1987. In 2007, she became the first woman elected to serve as Speaker of the House. Pelosi led House Democrats for nearly two decades, serving as House Speaker under four presidents. She was instrumental in the enactment of major Democratic policy achievements, including the Inflation Reduction Act, the Affordable Care Act, and the Dodd-Frank Act. Pelosi had previously indicated that she would wait to announce her decision on running next year until after California voted on Proposition 50, a ballot measure that will enable the state to redraw its congressional map in Democrats’ favor.

 

Rep. Jared Golden Won’t See Reelection – Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) announced on Wednesday that he will not seek reelection to the House of Representatives. Golden, who is currently serving his fourth term in Congress, represents a battleground district won by the President in 2024. “My decision is motivated by the clarity recent months have provided about the state of our politics,” Golden wrote in an op-ed last week. “I don’t fear losing. What has become apparent to me is that I now dread the prospect of winning.” The congressman currently serves on the Armed Services and Natural Resources committees.

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.5899 — To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to increase health insurance access for individuals placing their newborns for adoption; Sponsor: Van Duyne, Beth [Rep.-R-TX-24]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5897 — To amend title 23, United States Code, to improve access to automated external defibrillators at interstate transportation facilities, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Van Drew, Jefferson [Rep.-R-NJ-2]; Committees: House – Transportation and Infrastructure

 

H.R.5895 —To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish certain standards and requirements with respect to obtaining informed consent and providing chaperones for providers of services participating in the Medicare program; Sponsor: Trahan, Lori [Rep.-D-MA-3]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5882 —To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to include food containing dyes, flavoring, and sweeteners as misbranded unless the packaging of such food states such fact; Sponsor: Jacobs, Sara [Rep.-D-CA-51]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5873 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide an explanation of benefits not later than 30 days after an item or service is furnished under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Bean, Aaron [Rep.-R-FL-4]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5872 — To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to verify whether a health care provider is licensed in good standing before issuing the provider a unique health identifier, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Bean, Aaron [Rep.-R-FL-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.5871 — To require the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services to submit a report on Medicare and Medicaid fraud; Sponsor: Bean, Aaron [Rep.-R-FL-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.Res.848 — Supporting the role of the United States in helping save the lives of children and protecting the health of people in low-income countries with vaccines and immunization through Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (“Gavi”); Sponsor: Kean, Thomas H. [Rep.-R-NJ-7]; Committees: House – Foreign Affairs

 

S.3093 —A bill to require the Science and Technology Directorate in the Department of Homeland Security to work with the Drug Enforcement Agency to develop greater capacity to detect, identify, and disrupt illicit substances, such as nitazenes, in very low concentrations; Sponsor: Schmitt, Eric [Sen.-R-MO]; Committees: Senate – Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

 

S.3097 — A bill to provide additional protections with respect to health information, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cassidy, Bill [Sen.-R-LA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3098 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to publish information about conditions and cohorts the Department of Veterans Affairs is considering for purposes of establishing or removing presumptions of service connection regarding toxic exposure, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Blumenthal, Richard [Sen.-D-CT]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.3102 — A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the temporary enhanced premium credits, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Welch, Peter [Sen.-D-VT]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

H.R.5925 — To establish within the Department of Health and Human Services an Ombuds for Reproductive and Sexual Health; Sponsor: Williams, Nikema [Rep.-D-GA-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5919 — To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a review of opioid overdose deaths among veterans, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Murphy, Gregory F. [Rep.-R-NC-3]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.5915 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to establish additional presumptions of service connection for certain diseases that occur in veterans who suffered toxic exposure while serving at Karshi Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan; Sponsor: Lynch, Stephen F. [Rep.-D-MA-8]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.5905 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a charitable deduction for the service of volunteer firefighters and emergency medical and rescue personnel; Sponsor: Bresnahan, Robert P. [Rep.-R-PA-8]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

S.Res.485 — A resolution designating the month of October 2025 as “National Military Toxic Exposures Awareness Month”; Sponsor: Moran, Jerry [Sen.-R-KS]; Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Voice Vote.

 

S.3105 — A bill to regulate human cadaveric islets for transplantation as organs; Sponsor: Lee, Mike [Sen.-R-UT]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.Res.490 — A resolution affirming the critical importance of preserving the United States’ advantage in artificial intelligence and ensuring that the United States achieves and maintains artificial intelligence dominance; Sponsor: Coons, Christopher A. [Sen.-D-DE]; Committees: Senate – Foreign Relations

 

S.3148 — A bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to destroy adulterated, misbranded, or counterfeit tobacco products offered for import; Sponsor: Cornyn, John [Sen.-R-TX]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3145 — A bill to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to test a comprehensive alternative response for emergencies model under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Collins, Susan M. [Sen.-R-ME]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3143 — A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to allow certain alien veterans to be paroled into the United States to receive health care furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; Sponsor: Duckworth, Tammy [Sen.-D-IL]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.3139 — A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish the Zero Suicide Initiative pilot program of the Department of Veterans Affairs; Sponsor: Rosen, Jacky [Sen.-D-NV]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.3138 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to include adaptive prostheses and terminal devices for sports and other recreational activities in the medical services furnished to eligible veterans by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; Sponsor: Banks, Jim [Sen.-R-IN]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.3134 — A bill to amend the Fentanyl Sanctions Act to address trafficking of copy-cat and counterfeit drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cotton, Tom [Sen.-R-AR]; Committees: Senate – Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

 

S.3130 — A bill to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to carry out a program to award grants to eligible entities to develop, implement, and evaluate approaches and methodologies for prospective randomized control trials for neurorehabilitation treatments for the treatment of chronic mild traumatic brain injury in veterans, and for other purposes; Sponsor: McCormick, David [Sen.-R-PA]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

Government Shutdown Update – Congress did not make progress toward reopening the government last week. Senate Democrats have so far rejected the stopgap spending bill, which would extend government funding through November 21, 13 times. Democrats refuse to support any spending measure that does not extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) advanced premium tax credits that are set to expire on December 31, while Republican leadership insists that the government be reopened before lawmakers debate an extension of the subsidies.

 

November 1 marked the depletion of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds and the beginning of the ACA Marketplace open enrollment period. Late last week, a federal judge sent a written order to the administration requiring the Department of Agriculture to make SNAP payments no later than end of day Monday, or alternatively, partial payments by the end of the day Wednesday. Kaiser Family Foundation has estimated that the average increase in premiums for ACA benchmark silver plans will be 26% next year, while the amount that individuals pay for coverage will increase by 114% on average because of the expiration of enhanced premium subsidies.

 

As the shutdown continues, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) is soliciting ideas from GOP leadership of the House Ways and Means, Education and Workforce, and Energy and Commerce committees about which policies could be incorporated into a year-end health care package. The group is reportedly discussing options to lower health insurance premiums, like the funding of cost-sharing reduction payments, along with possible reforms to the pharmacy benefit manager industry.

 

Surgeon General Confirmation Hearing Postponed, HHS IG Nominee Appears Before Finance – The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee postponed its confirmation hearing with Casey Means, nominee for U.S. Surgeon General, after the nominee went into labor. Means, who had planned to appear virtually, was more than 40 weeks pregnant at the time of her scheduled appearance before the panel on Thursday. Means is a medical doctor, wellness influencer, and co-founder of the bio wearables and health-tracking company Levels. Means graduated medical school but dropped out of her surgical residency in her fifth year, opting to open a functional medicine practice. Means was tapped for the position of surgeon general in May after the White House withdrew the nomination of former Fox News contributor Janette Nesheiwat.

 

The Senate Finance Committee held a confirmation hearing for Thomas Bell on Wednesday. Bell, who most recently worked as general counsel for Republicans in the House of Representatives, has been nominated to serve as inspector general of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Ahead of the hearing, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to the nominee questioning Bell’s ability to perform the responsibilities of inspector general and “root out waste, fraud, and abuse in a manner that does not favor any ideological or political agenda.” Senate Democrats have more broadly characterized the President’s removal of the prior HHS inspector general as unlawful, raising foundational concerns with Bell’s nomination process.

 

Sen. Marshall Requests Emergency DEA Action on 7-OH —  Sen. Roger Marshall, MD (R-Kan.) has sent a letter to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) requesting emergency action to schedule 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) and related products as a Schedule I substance. Sen. Marshall expresses concerns that such products are being falsely marketed as kratom extracts and pose significant dangers to consumers. The letter asserts that 7-OH is approximately 13 times more potent than morphine, and that the current regulatory gap “blurs the distinction between a natural botanical product and a dangerous synthetic drug.” The DEA had previously indicated plans to pursue rulemaking related to 7-OH.  Marshall urges the agency to fast-track controlled substance scheduling and strengthen its oversight to prevent new synthetic derivatives from reaching the market.

 

USPSTF Meeting Postponed Again – HHS has postponed the November meeting of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). “The Trump Administration is committed to reopening the government so meetings like this one can occur,” an HHS spokesperson said in a statement. Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had previously cancelled USPSTF’s July meeting.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing “Renewing Our Commitment: How the Older Americans Act Uplifts Families Living with Aging-Related Diseases;” 3:30 p.m.; November 5

 

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing “Assessing the Damage Done by Obamacare;” 2:00 p.m.; November 6

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.Res.830 — Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 999) to protect an individual’s ability to access contraceptives and to engage in contraception and to protect a health care providers ability to provide contraceptives, contraception, and information related to contraception; Sponsor: Fletcher, Lizzie [Rep.-D-TX-7]; Committees: House – Rules

 

H.Res.831 — Expressing support for the designation of October 2025 as “National Down Syndrome Awareness Month”; Sponsor: Garbarino, Andrew R. [Rep.-R-NY-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5813 — 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 require group health plans and group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage to provide coverage of certain items and services relating to breast or chest wall reconstruction furnished in connection with breast cancer treatment; Sponsor: Cammack, Kat [Rep.-R-FL-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.5821 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for the treatment of certain hospitals as critical access hospitals under the Medicare program; Sponsor: LaMalfa, Doug [Rep.-R-CA-1]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.5828 — To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a public awareness campaign to increase awareness of the importance of father inclusion and engagement in improving overall health outcomes during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Vindman, Eugene Simon [Rep.-D-VA-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.3064 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure appropriate access to non-opioid pain management drugs for chronic pain conditions under part D of the Medicare program; Sponsor: Daines, Steve [Sen.-R-MT]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

H.Res.835 — Declaring gun violence a public health crisis; Sponsor: Espaillat, Adriano [Rep.-D-NY-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5839 — To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act to include certain supplemental coverage provided to individual health insurance coverage as an excepted benefit; Sponsor: Balderson, Troy [Rep.-R-OH-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5844 — To amend the Controlled Substances Act with respect to the registration of opioid treatment programs to increase stakeholder input from relevant communities and to ensure such programs are treating patients in need, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Espaillat, Adriano [Rep.-D-NY-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Judiciary

 

H.R.5858 — To make it easier for rural health facilities to buy and upgrade preventative health care equipment through the Community Facilities Grant Program of the Department of Agriculture; Sponsor: Scholten, Hillary J. [Rep.-D-MI-3]; Committees: House – Agriculture

 

H.R.5859 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants for the purpose of establishing, operating, or expanding one-stop crisis facilities, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Smith, Adam [Rep.-D-WA-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Financial Services; Judiciary

 

H.R.5861 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to seek an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study on establishing a system for storing last wish documents, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Suozzi, Thomas R. [Rep.-D-NY-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5864 — To establish standards for trauma kits purchased using funds provided under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program; Sponsor: Van Drew, Jefferson [Rep.-R-NJ-2]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.5865 — To establish the Thalidomide Survivors Compensation Program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Van Drew, Jefferson [Rep.-R-NJ-2]; Committees: House – Judiciary; Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce; Natural Resources; Agriculture; Education and Workforce; Financial Services; Transportation and Infrastructure; Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.Res.476 — A resolution supporting the designation of October 2025 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.Res.477 — A resolution designating the first full week in May as “Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness Week”; Sponsor: Mullin, Markwayne [Sen.-R-OK]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.Res.480 — A resolution expressing support for the recognition of October 2025 as “World Menopause Awareness Month,” and expressing the sense of the Senate regarding global awareness and access to care during the menopausal transition and post-menopause; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3076 — A bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act to permanently schedule the class of 2-benzylbenzimidazole-opioids known as nitazenes, and for other purposes; Sponsor: McCormick, David [Sen.-R-PA]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.3081 — A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for reciprocal marketing approval of certain drugs, biological products, and devices that are authorized to be lawfully marketed abroad, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cruz, Ted [Sen.-R-TX]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3087 — A bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act to prohibit certain acts related to fentanyl, analogues of fentanyl, and counterfeit substances, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Grassley, Chuck [Sen.-R-IA]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

Shutdown Update – The path to reopening the federal government remains unclear as the shutdown extends into its fourth week. Senate Democrats have so far rejected the stopgap spending bill, which would extend government funding through November 21, 12 times. Democrats also blocked legislation last week that would have paid those federal employees who have worked since October 1 without pay. Most government employees missed their first full paycheck of the shutdown on Friday. Democrats are refusing to support any spending measure that does not extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) advanced premium tax credits that are set to expire on December 31, while Republican leadership insists that the government be reopened before lawmakers debate the extension of the subsidies.

 

The next ACA marketplace enrollment period will open on November 1^st, and is expected to be accompanied by significant premium hikes without extension of the enhanced subsidies beyond this calendar year. The President has reportedly expressed an interest in broader health care reform efforts, but has not provided guidance to congressional Republicans about whether or how to protect Americans from projected premium increases. Informal conversations are taking place amongst GOP leadership on Capitol Hill about pairing an extension of the credits with Republican health policy priorities, and using a future funding bill as a vehicle for passage. Reforming the structure of the tax credits and strengthening program integrity are also under discussion. A group of 13 moderate Republicans sent a letter last week urging House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to immediately turn his focus to extension of the subsidies once the government reopens. The lawmakers, led by Reps. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) and Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.), argue that “allowing these tax credits to lapse without a clear path forward would risk real harm to those we represent,” while also acknowledging that reforms are needed to make the tax credits “more fiscally responsible.”

 

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will recall approximately 3,000 furloughed staff on Monday. The agency will use fees it charges outside researchers to access its data to pay the individuals, with plans to repay the user fee fund when the government reopens. Approximately 47% of CMS staff were furloughed at the start of the government shutdown. A CMS spokesperson said that the move will allow CMS “to best serve the American people amid the Medicare and ACA open enrollment seasons.”

 

Scott, Gillibrand Release Report on Generic Supply Chain – Bipartisan leadership of the Senate Special Committee on Aging released a new investigative report last week regarding the nation’s overreliance on foreign-made generic drugs. The report, Protecting Seniors’ Access to Essential Medications: Securing the Foreign Generic Pharmaceutical Supply Chain, from Chairman Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Ranking Member Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) highlights the decline in domestically manufactured pharmaceuticals consumed in the U.S. from 83% in 2002 to 37% in 2024, and makes recommendations for addressing generic drug supply chain vulnerabilities. The lawmakers suggest:

• Establishing a federal buyer’s market for essential medicines;
• Mapping generic drug supply chains;
• Requiring companies to disclose country of origin for finished pharmaceuticals;
• Utilizing trade levers like the administration’s 232 investigation authority;
• Passing clarifying language to close loopholes that allow foreign-made products to be categorized as ‘Made in America’; and
• Supporting U.S. biotechnology.

 

Lawmakers Comment on Medicaid Cuts, Changes – Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) have sent a letter calling for the Trump administration to provide clarity about changes to the Medicaid program instituted by the GOP budget reconciliation bill earlier this year. The legislation placed a moratorium on three rules finalized under the Biden administration to improve Medicaid enrollment, reduce Medicare costs for low-income seniors, and ensure adequate staffing in nursing homes. The lawmakers attest that state leaders are unclear about which provisions within the final rules remain in effect, and whether they have the authority to implement certain policies as a state option, even if they are no longer required to implement the rules in their entirety. “This confusion is a precursor to the broader operational challenges states will face in implementing Trumpcare’s many Medicaid cuts and federal mandates,” the letter states. “The lack of clarity will result in eligible people losing or being unable to access Medicaid coverage, and less effective tools to assess the number of staff needed to safely staff nursing homes.”

 

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) also sent several letters to the administration last week regarding states’ use of taxpayer funding to provide Medicaid coverage for undocumented immigrants. Sen. Grassley details how certain states use provider taxes as an indirect mechanism to subsidize Medicaid coverage for immigrants. Federal law prohibits states from using federal Medicaid funds to cover undocumented individuals. His letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services inspector general requests a nationwide investigation into this practice, and he asks CMS to review what guardrails are in place to prevent it. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act contained restrictions on how high states can set provider tax rates.

 

Democrat Committee Leaders Raise Concerns About TrumpRx – Congressional Democrats are demanding answers about the recently announced TrumpRx direct-to-consumer platform for pharmaceutical sales. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), and House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-Mass.) are raising concerns about the initiative’s association with companies, donors, and individuals with ties to the President. “Without more transparency, we cannot properly oversee the development and effectiveness of a new government prescription drug purchasing platform and the alleged price reductions,” the lawmakers state in one letter. “We are disappointed that the Administration has, once again, not been forthcoming about its plans with Congress or the public about a major announcement that claims to affect the affordability of health care for the American people.” The Democratic committee leaders sent a separate letter specifically related to Donald Trump Jr.’s position on BlinkRx’s Board of Directors.

 

New CBO Estimate of Reconciliation Bill’s Orphan Drug Provision – The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released an analysis last week responding to questions regarding an orphan drug provision contained in this year’s budget reconciliation bill. The information came in response to a request from Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), and House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-Mass.). CBO originally estimated the cost of enacting section 71203, which delays or exempts certain drugs from selection for the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, at $4.9 billion. This estimate did not account for the orphan drugs Darzalex, Keytruda, and Opdivo during the 2025–2034 period. After incorporating those drugs into its analysis, CBO now estimates that the 10-year cost of this section of the bill will be $8.8 billion.

 

Alicia Jackson Sworn in as ARPA-H Director – The Trump administration has selected Alicia Jackson to lead the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). Jackson is a health technology entrepreneur. She previously served as the deputy director for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s biology programs office, and most recently founded and served as the CEO of Evernow, a telehealth company for menopause care. Renee Wegrzyn, the inaugural ARPA-H director, was fired from her post in February. The position requires a presidential appointment but not confirmation by the Senate.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

Senate Finance Committee hearing to consider the nomination of Thomas Bell, of Virginia, to be Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services; 10:00 a.m.; October 29

 

Senate HELP Committee hearing “The Future of Biotech: Maintaining U.S. Competitiveness and Delivering Lifesaving Cures to Patients;” 10:00 a.m.; October 29

 

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing to consider the nomination of Casey Means to be Medical Director in the Regular Corps of the Public Health Service and Surgeon General of the Public Health Service; 11:00 a.m.; October 30

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.5764 — To amend the Small Business Act to require small business development centers to assist small business concerns with the use of artificial intelligence, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Alford, Mark [Rep.-R-MO-4]; Committees: House – Small Business

 

H.R.5768 — Skin Substitute Access and Payment Reform Act – To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to adjust payment for skin substitute products under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Carter, Earl L. “Buddy” [Rep.-R-GA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.5770 — To establish biotechnology workforce training programs for Department of Defense personnel, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Houlahan, Chrissy [Rep.-D-PA-6]; Committees: House – Armed Services

 

H.R.5784 — To amend the Small Business Act to help small business concerns critically evaluate artificial intelligence tools, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Scholten, Hillary J. [Rep.-D-MI-3]; Committees: House – Small Business

 

H.R.5791 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, to establish an expedited process for the approval of certain biologics license application supplements for blood centers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Wied, Tony [Rep.-R-WI-8]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.3019 — A bill to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to provide for the treatment of orphan drugs under the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program; Sponsor: Welch, Peter [Sen.-D-VT]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3033 — A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish partnerships between medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs and medical facilities in rural areas, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Duckworth, Tammy [Sen.-D-IL]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.Res.464 — A resolution designating September 2025 as “National Cholesterol Education Month” and September 30, 2025, as “LDL-C Awareness Day”; 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.Res.465 — A resolution designating September 2025 as “National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month”; Sponsor: Scott, Tim [Sen.-R-SC]; Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

 

S.3038 — A bill to establish a real-time data dashboard for graduate medical education training positions to improve health care workforce planning and distribution for the purposes of alleviating physician shortages in medically underserved communities; Sponsor: Blackburn, Marsha [Sen.-R-TN]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3042 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress each year an annual report that contains data and information on the causes of deaths among veterans, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hickenlooper, John W. [Sen.-D-CO]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.3047 — A bill to provide for the treatment of certain critical access hospitals; Sponsor: Hyde-Smith, Cindy [Sen.-R-MS]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.3048 — A bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act to allow for the use of telehealth in substance use disorder treatment, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Murkowski, Lisa [Sen.-R-AK]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Government Shutdown Update – During the third week of the government shutdown, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) continued to force votes on the continuing resolution (CR) passed by the House of Representatives last month. Senate Democrats have so far rejected the stopgap spending bill, which would extend government funding through November 21, ten times. The Senate GOP is no longer allowing Democrats to call up their alternate proposal for funding the government. Republicans continue to need the support of at least five more Democrats to overcome a filibuster of the stopgap spending bill, with three members of the Democratic caucus (Sens. Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-Nev.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), and Angus King (I-Maine)) already backing the CR, and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) remaining in opposition. Democrats are refusing to support any spending measure that does not extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) advanced premium tax credits that are set to expire on December 31, while Republican leadership insists that the government be reopened before lawmakers debate the extension of the subsidies.

 

The House remains out of session, surpassing a month since the chamber’s last vote. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has indicated that the House will remain out of session until the government is reopened, an approach aimed at pressuring the Senate to adopt the clean, House-passed CR. With no fiscal year 2026 spending bills having been signed into law, this is the longest government-wide shut down in the nation’s history. The previous funding lapse impacting the entire federal government was in FY 2014 and lasted 16 days. While there have been no signs of progress that an agreement is close to being reached between Republican and Democratic congressional leadership and the Trump administration, ongoing conversations are taking place between a bipartisan group of rank-and-file senators about how to reopen the federal government. The group is reportedly considering the possibility of a one-year extension of the ACA subsidies paired with a package of longer-term reforms.

 

Federal district court judge Susan Illston has issued a temporary restraining order pending further arguments on the reductions in force (RIFs) that have taken place amidst the government shutdown. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) admitted it mistakenly fired 800 of the 1,760 people who received layoff notices, blaming data discrepancies and processing errors in a document filed as part of the case. HHS still wishes to pursue the firing of 982 employees. The court order will not have any immediate impact, given that workers are already on furlough and the layoffs were meant to go into effect on December 8. The American Federation of Government Employees, which brought the lawsuit against the Trump administration, has said that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention workers were the biggest target of HHS’ latest RIF.  Reports indicate that employees at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, and the Office of Population Affairs also received termination notices. The court is expected to hold a hearing for a preliminary injunction in the case in the next two weeks.

 

Senate Democrats Block Defense Appropriations Consideration – Senate Democrats blocked consideration of the annual Defense spending measure last week. The chamber voted 50-44 against proceeding to the bill, despite the measure being advanced out of committee with bipartisan support earlier this year. All but three Democrats opposed the procedural move to open debate on the bill. Republicans in the chamber had considered attaching the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies spending bill to the measure had it received enough votes to be considered. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) argued that the GOP was not united enough within their own party to add other priorities to the Defense legislation.

 

Senate Republicans Continue Push for Mifepristone Safety Review – Republican lawmakers continue to press the Trump administration regarding the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of a new generic version of the abortion drug mifepristone. Sen. Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) led a letter to FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, MD last week expressing concerns that the move undermines the President’s pro-life agenda. The letter requests that the commissioner share details about the safety studies currently being conducted on the chemical abortion regimen. The letter was signed by Sens. Tommy Tuberville (Ala.), Rand Paul (Ky.), Josh Hawley (Mo.), Pete Ricketts (Neb.), Mike Lee (Utah), James Risch (Idaho), John Cornyn (Texas), James Lankford (Okla.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Ted Budd (N.C.), Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.), Roger Wicker (Miss.), Jon Husted (Ohio), Steve Daines (Mont.), Tim Scott (S.C.), and Mike Rounds (S.D.). The lawmakers request a response by October 30.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies hearing “A Review of the Activities and Fiscal Year 2026 Funding Priorities of the Office of the United States Trade Representative;” October 21

 

Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs markup to consider the nomination of John Bartrum, of Indiana, to be Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health; time TBA; October 22

 

Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing “Modernizing Health Care: How Shoppable Services Improve Outcomes and Lower Costs;” 3:30 p.m.; October 22

 

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing “The 340B Program: Examining Its Growth and Impact on Patients;” 10:00 a.m.; October 23

 

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.Res.803 — Urging the Director of the Food and Drug Administration to reevaluate the safety of all chemical abortion drugs in light of recent independent studies, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rose, John W. [Rep.-R-TN-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5733 — To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, to award grants to train community mental wellness workers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Espaillat, Adriano [Rep.-D-NY-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5736 —To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to include penicillin allergy verification and evaluation as part of the initial preventive physical examination under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Griffith, H. Morgan [Rep.-R-VA-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.5737 —To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to modify data collection requirements for appropriate use criteria for applicable imaging services, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Harshbarger, Diana [Rep.-R-TN-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

S.3006 — A bill to amend the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act to reauthorize the youth prevention and recovery initiative, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Peters, Gary C. [Sen.-D-MI]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.Res.805 — Recognizing October 2025 as “American Pharmacists Month” in honor of the contribution of pharmacists to provide safe, accessible, affordable, and beneficial patient care services and products to all residents and protect the public health of our communities; Sponsor: Carter, Earl L. “Buddy” [Rep.-R-GA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.806 — Supporting the recognition of October 2025 as “National Breast Cancer Awareness Month”; Sponsor: Carter, Earl L. “Buddy” [Rep.-R-GA-1]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.R.5747 — To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, to carry out a program under which the Secretary requires each covered distributor of a highly pathogenic agent to comply with certain logbook requirements, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Costa, Jim [Rep.-D-CA-21]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5758 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to permit the voluntary transmission of patient contact information to certain religious or faith-based organizations by chaplains employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Self, Keith [Rep.-R-TX-3]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.3011 — A bill to amend the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to exclude coverage of gender-transition procedures for minors and abortion under health plans offered through the American Health Benefits Exchanges, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hawley, Josh [Sen.-R-MO]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.3014 — A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to citizen petitions; Sponsor: Shaheen, Jeanne [Sen.-D-NH]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Government Shutdown Update – During the second week of the government shutdown, the Senate continued holding votes on the opposing options for reopening the government.  Senate Democrats have so far rejected the House-passed continuing resolution (CR) to extend government funding through November 21 seven times. Senate Republicans have also continued to block Democrats’ alternate funding proposal containing $1.5 trillion in added spending. Discussions on ending the government shutdown are ongoing as the shutdown enters another full work week, but there have been few signs of progress that an agreement is close to being reached.  The House of Representatives remains in a district work period as a means to pressure senators into supporting the House-passed CR; House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has indicated that the House will remain out of session until the government is reopened. Democrats are refusing to support any spending measure that does not extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) advanced premium tax credits that are set to expire on December 31, while Republican leadership insists that the government be reopened before lawmakers debate the extension of the subsidies. Senate Republicans need the support of at least five more Democrats to overcome a filibuster of the stopgap spending bill, with three members of the Democratic caucus (Sens. Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-Nev.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), and Angus King (I-Maine) already backing the CR, and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) remaining in opposition.

 

Federal workers missed a paycheck on October 10 as a result of the shutdown, while the military will miss its first paycheck on October 15. The administration circulated a draft memo last week indicating that furloughed government workers may not be eligible for back pay. This stance appears to contradict the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump during his first term in office. The White House has also begun laying off federal workers, in line with the Office of Management and Budget’s instructions to federal agencies on permanent reductions-in-force (RIF) ahead of the government shutdown. Reports indicate that multiple divisions across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began receiving RIF notices on Friday.

 

Senate Adds BIOSECURE Provision to NDAA – The Senate voted to add a provision to this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to bar Chinese “biotechnology companies of concern” from receiving federal funding. The BIOSECURE Act was added to the annual defense policy bill via voice vote. A previous version of the legislation was omitted from last year’s NDAA due to concerns about naming specific biotech companies to be scrutinized. This year’s bill does not single out companies that pose a national security risk. The NDAA passed the Senate in a bipartisan 77-20 vote on Thursday.

 

Cassidy Criticizes AMA, CPT Coding System – Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) has penned a letter to the American Medical Association (AMA) regarding the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) coding system. Sen. Cassidy criticizes the AMA for “abusing its government-endorsed CPT monopoly to charge every stakeholder in the health care system significant amounts of money while advancing an anti-patient agenda,” specifically highlighting the fees charged to anyone using the CPT code set, including doctors, hospitals, health plans, and health IT vendors. As HELP Committee Chairman, Cassidy notes that he is actively reviewing the “government-backed monopoly around CPT codes and the impact on patient health care costs, especially in the wake of the AMA’s anti-patient, anti-science advocacy efforts.” Cassidy has previously raised concerns about AMA’s policy positions related to gender transitions, abortion, and diversity, equity, and inclusion mandates. His latest letter, which requests that the AMA disclose its revenue from licensing the CPT system, asks for a reply by October 20.

 

Capito Expresses Support for Health Care Visa Fee Exemption – Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), chair of the Senate Appropriations Labor-Health and Human Services Subcommittee, has expressed support for exempting health care workers from the Trump administration’s new $100,000 fee for H-1B visas. H-1B work visas are used by employers looking to hire international workers for specialty jobs; current H-1B visas are typically paid by the employer.  In remarks last week, Sen. Capito acknowledged concerns that the fee could exacerbate health care workforce shortages, particularly in rural areas. The proclamation signed by the President in September would allow for exemptions to the fee if the Department of Homeland Security deems them in the national interest.

 

Senate Republicans Push for Mifepristone Safety Review – Republicans in the Senate are urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to suspend the approval of any new generic versions of mifepristone pending the outcome of a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies safety review. The lawmakers also request that HHS reinstate the in-person dispensing requirement for mifepristone and all its generic versions, and withdraw agency guidance permitting pharmacy distribution of the drug. The letter was signed by all Senate Republicans except for Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine).

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.5691 — To prohibit the provision of Federal funds to a local educational agency that imposes or enforces a COVID-19 vaccine mandate on students at the schools served by such agency; Sponsor: Van Drew, Jefferson [Rep.-R-NJ-2]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.5685 — To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to increase under the Medicaid program the minimum monthly personal needs allowance for institutionalized individuals and couples, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Moore, Gwen [Rep.-D-WI-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5684 —To provide for the coverage of medical food and vitamins and individual amino acids for digestive and inherited metabolic disorders under Federal health programs, to ensure State and Federal protection for existing coverage, and for other purposes; Sponsor: McGovern, James P. [Rep.-D-MA-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Oversight and Government Reform

 

S.Res.436 — A resolution expressing support for the designation of September 2025 as “National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month”; Sponsor: Crapo, Mike [Sen.-R-ID]; Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

 

H.Con.Res.55 — Designating September 2025 as “Gynecologic Cancers Awareness Month”; Sponsor: Dingell, Debbie [Rep.-D-MI-6]; Committees: House – Energy and

Commerce

 

H.R.5702 — To amend the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to ensure that healthcare providers can assist survivors of domestic violence, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Sykes, Emilia Strong [Rep.-D-OH-13]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

S.Res.440 — A resolution designating September 2025 as “National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month”; Sponsor: Baldwin, Tammy [Sen.-D-WI]; Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

 

S.2981 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the provision of prosthetic and rehabilitative items and services by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Moran, Jerry [Sen.-R-KS]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.2989 — A bill to prohibit certain sales or leases of real property for a health care entity if the terms of such a sale or lease would lead to long-term weakened financial status of the health care entity or place the public health at risk, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2986 — A bill to establish certain conditions on employment and other work arrangements at the Food and Drug Administration to ensure the safety and security of drugs and devices; Sponsor: Cotton, Tom [Sen.-R-AR]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.Res.796 — Expressing support for the designation of October 9 through October 16, 2025, as “National Dyspraxia/Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) Awareness Week” and a commitment to raise awareness of dyspraxia/DCD in the United States; Sponsor: Lawler, Michael [Rep.-R-NY-17]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.792 — Declaring a need for increased investments in youth mental health, recognizing May 31, 2026, as “Youth Mental Health Day”, recognizing September 9, 2026, annually as “Youth Suicide Prevention Day”, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Ansari, Yassamin [Rep.-D-AZ-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5725 — To direct the Attorney General to establish a grant to support communities transitioning to health-centered responses for mental health-related emergencies; Sponsor: Watson Coleman, Bonnie [Rep.-D-NJ-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Judiciary

 

H.R.5706 — To establish a grant program to assist eligible entities in developing or expanding behavioral health crisis response programs that do not rely primarily on law enforcement, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Ansari, Yassamin [Rep.-D-AZ-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.Res.447 — A resolution designating September 25, 2025, 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.2997 —A bill to protect the independent judgment of health care professionals acting in the scope of their practice in overriding AI/CDSS outputs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

Government Shutdown Update – The federal government shut down on October 1 after Congress failed to pass government funding legislation before the end of the fiscal year. As a result, approximately 40% of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) workforce has been furloughed, and several major policies have expired, including Medicare telehealth flexibilities and the Acute Hospital Care at Home program. This is the first government shutdown in nearly seven years.

 

The Senate spent last week considering the opposing options for reopening the government.  Senate Democrats have so far rejected the House-passed continuing resolution (CR) to extend government funding through November 21 four times. Senate Republicans have also continued to block Democrat’s alternate funding proposal containing $1.5 trillion in added spending. Senate Republicans need the support of at least five more Democrats to overcome a filibuster of the stopgap spending bill, with three members of the Democratic caucus (Sens. Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-Nev.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), and Angus King (I-Maine) already backing the CR, and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) remaining in opposition.

 

Late last week, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) announced the cancellation of votes and the designation of October 7 through October 13 as a district work period for the House of Representatives. The extension of enhanced advanced premium tax credits continues to be at the center of the government funding debate, with Democrats refusing to support any spending measure that does not extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies that are set to expire on December 31. Speaker Johnson has maintained that lawmakers can negotiate an extension of ACA subsidies later this month, but that the government must first be reopened through a clean CR free of any policy riders. This aligns with the position of Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), who has expressed an openness to negotiations on the subsidies, but not while the government is shut down.

 

In the days leading up to the shutdown, the Office of Management and Budget instructed federal agencies to prepare plans for permanent reductions-in-force (RIF) should a government shutdown occur. The latest reports indicate that the firings so far have occurred in independent government agencies – like the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, and the National Endowment for the Humanities – but have yet to impact cabinet-level departments like HHS.

 

New GAO Report on Veteran Access to Community Care – The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a new report on the barriers veterans face in accessing timely care when referred to community providers outside of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities. The GAO asserts that such challenges are tied to poor communication from the Office of Integrated Veteran Care (IVC), which was created in 2022 and tasked with improving coordination between the VA and community care providers. The IVC’s efforts to reorganize and implement workforce reductions in recent years have raised concerns about the potential impact on veteran health care delivery. The GAO recommends that VHA ensure IVC develops a strategy for clear and continuous two-way communication with relevant employees and stakeholders as the office evolves and makes changes to its organizational structure.

 

President Signs Executive Order on AI, Childhood Cancer Treatments – President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday aimed at using artificial intelligence to improve research and treatments for childhood cancer. Under the President’s order, Unlocking Cures for Pediatric Cancer with Artificial Intelligence, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services secretary is directed to ensure that artificial intelligence is used to maximize the potential for electronic health record and claims data to inform research and clinical trial design. The order coincides with an announcement from HHS that the administration will double funding for the Childhood Cancer Data Initiative at the National Cancer Institute. The Childhood Cancer Data Initiative was established in 2019 to collect, generate, and analyze childhood cancer data. Its budget will rise from $50 million to $100 million.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property hearing “The Patent Eligibility Restoration Act – Restoring Clarity, Certainty, and Predictability to the U.S. Patent System;” 2:30 p.m.; October 8

 

Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing “Bad Medicine: Closing Loopholes that Kill American Patients;” 3:15 p.m.; October 8

 

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing “AI’s Potential to Support Patients, Workers, Children, and Families;” 10:00 a.m.; October 9

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.5611 — To authorize an individual who is transitioning from receiving treatment furnished by the Secretary of Defense to treatment furnished by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to continue receiving treatment from such individual’s mental health care provider of the Department of Defense, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Thanedar, Shri [Rep.-D-MI-13]; Committees: House – Armed Services; Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.5609 — To direct the National Institutes of Health to reinstate funding to recipients of grants or other awards, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Stevens, Haley M. [Rep.-D-MI-11]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5605 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to establish nonvisual accessibility standards for certain devices with digital interfaces, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Schakowsky, Janice D. [Rep.-D-IL-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5593 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to include eyeglass lens fittings in the category of medical services authorized to be furnished to veterans under the Veterans Community Care Program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Maloy, Celeste [Rep.-R-UT-2]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.5592 — To prohibit the performance of gender-related medical treatment on minors, to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to prohibit payment and participation under the Medicare program with respect to such treatment, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Mace, Nancy [Rep.-R-SC-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Judiciary; Ways and Means

 

H.R.5582 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for hospital and insurer price transparency; Sponsor: James, John [Rep.-R-MI-10]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Education and Workforce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.5575 — To authorize grants to fire departments to conduct activities with the goals of reducing falls among older adults and reducing response time when responding to in-home emergencies, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Frankel, Lois [Rep.-D-FL-22]; Committees: House – Science, Space, and Technology

 

H.R.5571 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide no-cost coverage for PFAS testing under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Dingell, Debbie [Rep.-D-MI-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.Con.Res.52 — Supporting the designation of the week of September 22 through September 28, 2025, 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

 

S.Res.420 — A resolution supporting the designation of September 19, 2025, 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.2927 — A bill 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: Marshall, Roger [Sen.-R-KS]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2937 —  A bill to establish legal standards for advanced artificial intelligence products; Sponsor: Durbin, Richard J. [Sen.-D-IL]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.Res.422 — A resolution recognizing the seriousness of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and expressing support for the designation of September 2025 as “PCOS Awareness Month”; Sponsor: Warren, Elizabeth [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.Res.429 — A resolution designating September 2025 as “National Infant Mortality Awareness Month”, raising awareness of infant mortality, and increasing efforts to reduce infant mortality; 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.J.Res.84 — A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services relating to “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Market Integrity and Affordability”; Sponsor: Warner, Mark R. [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2941 — A bill to discontinue certain exceptions from H-1B nonimmigrant visa numerical limitation; Sponsor: Cotton, Tom [Sen.-R-AR]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.2943 — A bill to amend chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to allow a veteran to receive a full-year supply of contraceptive pills, transdermal patches, vaginal rings, and other contraceptive products, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Duckworth, Tammy [Sen.-D-IL]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.2949 —A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate the coinsurance requirement for certain colorectal cancer screening tests furnished under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Environment and Public Works

 

S.2951 — A bill to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide for certain adjustments to Medicare payment for items of durable medical equipment that were formerly included in round 2021 of the DMEPOS competitive bidding program; Sponsor: Lankford, James [Sen.-R-OK]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2954 — A bill to establish grant programs for health professional schools, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Sanders, Bernard [Sen.-I-VT]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2955 — A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to establish Federal penalties for the knowing and intentional administration of any abortion-inducing drug to a woman without her informed consent, if the abortion-inducing drug has been shipped or transported in interstate commerce, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Banks, Jim [Sen.-R-IN]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

H.Res.775 — Supporting the designation of September 2025 as “National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month”; Sponsor: DeLauro, Rosa L. [Rep.-D-CT-3]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.R.5621 — Physical Therapist Workforce and Patient Access Act of 2025; Sponsor: DeGette, Diana [Rep.-D-CO-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.5622 — To provide for a coordinated national research program to examine the nature, causes, consequences, and prevention of violence and unintended injury and death relating to gun ownership, use, and trafficking, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Foushee, Valerie P. [Rep.-D-NC-4]; Committees: House – Judiciary; Science, Space, and Technology; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5629 — To provide that the final rule of the Department of Health and Human Services titled “Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder”, except for the portion of the final rule relating to accreditation of opioid treatment programs, shall have no force or effect; Sponsor: Houchin, Erin [Rep.-R-IN-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5630 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to require additional information in State plans for Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services block grants; Sponsor: Houchin, Erin [Rep.-R-IN-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5635 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity in connection with the furnishing of health care under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kennedy, Timothy M. [Rep.-D-NY-26]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.5644 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish new payment rules for certain catastrophic specialty hospitals under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Loudermilk, Barry [Rep.-R-GA-11]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.5646 — Sponsor: Miller, Mary E. [Rep.-R-IL-15]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Judiciary

 

H.R.5662 — To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to remove the exclusion from medical assistance under the Medicaid program of items and services for patients in an institution for mental diseases; Sponsor: Thanedar, Shri [Rep.-D-MI-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5665 — To amend chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to allow a veteran to receive a full-year supply of contraceptive pills, transdermal patches, vaginal rings, and other contraceptive products, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Underwood, Lauren [Rep.-D-IL-14]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.5671 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to eliminate the coinsurance requirement for certain colorectal cancer screening tests furnished under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Watson Coleman, Bonnie [Rep.-D-NJ-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

Appropriations Update – No progress was made last week to fund the federal government beyond the end of the fiscal year on September 30. The Senate is scheduled to return to session on Monday, September 29, while the House is not scheduled to reconvene until October 6, when a government shutdown could potentially be underway. President Donald Trump is expected to meet with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Monday. The President had scheduled, and subsequently canceled, a meeting with Democratic leadership last week.

 

The House of Representatives has passed a continuing resolution (H.R. 5371) that would extend government funding at current levels through November 21. It includes provisions to extend Covid-era telehealth flexibilities and hospital-at-home waivers in the short-term, along with a five-year reauthorization of the Over-the-Counter Monograph Drug User Fee Program. Currently, the Senate does not have the votes necessary to advance the House-passed CR. Republicans will need at least seven Democratic votes in the Senate to pass government funding legislation.

 

Democrats are refusing to support any stopgap spending bill that does not include extension of enhanced advanced premium tax credits. The Affordable Care Act subsidies allowing families with incomes of more than 400% of the poverty line to cap their premiums at 8.5% of income are set to expire December 31. GOP leadership in both chambers have stated that the short-term CR will be free of any policy riders, and that negotiations on an extension should not be linked to the government funding deadline. Democrats are also pushing to roll back the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s Medicaid cuts as a part of the CR.

 

The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has instructed federal agencies to prepare plans for permanent reductions-in-force (RIF) should a government shutdown occur. These RIF notices would be in addition to any temporary furlough notices provided due to the lapse in appropriations. OMB told agencies to identify programs where discretionary funding will lapse on October 1 and no alternative funding source is available, and to eliminate those jobs that are not consistent with the President’s priorities and are not legally required to continue.

 

President Holds Press Conference on Acetaminophen and Autism – President Donald Trump held a press briefing last week in which he told pregnant women to avoid Tylenol because of a link between the medication’s active ingredient – acetaminophen – and autism.  The scientific evidence to support this recommendation was not cited. During the event, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also spoke about the risks of acetaminophen, asserting that it may also be associated with other neurological conditions such as ADHD. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reportedly start a public campaign about the drug and begin the process of updating its safety label.

 

The medical establishment pushed back, arguing that the President’s remarks were not backed by data and that there are serious risks of untreated maternal fever to both women and their babies. FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, MD, in a notice to physicians on the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy, acknowledged that the drug is “the safest over-the-counter alternative in pregnancy among all analgesics and antipyretics.” It also states that “while an association between acetaminophen and autism has been described in many studies, a causal relationship has not been established and there are contrary studies in the scientific literature.” Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pension Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) has called on HHS to release the data tying acetaminophen use during pregnancy to autism, stating in a post on X that “The preponderance of evidence shows that this is not the case.”

 

Secretary Kennedy touted the use of leucovorin during the briefing as a potential treatment for symptoms of autism. Administration officials have pointed to evidence that leucovorin, which is currently used to treat cancer and anemia, can also help some children with autism improve their verbal communication. Commissioner Makary has said that he has spoken with the manufacturer of leucovorin to increase production of the drug, and that he plans to fast-track approval of leucovorin as a treatment for children with symptoms of autism and cerebral folate deficiency.

 

During Monday’s event, the President also announced that the National Institutes of Health will be making 13 grant awards related to autism, asserted that vaccinations for measles, mumps, and rubella should be given separately, and expressed opposition to giving the Hepatitis B vaccine at birth. He expressed opposition to the inclusion of mercury and aluminum in vaccines, and made several unproven claims about the link between the childhood vaccine schedule and an increased risk of autism.

 

GAO Report on Consolidation of Physician Practices – The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a report on the extent and effects of physician consolidation. GAO found that the percentage of physicians consolidated into health systems increased from 30% in 2012 to 48% in 2024. The studies reviewed by GAO found that physician consolidation with hospital systems can result in increased spending and prices for insurers, including the Medicare program. The report was conducted in response to language in the House of Representatives fiscal year 2023 appropriations report requesting GAO study “the extent health care consolidation is taking place across Medicare and Medicaid markets, and how private equity could be contributing.”

 

New York Lawmakers Respond to Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium Change – A bipartisan group of New York lawmakers have sent a letter to the administration expressing concern about the National Cancer Institute’s decision to terminate funding for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium (PBTC) and transition PBTC’s functions to the Pediatric Early Phase Clinical Trials Network. The letter argues that the change will result in the de-prioritization of pediatric brain cancer trials in favor of other pediatric cancer trials. “A specialized center focused solely on pediatric brain cancer is essential to the success of brain tumor research in the future,” the lawmakers state. “Additionally, we have concerns that some patients may be lost in the fold during this transition, and that crucial time will be lost as well. For patients on PBTC trials, every second counts.” The letter was signed by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Reps. Laura Gillen (D-N.Y.) and Michael Lawler (R-N.Y.).

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

S.Res.416 — A resolution expressing support for the designation of September 2025 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: Scott, Tim [Sen.-R-SC]; Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

 

S.Res.417 — A resolution supporting the designation of the week of September 14 through September 20, 2025, 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 Voice Vote.

 

H.Res.752 — Expressing support for the designation of September 19, 2025, as “Black Autism Acceptance and Awareness Day”; Sponsor: Lawler, Michael [Rep.-R-NY-17]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.755 — Expressing support for the goals and ideas of “National Hydrocephalus Awareness Month” and “World Hydrocephalus Day”; Sponsor: Smith, Christopher H. [Rep.-R-NJ-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5509 —To amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to require a group health plan or health insurance coverage offered in connection with such a plan to provide an exceptions process for any medication step therapy protocol, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Allen, Rick W. [Rep.-R-GA-12]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.5526 —To improve the requirements for making a determination of interchangeability of a biological product and its reference product; Sponsor: Pfluger, August [Rep.-R-TX-11]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5536 —To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out a National Headache Disorders Initiative, to establish an Advisory Council on Headache Disorders Research, Care, and Services, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Trahan, Lori [Rep.-D-MA-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5539 —To amend title 38, United States Code, to assign the highest priority status for hospital care and medical services provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs to veterans who are former prisoners of war; Sponsor: Walberg, Tim [Rep.-R-MI-5]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.Res.757 — Expressing support for the designation of September 22, 2025, 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.759 — Expressing support for the recognition of September 2025 as “National Children’s Emotional Wellness Month” and for increased public awareness regarding children’s emotional health and wellness; Sponsor: Kim, Young [Rep.-R-CA-40]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.764 — Recognizing the continuing disparities in Black youth mental health access and treatment; Sponsor: Watson Coleman, Bonnie [Rep.-D-NJ-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5553 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to ensure area career and technical education schools are eligible for mental health and substance use disorder service grants; Sponsor: Langworthy, Nicholas A. [Rep.-R-NY-23]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5554 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage for certain fall prevention items under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Magaziner, Seth [Rep.-D-RI-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Budget

 

H.R.5557 —To amend the Public Health Service Act to revise and extend projects relating to children and to provide access to school-based comprehensive mental health programs; Sponsor: Salinas, Andrea [Rep.-D-OR-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

Appropriations Update – The House Committee on Appropriations advanced its fiscal year (FY) 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) spending bill in a 35-28 party line vote last week. The spending bill includes a total of $108 billion for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a 6% – or $7 billion – cut compared to FY 2025. The House Republican package falls between the $116.6 billion for HHS proposed by Senate appropriators and the President’s budget request of $94.7 billion. The House spending proposal would reduce funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to $48 billion – a decrease of $456 million, or 1%, compared to FY 2025. Funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would be reduced by $1.7 billion – or 19% – for a total of $7.4 billion. The Committee provided a total of $7.1 billion for the Health Resources and Services Administration, $866 million – or 11% – below FY 2025 levels. The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health would see a 37%, or $500 million, funding cut. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration would see a $298 million cut, to $7.1 billion.

 

During the 12-hour marathon markup, the panel adopted several health-related amendments. An en bloc amendment from Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.) would curb studies for medical treatments that alter the human body to no longer correspond to its biological sex, and asks the CDC to investigate physician-assisted suicide. An amendment from Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.) would block funds for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services from being used to implement the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) Model. An amendment from Rep. Susie Lee (D-Nev.) would extend grants that support certain continuing medical education grant programs through 2028. The manager’s amendment approved by the committee expressed support for investigating the pharmacy benefit manager industry and restricting animal research at the NIH.

 

Prior to markup, the committee released its report to accompany the bill. The report language details the wide range of issues considered by lawmakers in drafting the spending measure, and includes a list of the programs retained that the White House had proposed to eliminate in the President’s budget. It also notes that “any large-scale [NIH] restructuring proposal remains under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. The Committee recommendation for fiscal year 2026 reflects the NIH structure under current law. The Committee looks forward to Congress continuing to work with the Administration regarding innovative ideas at the National Institutes of Health.”

 

Lawmakers must pass funding legislation by September 30 to avoid a government shutdown. Congress is expected to rely on a continuing resolution (CR) to extend funding at current levels beyond the end of the fiscal year. Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) has stated that he hopes the House of Representatives will vote on a clean stopgap spending bill this week.

 

Democrats are threatening to block any stopgap spending bill that does not include extension of enhanced advanced premium tax credits. The COVID-era Affordable Care Act subsidies allow families with incomes of more than 400% of the poverty line to cap their premiums at 8.5% of income. While some Republicans support extending the subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of this year, GOP leadership in both chambers have stated that the CR will be free of any policy riders, and that negotiations on an extension should not be linked to the government funding deadline. Marketplace enrollees will begin receiving notifications of the premium increases that will result from expiration of the credits in November. Republicans will need at least seven Democratic votes in the Senate to pass government funding legislation.

 

House Passes Aviator Mental Health Legislation – The House of Representatives passed the Mental Health in Aviation Act (H.R. 2591) last week by voice vote. The legislation would require the Federal Aviation Administration to update regulations to encourage airline pilots and aviation workers to disclose and seek help for mental health conditions. It would also authorize $13.7 million annually from fiscal year 2026 through 2028 to recruit additional aviation medical examiners and to clear the Office of Aerospace Medicine’s case backlog, and $1.5 million for public awareness campaigns on mental health in the aviation industry.

 

E&C Subcommittee Advances Public Health Reauthorization Bills – The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health advanced a slate of public health reauthorization bills in a markup last week. All seven bills were favorably reported to the full committee by voice vote:

• R. 4262, To reauthorize programs related to health professions education
• R. 3593, Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act
• R. 2493, Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act
• R. 3419, To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the telehealth network and telehealth resource centers grant programs
• R. 3302, Healthy Start Reauthorization Act
• R. 2846, To amend title II of the Public Health Service Act to include as an additional right or privilege of commissioned officers of the Public Health Service (and their beneficiaries) certain leave provided under title 10, United States Code to commissioned officers of the Army (or their beneficiaries)
• R. 4709, Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act

 

Ways and Means Republicans Urge Full Implementation of NSA – Republicans on the House Committee on Ways and Means have sent a letter to the Trump administration urging full implementation and enforcement of the No Surprises Act (NSA). The letter highlights key provisions of the NSA that “were either not implemented at all or not implemented fairly due to convoluted rulemaking,” including measures to increase patient access to advanced explanation of benefits and cost estimates before scheduled medical procedures, and to ensure an efficient independent dispute resolution process.  The NSA, which was signed into law nearly five years ago, aimed to provide patient protections against surprise medical bills for certain out-of-network care. “We look to this administration to continue building on the work done by the committee to prioritize necessary regulatory and sub-regulatory improvements so patients can realize the full potential and benefits of the NSA,” the lawmakers state.

 

Spotlight on 340B Drug Pricing Program – A bipartisan group of lawmakers has sent a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urging him to abandon the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program or to put in place guardrails to protect the underlying 340B program. The pilot program would require covered entities to purchase drugs on the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Selected Drug List at the wholesale acquisition cost, which the letter points out will require 340B providers to “float significant amounts of cash to drug companies in hopes of a rebate being paid.” “We continue to believe that the rebate approach contravenes congressional intent in establishing the 340B program and over three decades of precedent set by the Health Resources and Services Administration that distinguishes rebates and retroactive discounts from upfront 340B discounts,” the lawmakers write. The letter was signed by 163 members of the House of Representatives.

 

In related news, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a new report examining growth in the 340B program. The report details how health care facilities participating in the Prime Vendor Program spent $43.9 billion on 340B drugs in 2021, up from $6.6 billion in 2010. Spending on cancer drugs accounted for 41% of purchases through the program, almost three times the amount spent on any other drug class. CBO estimates that one-third of the increase in spending in the program from 2010 to 2021 can be attributed to trends in market wide growth in drug spending and disproportionate growth among drug classes that account for more spending in the 340B program than in the overall market.  In CBO’s assessment, the 340B program encourages behaviors—like the prescription of more and higher-priced drugs, the expansion of services, and the integration of hospitals and off-site clinics—that tend to increase federal spending.

 

Reps. Buddy Carter, BSPharm (R-Ga.) and Dianna Harshbarger, PharmD (R-Tenn.) introduced legislation last week that aims to ensure 340B is reaching the patients the drug pricing program was intended to serve. The 340B Affording Care for Communities and Ensuring a Strong Safety-Net Act (340B ACCESS Act) would:

• Establish patient affordability requirements for medicines;
• Codify the definition of a covered entity patient;
• Recognize contract pharmacies in statute and subject them to rules to ensure their use of the program is consistent with congressional intent;
• Establish eligibility requirements for hospitals;
• Establish eligibility requirements for child sites;
• Place restrictions on pharmacy benefit managers, contract pharmacies, and third-party administrators from making excessive profits from the program; and
• Require that grantees report how they are using the 340B margin.

 

Cassidy Calls on Secretary to Support Whooping Cough Vaccine – Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) has sent a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. asking that he express strong public support for the pertussis vaccine. The bacterial infection known as whooping cough has been on the rise in recent years, with more than 20,000 infections this year alone. These numbers are in line with 2012’s record outbreak, the largest since the vaccine was introduced in 1991. “Your strong public support for this vaccine will save lives. Your words are a powerful tool in protecting the health of the American people. Families responded to your decisive leadership when you clearly promoted the MMR vaccine to stop the outbreak in West Texas. They would respond again to your call that the DTaP vaccine is the best way to protect our babies,” Cassidy wrote.

 

Texas Republican Michael McCaul Will Not Seek Reelection – Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) announced that he will not seek reelection to Congress after serving 11 terms in the House of Representatives. McCaul was first elected in 2004. He currently sits on the Foreign Affairs and Homeland Security committees. During his time in Congress, he has been a champion of cancer research and founded the Childhood Cancer Caucus.

 

GAO Recommends Greater Transparency in NCD Process – Republican leadership of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Ways and Means Committee are calling for greater transparency into national coverage determinations (NCDs) following the release of a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) NCD process. While the GAO found that CMS met the specified time frames for making determinations 83% of the time, the agency does not systematically identify the causes of delays when specified time frames are not met. GAO recommends that CMS identify the causes of NCD delays to better ensure that analyses are finalized within specified time frames, and that CMS make available to the public the criteria it uses to prioritize its coverage analyses. “Seniors should never be left waiting without clear answers about whether Medicare will cover the treatments and services their doctors recommend,” said Chairmen Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) and Jason Smith (R-Mo.). “Greater openness in the NCD process is essential to ensure trust, timely access to care, and confidence that decisions are being made fairly and consistently.”

 

E&C Democrats Question CDC Director’s Termination – Democratic leadership of the House Energy and Commerce Committee have sent a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding the recent firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez. “Dr. Monarez’s abrupt termination and the additional losses of experienced leadership at CDC through resignations and reductions in force severely diminish the agency’s ability to serve its mission to protect the health and safety of the nation and respond to emerging public health threats,” the lawmakers wrote.  “You are using your position as Secretary to promote the ideological anti-vaccine agenda you have led for decades, and your attacks against the people and programs at CDC push vaccines farther out of reach for many families and put all Americans’ health at risk.” The letter poses a series of questions about the events that led to Dr. Monarez’s termination and requests a response by September 25.

 

Monarez and Dr. Debra Houry, former Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Director for Program and Science at CDC, are scheduled to appear before the Senate HELP Committee on Wednesday for a hearing entitled, “Restoring Trust Through Radical Transparency: Reviewing Recent Events at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Implications for Children’s Health.” The HELP Committee plans to hear from current HHS officials at a future hearing.

 

MAHA Commission Releases Strategy Report – The Presidential Commission to Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) released its strategy report on Tuesday. The Commission was established by an executive order signed by President Donald Trump in February. The MAHA Commission’s first report, which was released in May, examined the root causes of chronic disease among children. The final report unveiled last week outlines strategies to respond to those root causes. It includes nearly 130 recommendations. The key focus areas of the strategy include:

• Restoring Science and Research: Expanding research into chronic disease prevention, nutrition and metabolic health, food quality, environmental exposures, autism, gut microbiome, precision agriculture, rural and tribal health, vaccine injury, and mental health.
• Historic Executive Actions:Reforming dietary guidelines; defining ultra-processed foods; improving food labeling; closing the GRAS loophole; raising infant formula standards; removing harmful chemicals from the food supply; increasing oversight and enforcement of direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising laws; improving food served in schools, hospitals, and to veterans; and reforming Medicaid quality metrics to measure health outcomes.
• Process Reform and Deregulation: Streamlining organic certification; easing barriers to farm-to-school programs and direct-to-consumer sales; restoring whole milk in schools; supporting mobile grocery and processing units; modernizing drug and device approval; and accelerating approvals for innovative agricultural products.
• Public Awareness and Education: Launching school-based nutrition and fitness campaigns, Surgeon General initiatives on screen time, prioritizing pediatric mental health, and expanding access to reliable nutrition and health information for parents.
• Private Sector Collaboration:Promoting awareness of healthier meals at restaurants, soil health and land stewardship, and community-led initiatives, and scaling innovative solutions to address root causes of chronic disease.

 

President Signs Memorandum on Direct-to-Consumer Prescription Drug Advertisements – President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on Tuesday aimed at providing greater transparency and accuracy in prescription drug advertisements. The memo directs the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to increase the amount of information regarding any risks associated with the use of prescription drugs. The Food and Drug Administration is also directed to take action to enforce legal requirements that advertisements for prescription drugs be truthful and not misleading. White House officials told reporters that the administration plans to send approximately 100 cease-and-desist enforcement letters and thousands of warning letters alerting companies of the government’s plans to enforce current regulations around direct-to-consumer advertising.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization Oversight hearing “Advancing VA Care Through Artificial Intelligence;” 3:00 p.m.; September 15

 

House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight hearing “Virtue Signaling vs. Vital Services: Where Tax-Exempt Hospitals are Spending Your Tax Dollars;” 2:00 p.m.; September 16

 

Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism hearing “Examining the Harm of AI Chatbots;” 2:30 p.m.; September 16

 

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing “Restoring Trust Through Radical Transparency: Reviewing Recent Events at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Implications for Children’s Health;” 10:00 a.m.; September 17

 

House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation hearing “Shaping Tomorrow: The Future of Artificial Intelligence;” 2:00 p.m.; September 17

 

Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing “Prescription for Trouble: Drug Safety, Supply Chains, and the Risk to Aging Americans;” 3:30 p.m.; September 17

 

Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs hearing “Strengthening Services for Veterans with Spinal Cord Injury and Disorder;” 4:00 p.m.; September 17

 

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing “Examining Policies to Enhance Seniors’ Access to Breakthrough Medical Technologies;” 9:30 a.m.; September 18

 

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

S.Res.376 — A resolution recognizing suicide as a serious public health problem, expressing support for the designation of September 8, 2025, 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

 

S.2730 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to innovative treatment options for end-stage renal disease under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Blackburn, Marsha [Sen.-R-TN]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

H.Res.680 — Recognizing suicide as a serious public health problem, expressing support for the designation of September 8, 2025, as ”988 Day” and the role of 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Bell, Wesley [Rep.-D-MO-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5178 — To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to enable State Medicaid programs to provide comprehensive, coordinated care through a health home to individuals with sickle cell disease; Sponsor: Dunn, Neal P. [Rep.-R-FL-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5197 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to limit cost sharing for drugs under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Malliotakis, Nicole [Rep.-R-NY-11]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.5198 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to maintain standards for qualification as a rural health clinic under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Mann, Tracey [Rep.-R-KS-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.5199 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to modernize physician, physician assistant, and nurse practitioner utilization requirements; Sponsor: Mann, Tracey [Rep.-R-KS-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.5202 — To address maternity care shortages and promote optimal maternity outcomes by expanding access to birth centers and exploring more effective payment models for birth center care, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Morrison, Kelly [Rep.-D-MN-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5217 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove certain limitations on the delivery of behavioral health services at rural health clinics under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Tokuda, Jill N. [Rep.-D-HI-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

S.Res.378 — A resolution supporting the designation of the week of September 8 through September 12, 2025, as “Malnutrition Awareness Week”; Sponsor: Murphy, Christopher [Sen.-D-CT]; Committees: Senate – Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

 

S.Res.380 — A resolution urging the protection of Medicare from the devastating cuts caused by H.R. 1; Sponsor: Whitehouse, Sheldon [Sen.-D-RI]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2737 — A bill to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to implement a pilot program to furnish hyperbaric oxygen therapy to certain veterans through community care providers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Tuberville, Tommy [Sen.-R-AL]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.2739 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to promote healthy eating and physical activity among children; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2743 — A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to modify certain limitations on disproportionate share hospital payment adjustments under the Medicaid program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Banks, Jim [Sen.-R-IN]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2745 — A bill to require the Secretary of Defense to provide to firefighters of the Department of Defense medical testing and related services to detect and prevent certain cancers; Sponsor: Slotkin, Elissa [Sen.-D-MI]; Committees: Senate – Armed Services

 

S.2749 — A bill to exempt Medicare from any sequestration under Statutory PAYGO that is caused by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act; Sponsor: Whitehouse, Sheldon [Sen.-D-RI]; Committees: Senate – Budget

 

H.Res.686 — Supporting the designation of the week of September 14, 2025, through September 20, 2025, as “Telehealth Awareness Week”; Sponsor: Carter, Earl L. “Buddy” [Rep.-R-GA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.685 — Expressing support for testing for antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) as a standard part of prenatal screening, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cammack, Kat [Rep.-R-FL-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.684 — Expressing support for the designation of September 9, 2025, as “National Firearm Suicide Prevention Day” to educate about the growing firearm suicide crisis in the United States and promote the importance of storing firearms safely and securely as an essential component of suicide prevention; Sponsor: Brownley, Julia [Rep.-D-CA-26]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.683 — Supporting the designation of the week of September 8 through September 12, 2025, as “Malnutrition Awareness Week”; Sponsor: Bonamici, Suzanne [Rep.-D-OR-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Agriculture; Ways and Means; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.5239 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to expand research and education with respect to endometrial cancer, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Scott, David [Rep.-D-GA-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5228 — To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to remove a limitation on payments for certain home or community-based services waivers under the Medicaid program; Sponsor: Dingell, Debbie [Rep.-D-MI-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5224 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to promote healthy eating and physical activity among children; Sponsor: Cohen, Steve [Rep.-D-TN-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.2751 — A bill to authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to collect registration fees from members of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Wyden, Ron [Sen.-D-OR]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2756 —A bill to amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to reduce patient cost-sharing for prescription drug inhaler products used to treat breathing disorders such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Alsobrooks, Angela D. [Sen.-D-MD]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2759 — A bill to enhance our Nation’s nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Sponsor: Durbin, Richard J. [Sen.-D-IL]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.2760 — A bill 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: Murkowski, Lisa [Sen.-R-AK]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2761 — Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services (RESULTS) Act – A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide long-term stability for Medicare beneficiary access to clinical diagnostic laboratory tests by improving the accuracy of, and feasibility of data collection for, the private payor-based fee schedule payment rates applied under the Medicare program for such tests, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Tillis, Thomas [Sen.-R-NC]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2762 — A bill to establish a commission on long-term care; Sponsor: Rosen, Jacky [Sen.-D-NV]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.Res.693 — Expressing support for the designation of September 9 as “National African Immigrant and Refugee HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis Awareness Day” or “NAIRHHA Day”; Sponsor: Johnson, Henry C. “Hank” [Rep.-D-GA-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.694 — Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services should halt the pilot program and should not jeopardize seniors’ access to critical health care by utilizing artificial intelligence to determine Medicare coverage; Sponsor: Landsman, Greg [Rep.-D-OH-1]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.697 — Recognizing suicide as a serious public health problem and expressing support for the designation of September as “National Suicide Prevention Month” as well as September 10, 2025, as “World Suicide Prevention Day”; Sponsor: Thanedar, Shri [Rep.-D-MI-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R. 5243 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to increase data transparency for supplemental benefits under Medicare Advantage; Sponsor: McClellan, Jennifer L. [Rep.-D-VA-4]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5252 — To amend the 21st Century Cares Act to clarify that certain grants for State and Tribal response to opioid use disorders may be used for certain activities related to public access opioid overdose reversal kits, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Amo, Gabe [Rep.-D-RI-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5256 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to reform the 340B drug pricing program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Carter, Earl L. “Buddy” [Rep.-R-GA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.5259 — To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to collect registration fees from members of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Costa, Jim [Rep.-D-CA-21]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5261 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to modify the limitation on reimbursement for emergency treatment of amounts owed to a third party or for which the veteran is responsible under a health-plan contract; Sponsor: Dingell, Debbie [Rep.-D-MI-6]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.5269 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide long-term stability for Medicare beneficiary access to clinical diagnostic laboratory tests by improving the accuracy of, and feasibility of data collection for, the private payor-based fee schedule payment rates applied under the Medicare program for such tests, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hudson, Richard [Rep.-R-NC-9]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.5275 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to include blood contamination as a hospital acquired condition under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Kelly, Mike [Rep.-R-PA-16]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.5278 — To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to reduce patient cost-sharing for prescription drug inhaler products used to treat breathing disorders such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Mfume, Kweisi [Rep.-D-MD-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Education and Workforce

 

H.R.5281 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish provider directory requirements, and to provide accountability for provider directory accuracy, under Medicare Advantage; Sponsor: Panetta, Jimmy [Rep.-D-CA-19]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5283 —To enhance our Nation’s nurse and physician workforce by recapturing unused immigrant visas; Sponsor: Schneider, Bradley Scott [Rep.-D-IL-10]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

S.Res.385 — A resolution recognizing suicide as a serious public health problem and expressing support for the designation of September as “National Suicide Prevention Month”; Sponsor: Tillis, Thomas [Sen.-R-NC]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2770 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to ensure appropriate cost-sharing for chronic care drugs under Medicare part D; Sponsor: Cornyn, John [Sen.-R-TX]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2793 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require Medicare Advantage plans to cover items and services furnished by certain essential community providers within a service area, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cassidy, Bill [Sen.-R-LA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

H.Res.704 — Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction Model undermines beneficiary access to health care and should not be implemented; Sponsor: Pocan, Mark [Rep.-D-WI-2]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.699 — Expressing support for the designation of September 2025 as “National Polycystic Kidney Disease Awareness Month”, and raising awareness and understanding of polycystic kidney disease; Sponsor: Cleaver, Emanuel [Rep.-D-MO-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5339 — To establish a presumption of service connection for certain diseases associated with exposure to certain toxins at the Pentagon Reservation during certain period beginning on September 11, 2001; Sponsor: Subramanyam, Suhas [Rep.-D-VA-10]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.5319 — To prohibit the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Department of Health and Human Services from disclosing Medicaid data for law enforcement purposes related to immigration, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [Rep.-D-CA-37]; Committees: House – Financial Services; Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.R.5316 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to ensure patients have access to certain shortage and urgent-use compounded medications, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Harshbarger, Diana [Rep.-R-TN-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5314 — To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act to require a skilled nursing facility to permit without restriction visitation by an individual designated by a resident of such facility under the Medicare and Medicaid programs; Sponsor: Grothman, Glenn [Rep.-R-WI-6]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5306 — To prohibit the sale of a firearm unless the firearm or the packaging of the firearm carries a label that provides the number of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Brownley, Julia [Rep.-D-CA-26]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R. 5304 — Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026; Sponsor: Aderholt, Robert B. [Rep.-R-AL-4]; Committees: House – Appropriations

House Appropriators Advance FY 2026 LHHS Spending Bill – The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) advanced its fiscal year (FY) 2026 spending bill in an 11-7 party line vote last week. The bill text and a summary were released by the committee prior to the markup. The spending bill includes a total of $108 billion for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a 6% – or $7 billion – cut compared to FY 2025. The House Republican package falls between the $116.6 billion for HHS proposed by Senate appropriators and the President’s budget request of $94.7 billion. The House spending proposal would keep funding for the National Institutes of Health at $48 billion – a decrease of $456 million, or 1%, compared to FY 2025. Funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would be reduced by $1.7 billion – or 19% – for a total of $7.4 billion. The Committee provided a total of $7.1 billion for the Health Resources and Services Administration, $866 million – or 11% – below FY 2025 levels. The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health would see a 37%, or $500 million, funding cut. The House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to mark up the bill on Tuesday. The committee report will be released around the time of the full committee markup and will provide additional details on program funding levels. Congress has yet to send any of its 12 annual appropriations bills to the President.  Lawmakers face a September 30 deadline for funding the federal government before the end of the fiscal year. The White House is reportedly pushing for a clean stopgap spending measure that extends into 2026, while lawmakers in Congress are considering a continuing resolution of a shorter duration.

 

HHS Secretary Testifies Before Senate Finance – Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance last week to testify about the President’s health care agenda for 2026. During the hearing he was pressed by members on both sides of the aisle about recent shakeups at HHS. The Secretary defended both his vaccine policy decisions and personnel changes, stating that he did not ask former CDC Director Susan Monarez to pre-approve recommendations from Kennedy’s reconstituted Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. This is in conflict with an op-ed written by Monarez in The Wall Street Journal last week, in which Monarez said she was fired for refusing to compromise science. In his own op-ed, the Secretary explained that the recent overhaul of the CDC was necessary to eliminate “conflicts of interest and bureaucratic complacency.” He argued that the CDC should return its focus to tracking infectious diseases and pandemic response.

 

All six Democratic-physician members of Congress called on Kennedy to resign on Thursday. Their letter, signed by Reps. Ami Bera (D-Calif.), Herb Conaway (D-N.J.), Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.), Kelly Morrison(D-Minn.), Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.) and Kim Schrier (D-Wash.), characterizes the Secretary’s recent decisions as reckless and a threat to American lives and public trust. “We are deeply concerned that your tenure at HHS undermines the core mission of the Department: to protect and promote the health of the American people. Your actions have not only eroded public trust but have actively endangered lives,” the lawmakers state.

 

Lawmakers Consider Impact of ACA Tax Credit Expiration – Senate Democrats led by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.) have released a new analysis of the expected impact of the loss of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits, which are set to expire at the end of this year. The report indicates that marketplace enrollment will decline significantly if the subsidies are allowed to expire. Expiration of the credits, in conjunction with rising health care costs, are expected to drive premium increases. Last week, Reps. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) and Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) introduced the Bipartisan Premium Tax Credit Extension Act (H.R. 5145). The legislation would extend, for one year, the Inflation Reduction Act’s health care premium tax credits until January 1, 2027.

 

Senate Finance Approves HHS Nominees – The Senate Committee on Finance approved the nominations of Michael Stuart for HHS General Counsel and Gustav Chiarello to serve as Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources on Thursday. Both nominees were advanced in 14-13 party line votes. Stuart is Republican state senator from West Virginia, while Chiarello most recently served as senior special counsel to the House Judiciary Committee. The nominees now await floor consideration and a full Senate vote.

 

House Oversight to Probe Possible HIPAA Violations by CVS Health – The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has opened an investigation into reports that CVS Health used confidential patient information to lobby the Louisiana State Legislature. According to the committee, patient information was used to influence legislators related to a state bill that would prohibit Louisiana providers from operating both pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and individual pharmacies. The letter to CVS Health President and CEO David Joyner raises the ethical and potential legal issues if CVS used confidential patient information to lobby against House Bill 358 in violation of the HIPAA privacy rule. “Given the wide breadth of CVS Health and its subsidiaries operations across the U.S.,” the panel expresses concern that “CVS Health could easily misuse confidential patient information in the future when similar legislative measures to Louisiana H.B. 358 are considered in other states or Congress.” According to a press release from the Committee, the investigation is a part of the ongoing effort to hold PBMs accountable for “their lack of transparency toward American consumers, engagement in anticompetitive behavior, and inflation of drug costs.” The letter requests a response from CVS Health by September 18.

 

Former President Biden Undergoes Mohs Surgery – A spokesperson for Joe Biden has confirmed that the former president recently underwent Mohs surgery to remove skin cancer from his forehead. President Biden has previously had non melanoma skin cancers removed prior to his presidency, and also had a cancerous lesion removed during his time in the White House. Biden has made few public appearances since announcing his prostate cancer diagnosis in May.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

House Appropriations Committee markup of fiscal year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies bill; 11:00 a.m.; September 9

 

House Oversight and Accountability Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services hearing “Better Meals, Fewer Pills: Making Our Children Healthy Again;” 2:00 p.m.; September 9

 

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations hearing to examine how the corruption of science has impacted public perception and policies regarding vaccines; 2:00 p.m.; September 9

 

Senate Commerce, Science, & Transportation Subcommittee on Science, Manufacturing, and Competitiveness hearing “AI’ve Got a Plan: America’s AI Action Plan;” 10:00 a.m.; September 10

 

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.5075 —To prohibit the award of Federal education funds to educational institutions and agencies that do not allow for religious exemptions to vaccination requirements, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Steube, W. Gregory [Rep.-R-FL-17]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.5074 — To amend title V of the Public Health Service Act to direct the Center for Mental Health Services to develop and disseminate a strategy to address the effects of new technologies on children’s mental health; Sponsor: Steil, Bryan [Rep.-R-WI-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5068 —To decriminalize and deschedule cannabis, to provide for reinvestment in certain persons adversely impacted by the War on Drugs, to provide for expungement of certain cannabis offenses, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Nadler, Jerrold [Rep.-D-NY-12]; Committees: House – Judiciary; Energy and Commerce; Agriculture; Education and Workforce; Ways and Means; Small Business; Natural Resources; Oversight and Government Reform; Transportation and Infrastructure

 

H.R.5067 — To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act with respect to the disbursement of certain reimbursements provided under such Act, and for other purposes; Sponsor: McDonald Rivet, Kristen [Rep.-D-MI-8]; Committees: House – Transportation and Infrastructure

 

H.R.5066 —To repeal the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 and amendments to that Act; Sponsor: Massie, Thomas [Rep.-R-KY-4]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.5064 — To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to modify certain limitations on disproportionate share hospital payment adjustments under the Medicaid program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: LaLota, Nick [Rep.-R-NY-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.666 — 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.Res.670 — Expressing support for the designation of September 22 as “National Military and Veterans Suicide Awareness Day”; Sponsor: Self, Keith [Rep.-R-TX-3]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.Res.671 — Prioritizing mental health to the same degree as physical health to address the epidemics of suicide and drug overdose in the United States; Sponsor: Thanedar, Shri [Rep.-D-MI-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5081 —To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Carter, Earl L. “Buddy” [Rep.-R-GA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.5094 — To repeal changes to Medicaid cost sharing requirements and the exclusion for orphan drugs under the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program; Sponsor: Pappas, Chris [Rep.-D-NH-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

S.2696 — A bill to establish a Foundation for Enabling Biotechnology Innovation; Sponsor: Padilla, Alex [Sen.-D-CA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2697 – A bill to authorize the National Science Foundation to conduct research for biotechnology risk assessment, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Young, Todd [Sen.-R-IN]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2699 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain education and training programs relating to geriatrics, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Collins, Susan M. [Sen.-R-ME]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.Res.675 — Expressing support for the designation of September 2025 as “National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month”; Sponsor: Carter, Troy A. [Rep.-D-LA-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5104 — To reduce the health risks of heat by establishing the National Integrated Heat Health Information System within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Integrated Heat Health Information System Interagency Committee to improve extreme heat preparedness, planning, and response, requiring a study, and establishing financial assistance programs to address heat effects, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Bonamici, Suzanne [Rep.-D-OR-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Science, Space, and Technology

 

H.R.5120 — To amend titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act and title 10, United States Code, to provide no-cost coverage for the preventive distribution of opioid overdose reversal drugs; Sponsor: Pettersen, Brittany [Rep.-D-CO-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Armed Services

 

H.R.5123 —To authorize a national program to reduce the threat to human health posed by exposure to indoor air contaminants, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Tonko, Paul [Rep.-D-NY-20]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.Res.374 — A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr. does not have the confidence of the Senate or of the American people to faithfully carry out the duties of his office and should be removed from his position; Sponsor: Alsobrooks, Angela D. [Sen.-D-MD]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2709 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to extend certain telehealth flexibilities under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Scott, Tim [Sen.-R-SC]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2710 — A bill to amend title XI of the Social Security Act to require pharmaceutical and device manufacturers to publicly disclose covered payments made to patient advocacy organizations; Sponsor: Grassley, Chuck [Sen.-R-IA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2715 —A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require hospitals with approved medical residency training programs to submit to the Secretary of Health and Human Services certain information regarding osteopathic and allopathic candidates for such programs; Sponsor: Daines, Steve [Sen.-R-MT]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

H.Res.679 — Honoring Paul Kawata for his unwavering commitment to communities of color, the LGBTQ+ community, and work to end the HIV epidemic; Sponsor: Waters, Maxine [Rep.-D-CA-43]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.R.5126 —To provide funding for programs and activities of the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Waters, Maxine [Rep.-D-CA-43]; Committees: House – Appropriations

 

H.R.5127 —To amend title XXVII of the Public Health Service Act, titles XVIII, XIX, and XXI of the Social Security Act, and title 5, United States Code, to require no-cost coverage of certain HIV prevention services; Sponsor: Waters, Maxine [Rep.-D-CA-43]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means; Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.R.5133 —To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act regarding the patient medication information required to be included in the labeling of prescription drugs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Bentz, Cliff [Rep.-R-OR-2]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5139 —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 establish requirements with respect to cost sharing for epinephrine delivery systems under group health plans and group and individual health insurance coverage; Sponsor: Frost, Maxwell [Rep.-D-FL-10]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Education and Workforce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.5142 —To amend title VIII of the Social Security Act to ensure stability in payments to home health agencies under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Hern, Kevin [Rep.-R-OK-1]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5145 —To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the enhanced premium tax credit, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kiggans, Jennifer A. [Rep.-R-VA-2]; Committees: House – Ways and Means

 

H.R.5158 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act regarding the approval of combination products consisting of a generic drug and a device, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Scholten, Hillary J. [Rep.-D-MI-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5160 — To reauthorize the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Smith, Christopher H. [Rep.-R-NJ-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5162 — To authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to make grants to States to increase awareness and education for colorectal cancer and improve early detection of colorectal cancer in young individuals, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Stevens, Haley M. [Rep.-D-MI-11]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

CDC Director Susan Monarez Fired by Trump Administration – Susan Monarez was fired as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday, less than one month into her tenure as the first Senate-confirmed leader of the U.S. national public health agency. “Susan Monarez is not aligned with the President’s agenda of Making America Healthy Again,” a White House spokesperson said Wednesday night. According to reports, Monarez refused to fire top CDC officials and endorse vaccine policy changes pushed by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. When asked to resign by the White House, Monarez refused. She is now challenging her dismissal, arguing that the termination was not valid because it did not come directly from the President. Several top leaders at the agency resigned immediately following the news of Monarez’s ousting, including Dr. Debra Houry, CDC chief medical officer; Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; Dr. Dan Jernigan, director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases; and Dr. Jennifer Layden, director of the Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance, and Technology. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) stated in a post on X that “these high-profile departures will require oversight by the HELP Committee.” HHS Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill has been named the acting director of the CDC. O’Neill served at HHS during the George W. Bush administration and is the former CEO of the Thiel Foundation.

 

FDA Rescinds EUAs for Covid-19 Vaccines – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revoked the remaining emergency use authorizations (EUAs) for Covid-19 vaccines on Wednesday. While individuals between the ages of six months and 65 years at higher risk of severe disease from Covid-19 will still be able to obtain immunization, the shots will no longer be as easily accessible for all Americans.  Younger people without a pre-existing condition who wish to be vaccinated against Covid-19 will need to first consult with their doctors to determine whether the vaccine’s off-label use is medically appropriate. For those at higher risk of severe disease, the FDA has issued marketing authorization for Moderna’s vaccine for those six months and older, Pfizer’s vaccine for those five years and older, and Novavax’s vaccine for those 12 years and older.

 

ACIP to Meet September 18-19 – The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has scheduled its next meeting for September 18 and 19. The agenda includes discussions of Covid-19 vaccines; the Hepatitis B vaccine; the measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (MMRV) vaccine; and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).  Senate HELP Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) has called for the meeting to be indefinitely postponed following the recent shakeup to CDC leadership and changes to the nation’s vaccine policies. CDC Director Susan Monarez was fired on Wednesday, the same day the FDA acted to limit approval of Covid shots to a smaller population of people. “Serious allegations have been made about the meeting agenda, membership, and lack of scientific process being followed for the now announced September ACIP meeting,” Cassidy said in a statement. “These decisions directly impact children’s health, and the meeting should not occur until significant oversight has been conducted. If the meeting proceeds, any recommendations made should be rejected as lacking legitimacy given the seriousness of the allegations and the current turmoil in CDC leadership.”

 

RFK Jr. to Testify Before Senate Finance on Thursday – HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will testify before the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday. The HHS Secretary’s appearance before the panel, which was planned before last week’s changes to CDC leadership, will focus on the President’s 2026 health care agenda. It will be lawmakers’ first opportunity to question Kennedy face to face since May, when he testified before appropriators about the department’s fiscal year 2026 budget request. Sen. Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.), who has expressed concerns about recent moves at HHS, is a member of the Finance Committee.

 

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

House Appropriations Subcommittee markup of Fiscal Year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Bill; 5:00 p.m.; September 2

 

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing “Examining Opportunities to Advance American Health Care through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Technologies;” 10:15 a.m.; September 3

 

Senate Finance Committee open executive session to consider favorably reporting the nomination of Gustav Chiarello III, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Honorable Michael Stuart, of West Virginia, to be General Counsel of the Department of Health and Human Services; 9:30 a.m.; September 4

 

Senate Finance Committee hearing “The President’s 2026 Health Care Agenda;” 10:00 a.m.; September 4

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.Res.662 — Expressing support for the designation of the week of August 25 through August 31, 2025, as “Black Breastfeeding Week”; Sponsor: Adams, Alma S. [Rep.-D-NC-12]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5023 —To amend title 18, United States Code, with respect to attempted murder and the trafficking of fentanyl; Sponsor: Lawler, Michael [Rep.-R-NY-17]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.5027 —To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to deem adulterated food containing certain color additives, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Meng, Grace [Rep.-D-NY-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5031 —To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to temporarily provide for long-term care pharmacy supply fees in connection with the dispensing of certain drugs; Sponsor: Van Duyne, Beth [Rep.-R-TX-24]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.5032 —To amend the Controlled Substances Act to permanently schedule the class of benzimidazole-opioids known as nitazenes, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Vindman, Eugene Simon [Rep.-D-VA-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Judiciary

 

H.R.5039 — To amend title 17, United States Code, to provide an exception for circumvention for the diagnosis, maintenance, or repair of a powered mobility assistance device, to require original equipment manufacturers of powered mobility assistance devices to make available certain documentation, diagnostic, and repair information to independent repair providers and consumers, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Frost, Maxwell [Rep.-D-FL-10]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Judiciary

 

H.R.5040 – To direct each Secretary of a military department to conduct a review and update of any online information relating to suicide prevention or behavioral health. Sponsor: Hayes, Jahana [Rep.-D-CT-5]; Committees: House – Armed Services

 

H.R.5043 — To repeal certain portions of An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14; Sponsor: Krishnamoorthi, Raja [Rep.-D-IL-8]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce; Agriculture

 

H.R.5045 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a grant program to facilitate research regarding the use of generative artificial intelligence in health care, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Lieu, Ted [Rep.-D-CA-36]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.5052 — To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Labor to conduct a study and issue a report on grant programs to support the nursing workforce; Sponsor: Nunn, Zachary [Rep.-R-IA-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Education and Workforce

HHS to Establish New Healthcare Advisory Committee/Seeks Applicants – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the establishment of the new Healthcare Advisory Committee last week. The Committee will be charged with making recommendations directly to the HHS Secretary on improving how care is financed and delivered across Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and the Health Insurance Marketplace. “This is a moment for action,” said Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz, MD. “This committee will help us cut waste, reduce paperwork, expand preventive care, and modernize CMS programs with real-time data and accountability, all while keeping patients at the center. We are calling on experts across the country to join us in this effort to help us Make America Healthy Again.” The administration is inviting individuals with expertise in chronic disease prevention and management, federally administered health care financing, and delivery system reform to apply to serve on the committee by September 22. According to HHS, the new panel will focus on:

• Actionable policy initiatives to promote chronic disease prevention and management;
• Opportunities for a regulatory framework of accountability for safety and outcomes that reduces unnecessary red tape and allows providers to focus on improving patient health;
• Levers to advance a real-time data system, enabling a new standard of excellence in care, rapid claims processing, rapid quality measurement, and rewards;
• Structural opportunities to improve quality for the most vulnerable in the Medicaid program; and
• Sustainability of the Medicare Advantage program, identifying opportunities to modernize risk adjustment and quality measures to assess and improve health outcomes.

 

Texas’ Doggett, Roy Announce Retirements from Congress – Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) announced last week that he will not seek reelection in 2026 if Republicans in the Texas state legislature proceed with their plans to redistrict. Doggett would face Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas) in the race for the state’s 35^th Congressional District under the redrawn map.  Doggett, 78, has served in the House of Representatives since 1995 and currently serves as Ways and Means Health Subcommittee ranking member. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) has launched a bid for Texas attorney general. Roy, a prominent member of the House Freedom Caucus, has served in Congress since 2019. He is a member of the Judiciary, Rules, and Budget committees.

 

New Analysis Details HHS Reductions in Force – A new analysis from ProPublica examining cuts to federal health agencies found that over 20,500 HHS employees or 18% of the HHS workforce – have been lost since January. This includes 15% of staff at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 16% of staff at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and 21% of staff at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The report further details cuts to FDA regulators, vaccine regulators, CDC scientists, chronic disease experts, NIH research staff, and infectious diseases researchers.

 

Ranking Member of the House Education and Workforce Committee Bobby Scott (D-Va.) sent a letter to Chair Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) on Wednesday to follow up on a previous request for an oversight hearing on the administration’s proposed HHS reorganization and related layoffs at the Department.  “We have not yet received comprehensive information from HHS regarding the impacts of the proposed reorganization and the reductions in force undertaken by the Department,” Rep. Scott wrote. “These actions threaten the core functions of essential programs.”

 

HHS Launches New MAHA Website – HHS has launched a new webpage to track the Trump administration’s progress on the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda. The online tool specifically highlights actions taken by HHS related to the first MAHA report, petroleum-based food dyes, Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) standards, Operation Stork Speed, the cause of autism, trust in vaccine safety, dietary guidelines, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) reform, and efforts to bring radical transparency to the department. The website also includes an interactive map of new MAHA aligned state policies along with details on Secretary Robert F. Kennedy’s tour across the nation.

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.Res.656 — Condemning the tragic act of gun violence on July 28, 2025, in New York City that led to one of the deadliest mass shootings in the city’s history, and calling for stronger, comprehensive Federal action to prevent gun violence nationwide; Sponsor: Goldman, Daniel S. [Rep.-D-NY-10]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.Res.657 — Affirming the President’s promise not to raise the Social Security and Medicare retirement age; Sponsor: Kaptur, Marcy [Rep.-D-OH-9]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4977 —To identify and address barriers to coverage of remote physiologic devices under State Medicaid programs to improve maternal and child health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum women. Sponsor: Frankel, Lois [Rep.-D-FL-22]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4979 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to award grants to States to implement a tick identification pilot program; Sponsor: Gottheimer, Josh [Rep.-D-NJ-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4980 — To establish a comprehensive national vector-borne disease prevention system; Sponsor: Gottheimer, Josh [Rep.-D-NJ-5]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4981 — To provide for the issuance of a Lyme Disease Research Semipostal Stamp; Sponsor: Gottheimer, Josh [Rep.-D-NJ-5]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4991 — To prohibit the disposition of a firearm to, and the possession of a firearm by, an adult who, while a juvenile who had attained 15 years of age but not 18 years of age, committed an offense that would have been a felony if committed by an adult; Sponsor: Van Duyne, Beth [Rep.-R-TX-24]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.4993 — Joe Fiandra Access to Home Infusion Act of 2025; Sponsor: Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [Rep.-R-PA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

H.R.5003 — Equal Treatment of the District of Columbia Under the Rural Health Transformation Program Act of 2025; Sponsor: Norton, Eleanor Holmes [Del.-D-DC-At Large]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

Doc Caucus Recommends USPSTF Reforms – Members of the GOP Doctors Caucus have sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) calling for a complete overhaul of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The letter, led by Rep. Diana Harshbarger, Pharm.D. (R-Tenn.) and Doc Caucus co-chair Rep. Greg Murphy, M.D. (R-N.C.), argues that the USPSTF has “allocated substantial attention to divisive social issues,” such as race and gender identity, “that extend beyond traditional clinical parameters.” The lawmakers also raise concerns related to USPSTF’s structure, including the lack of a mandate for the Task Force to be comprised of any specialty, resulting in the task force making recommendations in medical fields in which they have no practical knowledge. The Caucus recommends the creation of such a mandate, full transparency in how USPSTF’s decisions are made, and a renewed focus on public health outcomes rather than social issues.

 

House Democrats Raise Concerns with WISeR Model – A group of 17 Democrats in the House of Representatives have sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requesting more information about the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) Model. The model will allow for expanded use of prior authorization in the traditional Medicare program. The letter, led by Reps. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) and Ami Bera, MD (D-Calif.), expresses concerns that WISeR will “likely limit beneficiaries’ access to care, increase burden on our already overburdened health care work force, and create perverse incentives to put profit over patients.” The model is set to begin on January 1, 2026, and run for six performance periods. It will apply to a list of outpatient procedures identified as vulnerable to fraud, waste and abuse, or inappropriate use for providers and patients in New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, and Washington. The letter highlights how the Trump administration has publicly recognized the problems with prior authorization and secured pledges from health insurers to curtail abuses of the practice. The lawmakers request a response from CMS with details about the model’s scope, implementation, and beneficiary safeguards by September 1.

 

President Signs Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Resiliency Order – President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that aims to ensure a resilient domestic supply chain for essential medicines by filling the Strategic Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Reserve (SAPIR) with critical drug components. The order directs the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) to develop a list of approximately 26 “critical drugs vital to national health and security” and to then fill the reserve with a six-month supply of the active pharmaceutical ingredients necessary to produce those medications. President Trump established the SAPIR during his first term amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week’s executive order also instructs ASPR to develop a proposal for opening a second SAPIR repository to further enhance pharmaceutical supply chain resilience.

 

RFK Jr. Revives Vaccine Safety Task Force – HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the reinstatement of the Task Force on Safer Childhood Vaccines last week. The task force was first established in 1986. It was charged with promoting the development of effective immunizations that produce fewer serious adverse events and providing a related report to Congress every two years. The task force was disbanded in 1998 after issuing a report containing vaccine safety recommendations. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya, MD will lead the revived task force, which will also include participation by leadership from the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “By reinstating this task force, we are reaffirming our commitment to rigorous science, continuous improvement and the trust of American families,” Dr. Bhattacharya said in a statement. “NIH is proud to lead this effort to advance vaccine safety and support innovation that protects children without compromise.” HHS has not provided further information about the membership of the task force, which will collaborate with the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines in the development of its recommendations.

 

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups  

Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee field hearing “Separating Fact from Fiction: Exploring Alternative Therapies for Veterans’ Mental Health;” Montevallo, AL; 12:00 p.m.; August 22

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation      

H.Res.641 — Expressing support for community health centers during National Health Center Week, August 3 through August 9, 2025, and encouraging all Americans to take part in this week by visiting their local community health center and celebrating the important partnership between America’s community health centers and the communities they serve; Sponsor: Davis, Donald G. [Rep.-D-NC-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4918 — To authorize the Attorney General to carry out a pilot program to make grants to entities to develop gun safety technology, and for other purposes; Sponsor: DeSaulnier, Mark [Rep.-D-CA-10]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.4953 — To authorize a civil right of action for individuals on whom gender-related medical treatment was performed while such individual was a minor, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Mace, Nancy [Rep.-R-SC-1]; Committees: House – Judiciary

 

H.R.4958 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to require notification to the Food and Drug Administration prior to use of substances as generally recognized as safe, reassessment of the safety of certain substances marketed as generally recognized as safe, provide resources for reviews and reassessments, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Pallone, Frank [Rep.-D-NJ-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4960 — BENES 2.0 Act – Sponsor: Ruiz, Raul [Rep.-D-CA-25]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4963 — To provide for the rescheduling of marijuana into schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act; Sponsor: Steube, W. Gregory [Rep.-R-FL-17]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Judiciary

Cassidy, Hassan Raise Concerns about UHG’s Failure to Protect Against Cyberattacks – Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) and Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) have sent a letter to UnitedHealth Group (UHG) regarding the February breach of Episource, a UnitedHealth subsidiary. The data breach impacted at least 5.4 million individuals, and occurred less than a year after the breach of United’s Change Healthcare – the largest breach of health data in U.S. history.  The lawmakers request information about how UHG has responded to the Episource and Change attacks and how it plans to prevent future incidents. “The hack on Episource…raises questions about the company’s commitment to securing protected health information, given the repeated security failures at the company,” the letter states. “The failure to properly secure internal systems is particularly troubling given the wide impact that the Change Healthcare attack had on the health care system.” The senators request a response from the company by August 18.

 

Democrats Urge Pause on WISeR Model – A group of 42 Democrats in the House of Representatives have sent a letter to the administration regarding a new initiative within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center to test the expansion of prior authorization in the traditional Medicare program. The letter, led by Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) raises concerns about the potential impact of the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) model on quality of coverage in Medicare and urges the Innovation Center to immediately pause implementation of the model, which is set to begin on January 1, 2026. “We understand that CMMI has intentionally selected health care services that are reported to have limited clinical value and may be vulnerable to abuse in the Medicare program, and we support efforts to ensure Medicare remains a good steward of taxpayer dollars,” the lawmakers state. “However, the expansion of AI-fueled prior authorization will not improve program integrity in traditional Medicare.”

 

President Signs Order Aimed at Grantmaking Oversight – President Donald Trump signed an executive order (E.O.) on Thursday aimed at improving oversight of federal grantmaking. The E.O. directs federal agencies to designate a senior appointee responsible for creating a process to review new funding opportunity announcements and to review discretionary grants to ensure that they are consistent with the administration’s priorities. The order specifies that awards shall not be used to fund, promote, encourage, subsidize, or facilitate (1) racial preferences or other forms of racial discrimination by the grant recipient; (2) denial by the grant recipient of the sex binary in humans or the notion that sex is a chosen or mutable characteristic; (3) illegal immigration; or (4) any other initiatives that compromise public safety or promote anti-American values. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is the federal government’s largest grantmaking agency; the National Institutes of Health, for example, has historically relied on a peer-review process to determine which research proposals receive funding.

 

FDA Announces End of IV Saline Solutions Shortage – Commissioner of Food and Drugs Marty Makary, MD announced last week that the nationwide shortage of certain IV saline solutions (sodium chloride 0.9% injection products) has officially ended. The products have been in shortage in recent years in the aftermath of Hurricanes Maria and Helene, which impacted manufacturing facilities. “For other IV fluids still in shortage, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working closely with manufacturers and will continue to monitor the supply to help ensure patients have access to the medicines they need,” Dr. Makary stated. “The FDA remains focused on doing all we can to help mitigate shortages and prevent them from occurring. We will continue working diligently to monitor supply levels, anticipate potential disruptions, and support a robust, secure, and transparent supply chain for medical products.”

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.4871 — To provide remedies to members of the uniformed services discharged for not complying with the COVID-19 vaccination mandate. Sponsor: Zinke, Ryan K. [Rep.-R-MT-1]; Committees: House – Judiciary; Armed Services

 

H.R.4858 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to deem adulterated food containing certain color additives, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Meng, Grace [Rep.-D-NY-6]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4855 —To improve the reproductive assistance provided by the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to certain members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their spouses or partners, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Larsen, Rick [Rep.-D-WA-2]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs; Armed Services

 

H.R.4849 — To repeal health-related portions of An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Gray, Adam [Rep.-D-CA-13]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4844 — To establish an occupational safety and health standard to protect farmworkers from wildfire smoke and excessive heat, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Dexter, Maxine [Rep.-D-OR-3]; Committees: House – Education and Workforce

 

H.R.4841 — Stomach Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Act – To require the Director of the National Cancer Institute to conduct a review of the current state of stomach cancer incidence, prevention, screening, awareness, and future public health importance, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Chu, Judy [Rep.-D-CA-28]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Armed Services; Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.4837 —To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to expand a directive of the Veterans Health Administration regarding informed consent to apply to certain types of medications. Sponsor: Bilirakis, Gus M. [Rep.-R-FL-12]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.Res.630 — Recognizing July 28, 2025, as “World Hepatitis Day”. Sponsor: Velázquez, Nydia M. [Rep.-D-NY-7]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.629 — Honoring the life of Dr. Paul Farmer by recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to adopt a 21st-century global health solidarity strategy and take actions to address past and ongoing harms that undermine the health and well-being of people around the world. Sponsor: Schakowsky, Janice D. [Rep.-D-IL-9]; Committees: House – Foreign Affairs; Judiciary

 

S.2673 — A bill to require the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security to improve the transition of medics into the civilian workforce in certain health care occupations and to modify the assistance provided to separated members of the Armed Forces seeking employment with health care providers, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Kelly, Mark [Sen.-D-AZ]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.2665 — A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to provide for notification by manufacturers of critical drugs of increased demand, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Klobuchar, Amy [Sen.-D-MN]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2658 — A bill to require sponsors of drug applications and holders of approved applications to provide certain submissions and communications to the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Sponsor: Hassan, Margaret Wood [Sen.-D-NH]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2650 — A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for the reallocation of unused waivers of the foreign residency requirement for certain J-visa holders. Sponsor: Ernst, Joni [Sen.-R-IA]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.2649 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to release accreditation surveys related to hospitals and psychiatric hospitals and certain information related to such surveys for psychiatric hospitals, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Grassley, Chuck [Sen.-R-IA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2645 — A bill to establish the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Program, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Peters, Gary C. [Sen.-D-MI]; Committees: Senate – Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

 

H.Res.639 — Expressing support for the designation of the week beginning August 3, 2025, as “National Health Center Week”, and encouraging all Americans to take part in the week by visiting their local health center and celebrating the important partnership between America’s community health centers and the communities they serve; Sponsor: Valadao, David G. [Rep.-R-CA-22]; Committees: House – Oversight and Government Reform

 

H.R.4876 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide abortion care, counseling, and related services and medication to certain individuals who receive health care furnished by the Secretary, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Brownley, Julia [Rep.-D-CA-26]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.4882 — To establish a Gun Safety Board, and for other purposes; Sponsor: DeSaulnier, Mark [Rep.-D-CA-10]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4883 — To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish and maintain a local gun violence prevention laws database, and for other purposes; Sponsor: DeSaulnier, Mark [Rep.-D-CA-10]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4886 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for consideration of certain factors under the Veterans Community Care Program, to provide for expedited approval of certain requests for Veterans Care Agreements, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Houchin, Erin [Rep.-R-IN-9]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.4901 — To award a Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the brave women who served in World War II as members of the U.S. Army Nurse Corps and U.S. Navy Nurse Corps; Sponsor: Stefanik, Elise M. [Rep.-R-NY-21]; Committees: House – Financial Services; House Administration

 

H.R.4903 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to carry out, expand, and coordinate programs relating to plastic exposure health research, to authorize grants, contracts, and agreements with respect to such research, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Stevens, Haley M. [Rep.-D-MI-11]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

Appropriations Update – The Senate passed the fiscal year (FY) 2026 Agriculture-Food and Drug Administration (FDA) spending bill on Friday in an 87-9 vote as a part of a minibus package with the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs spending bill for FY 2026. Under the legislation, the FDA would receive $7.1 billion in funding, roughly in line with FY 2025 spending levels. The FY 2026 Labor-Health and Human Services (LHHS) spending bill was advanced by the Senate Appropriations Committee last week in a bipartisan 26-3 vote. The legislation totals $116.6 billion, a $446 million increase in discretionary funding over the current fiscal year. The bill increases funding for the National Institutes of Health by $400 million and maintains funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at current levels. The panel also advanced the FY 2026 Defense spending bill. Together, Defense and LHHS account for approximately two-thirds of federal discretionary spending. The LHHS bill text can be found here, a bill summary here, and the committee- report here.

 

The House of Representatives adjourned for August recess before releasing its FY 2026 LHHS appropriations proposal. House appropriators are currently expected to consider the LHHS bill the first week after reconvening on September 2. Lawmakers will return from their August recess next month with about four weeks to pass legislation to avoid a government shutdown. Without a broader government funding deal, there is a strong likelihood that Congress passes a short-term continuing resolution to extend funding for the federal government beyond September 30.

 

Susan Monarez Confirmed as CDC Director – The Senate confirmed Susan Monarez as Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday in a 51-47 vote.  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. During the first Trump administration, she served as deputy assistant secretary for strategy and analysis at the Department of Homeland Security. Monarez, who has a PhD in microbiology, is the first person without a medical degree to lead the CDC since 1953. She is also the first Senate-confirmed CDC director, following a statutory change made in 2022 requiring approval of the CDC director by the upper chamber.

 

HELP Marks Up Health, Reauthorization Bills – The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a markup of several health-related bills on Wednesday. The panel advanced the following bills unanimously via an en bloc vote:

• The Over-the-Counter (OTC) Monograph Drug User Fee Amendments (S. 2292), to reauthorize the Food and Drug Administration’s authority to collect industry fees and review OTC drugs through October 1, 2030.
• The Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act (S. 2301), to reauthorize three grant programs for preventive screenings, telehealth services, and chronic disease management for underserved populations through 2030.
• The Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act (S. 2398), to reauthorize programs to combat tick- and vector-borne diseases.
• The Uniformed Services Leave Parity Act (S. 1440), to expand leave for U.S. Public Health Service Commission Corps to be on par with other uniformed services.

 

HSGAC Advances Gain of Function Research Oversight Bill – The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) advanced legislation last week to establish a Life Sciences Research Security Board to provide oversight of gain-of-function research. The bipartisan Risky Research Review Act (S. 854) was approved in an 11-2 vote, with Democratic Sens. Andy Kim (N.J.) and Ruben Gallego (Ariz.) voting no. The oversight panel established by the bill would include nine members appointed by the president who serve terms up to eight years in duration. It would be responsible for reviewing research proposals involving enhanced pathogens with pandemic potential. The legislation, which was reintroduced by committee chair Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and ranking member Gary Peters (D-Mich.), was previously advanced by HSGAC last Congress but did not receive a Senate floor vote.

 

Administration Launches Health Tech Ecosystem Initiative – Last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) hosted a “Make Health Tech Great Again” event during which the Trump administration announced commitments by private sector health care and information technology firms – including Amazon, Anthropic, Apple, Google, and OpenAI – to support the creation of a patient-centric health care ecosystem through interoperability and user-friendly apps. The effort will focus on the promotion of a CMS Interoperability Framework to enable information sharing between patients and providers and increasing the availability of personalized health tools for patients.  The event featured the unveiling of voluntary criteria for trusted, patient-centered, and practical data exchange for all network types. CMS also announced plans to add an app library to Medicare.gov to spotlight trusted, personalized digital health tools. A full list of companies who have currently pledged their support for the initiative can be found here. The event followed a May 2025 request for information from CMS and the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy on ways to modernize the nation’s digital health ecosystem which received nearly 1,400 stakeholder responses. It also coincided with the 60th anniversary of the July 30, 1965, establishment of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Further information on CMS’ Health Technology Ecosystem initiative can be found here.

 

President Urges Implementation of Most Favored Nation Pricing – President Donald Trump has sent letters to the CEOs of 17 pharmaceutical companies urging them to lower drug prices and work with him to implement his executive order related to a most favored nation (MFN) drug pricing policy. The President requests the selected pharmaceutical companies to “bring down the prices of prescription drugs in the United States to match the lowest price offered in other developed nations” within the next 60 days through the following steps:

• Extending MFN pricing to Medicaid for all drugs;
• Guaranteeing MFN pricing for newly launched drugs for Medicare, Medicaid and commercial payers;
• Utilizing U.S. trade policy to raise prices internationally for all “foreign freeloading nations” and reinvesting revenues directly into lowering prices for American patients; and
• Participating in direct-to-consumer and/or direct-to-business distribution models for high-volume, high-rebate prescription drugs to ensure MFN pricing.

The letters warn that if companies “refuse to step up” within this time frame, the administration “will deploy every tool in our arsenal to protect American families from continued abusive drug pricing practices.” Merck, Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, AbbVie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Novartis, Gilead Sciences, EMD Serono, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Amgen, Genentech, Johnson & Johnson, GSK, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, and Sanofi received letters from the President.

 

External Experts Cut from ACIP Working Groups – The CDC has informed outside experts that they will no longer be invited to help review vaccine data and develop recommendations for consideration by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). As a result, liaison organizations will not be allowed participate in the private deliberations of the ACIP working group process, though they will still be able to participate in the panel’s open public meetings. Bloomberg Government has reported that the email informing the liaisons of the change characterized the outside groups as biased “based on their constituency and/or population that they represent.”

 

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.4773 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a SNF-at-home program under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Smith, Adrian [Rep.-R-NE-3]; Committees: House – Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4770 — To amend chapter 6 of title 5, United States Code, to provide additional requirements for the periodic review of rules, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Schweikert, David [Rep.-R-AZ-1]; Committees: House – Judiciary; Small Business

 

H.R.4768 — To amend title 10, United States Code, to improve dependent coverage under the TRICARE Young Adult Program; Sponsor: Ryan, Patrick [Rep.-D-NY-18]; Committees: House – Armed Services

 

H.R.4762 — To prohibit the export of drugs and prosthetics to the Russian Federation; Sponsor: Luttrell, Morgan [Rep.-R-TX-8]; Committees: House – Foreign Affairs

 

H.Res.612 — Sponsor: Mast, Brian J. [Rep.-R-FL-21]; Committees: House – Armed Services

 

H.Res.611 — Expressing the importance of accurate information for medical professionals treating pregnant women and their unborn children in the emergency department, and for informing the general public, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Cammack, Kat [Rep.-R-FL-3]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

S.2483 — A bill to provide that members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices may not be terminated except for cause and to require the immediate reinstatement of the members of such advisory committee; Sponsor: Blunt Rochester, Lisa [Sen.-D-DE]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2482 —A bill 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: Heinrich, Martin [Sen.-D-NM]; Committees: Senate – Armed Services

 

S.Res.343 — A resolution recognizing the important work of the United States Preventive Services Task Force; Sponsor: King, Angus S., Jr. [Sen.-I-ME]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2524 — A bill to amend Public Law 119-21 to repeal the prohibition on making payments under the Medicaid program to certain entities; Sponsor: Smith, Tina [Sen.-D-MN]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2521 — A bill to allow participants in the National Health Service Corps to defer their obligated service in order to receive training in palliative care services; Sponsor: Rosen, Jacky [Sen.-D-NV]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2519 — A bill to amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to prohibit the inclusion of medical debt on a consumer report, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Merkley, Jeff [Sen.-D-OR]; Committees: Senate – Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

 

S.2518 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to revise payment for air ambulance services under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Bennet, Michael F. [Sen.-D-CO]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2514 — A bill to authorize appropriation of funds to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for conducting or supporting research on firearms safety or gun violence prevention; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2513 — A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to transparency and reporting regarding over-the-counter drug monograph activities, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kaine, Tim [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2497 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require a separate identification number and an attestation for each off-campus outpatient department of a provider; Sponsor: Hassan, Margaret Wood [Sen.-D-NH]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2496 — A bill 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: Bennet, Michael F. [Sen.-D-CO]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2493 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve matters relating to medical examinations for veterans disability compensation, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Blumenthal, Richard [Sen.-D-CT]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.2491 — A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to improve the regulatory review process to determine the safety and effectiveness of nonprescription drugs intended for topical administration, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Hassan, Margaret Wood [Sen.-D-NH]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2490 — A bill to improve the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program; Sponsor: Kaine, Tim [Sen.-D-VA]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

H.Res.620 — Celebrating the 60th anniversary of Medicaid; Sponsor: Evans, Gabe [Rep.-R-CO-8]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.619 — Supporting the goals and ideals of “Minority Mental Health Awareness Month” and recognizing the disproportionate impacts of mental health conditions and struggles on minority populations and communities; Sponsor: Crockett, Jasmine [Rep.-D-TX-30]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.Res.617 — Supporting the goals and ideals of Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day; Sponsor: Carter, Earl L. “Buddy” [Rep.-R-GA-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4827 — To amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to prohibit the inclusion of medical debt on a consumer report, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Williams, Nikema [Rep.-D-GA-5]; Committees: House – Financial Services

 

H.R.4821 — To authorize the appropriation of funds to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for conducting or supporting research on firearms safety or gun violence prevention; Sponsor: Strickland, Marilyn [Rep.-D-WA-10]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4807 — To amend Public Law 119-21 to repeal certain changes to provider taxes under the Medicaid program; Sponsor: Landsman, Greg [Rep.-D-OH-1]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4805 — To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to conduct a study on the long-term physiological and psychological effects of military aviation veterans who served as aviators in the Armed Forces, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Kiggans, Jennifer A. [Rep.-R-VA-2]; Committees: House – Veterans’ Affairs

 

H.R.4796 — To amend Public Law 119-21 to repeal the prohibition on making payments under the Medicaid program to certain entities; Sponsor: Friedman, Laura [Rep.-D-CA-30]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce

 

H.R.4792 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to revise payment for air ambulance services under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Estes, Ron [Rep.-R-KS-4]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

 

S.2556 — A bill to repeal the changes made by the health subtitle of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Schumer, Charles E. [Sen.-D-NY]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2546 — A bill to provide for an extension of the legislative authority of the National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Foundation to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs; Sponsor: Coons, Christopher A. [Sen.-D-DE]; Committees: Senate – Energy and Natural Resources

 

S.2540 — A bill to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to reauthorize the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Grant Program of the Department of Justice; Sponsor: Whitehouse, Sheldon [Sen.-D-RI]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

 

S.2534 — A bill to improve the reproductive assistance provided by the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to certain members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their spouses or partners, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Murray, Patty [Sen.-D-WA]; Committees: Senate – Veterans’ Affairs

 

S.2531 — A bill 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: Alsobrooks, Angela D. [Sen.-D-MD]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2529 — A bill to increase the clarity and predictability of the process for developing applications for Rx-to-nonprescription switches; Sponsor: Husted, Jon [Sen.-R-OH]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.Res.358 — A resolution honoring the life of Dr. Paul Farmer by recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to adopt a 21st century global health solidarity strategy and take actions to address past and ongoing harms that undermine the health and well-being of people around the world; Sponsor: Markey, Edward J. [Sen.-D-MA]; Committees: Senate – Foreign Relations

 

S.2628 – A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish new payment rules for certain catastrophic specialty hospitals under the Medicare program; Sponsor: Warnock, Raphael G. [Sen.-D-GA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2625 — A bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out certain activities relating to the regulation of independent agents and brokers and third-party marketing organizations under parts C and D of the Medicare program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rounds, Mike [Sen.-R-SD]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2621 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize support for State-based maternal mortality review committees, to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to disseminate best practices on maternal mortality prevention to hospitals, State-based professional societies, and perinatal quality collaboratives, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Capito, Shelley Moore [Sen.-R-WV]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2620 — A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to approval of abbreviated new drug applications; Sponsor: Durbin, Richard J. [Sen.-D-IL]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

 

S.2617 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require that coinsurance for drugs under Medicare part D be based on the drug’s net price and not the drug’s list price; Sponsor: Rosen, Jacky [Sen.-D-NV]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2612 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to include physical therapists and occupational therapists as health professionals for purposes of the annual wellness visit under the Medicare program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Justice, James C. [Sen.-R-WV]; Committees: Senate – Finance

 

S.2587 — An original bill making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Capito, Shelley Moore [Sen.-R-WV]; Committees: Senate – Appropriations

 

S.2575 — A bill to amend title 10, United States Code, to eliminate certain health care charges for members of the Selected Reserve eligible for TRICARE Reserve Select, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Baldwin, Tammy [Sen.-D-WI]; Committees: Senate – Armed Services

 

S.2561 — A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to reform the payment rules regarding skin substitute products; Sponsor: Cassidy, Bill [Sen.-R-LA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

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