{"id":1637,"date":"2025-04-14T13:36:16","date_gmt":"2025-04-14T13:36:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cms.hhs.com\/?p=1637"},"modified":"2025-04-14T13:37:52","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T13:37:52","slug":"house-passes-gop-budget-resolution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms.hhs.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/14\/house-passes-gop-budget-resolution\/","title":{"rendered":"House Passes GOP Budget Resolution"},"content":{"rendered":"

House Passes GOP Budget Resolution \u2013 <\/strong>The House of Representatives agreed to the fiscal year 2025 Concurrent Budget Resolution as amended by the Senate (H. Con. Res. 14) on Thursday by a vote of 216-214. The vote allows the budget reconciliation process to proceed. Congressional Republicans must now begin drafting a reconciliation package to advance President Donald Trump\u2019s domestic policy agenda, including tax cuts, energy policy, and border security, while trimming the budget deficit by at least $1.5 trillion. The budget blueprint charges the House Energy and Commerce Committee with finding $880 billion in savings over the next decade, which is expected to necessitate cuts to the Medicaid program. Lawmakers have now returned to their districts for a two-week congressional recess. Both the Senate and the House are scheduled to reconvene on April 28. During the district work period, House Democrats have planned a series of national events in opposition to the GOP budget bill, including a Medicaid Matters Day of Action on April 17.<\/p>\n

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House Budget Committee Reestablishes Health Care Task Force \u2013 <\/strong>House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) has reestablished the panel\u2019s Health Care Task Force and appointed Rep. Blake Moore (R-Utah) as chair. The Task Force was previously led by former Rep. Michael Burgess, MD (R-Texas). This congress, the Task Force plans to focus on the budgetary effects of chronic disease and opportunities to Make America Healthy Again. Members of the Task Force include Reps. Mike Carey (R-Ohio), Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.), Erin Houchin (R-Ind.), Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.), Chip Roy (R-Texas), and Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.).<\/p>\n

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HELP Committee RFK Jr. Hearing Does Not Take Place<\/strong>\u2013 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. did not appear before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee last week to testify about the department\u2019s proposed reorganization and reductions in force. HELP Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) and Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) had requested his attendance at a hearing set for April 10. Spokespersons for HHS have declined to comment on whether the Secretary has a date set to appear before the committee. During his confirmation process, Kennedy committed to coming before the HELP Committee on a quarterly basis upon request from the chair. He is not expected to appear before the committee until after the Senate returns from recess at the end of April.<\/p>\n

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E&C to Reschedule Consideration of Health Bills\u00a0 \u2013 <\/strong>The House Energy and Commerce Committee convened a markup of 26 bills last week, including six bipartisan health care measures. During the markup, committee Democrats offered an amendment to take up and pass the end-of-year legislative package (including a partial Medicare physician fix and 2-year extension of telehealth flexibilities) that was removed from the December 2024 continuing resolution. The amendment failed on a party line vote. The panel did not have time to consider the following health bills due to scheduling conflicts, and plans to reschedule consideration of H.R. 2483, SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization\u00a0Act<\/em>; H.R. 1520, Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act<\/em>; H.R. 2319, Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act<\/em>; H.R. 1669, To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health and Wellness Training Program; H.R. 1082, Shandra Eisenga Human Cell and Tissue Product Safety Act<\/em>; and H.R. 2484, Seniors\u2019 Access to Critical Medications Act<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology\u00a0Releases Final Report<\/strong> \u2013 The National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology released its congressionally mandated final report<\/a> last week. The report\u2019s recommendations are centered on the following pillars: prioritizing biotechnology at the national level; mobilizing the private sector to get U.S. products to scale; maximizing the benefits of biotechnology and defense; out-innovating strategic competitors; building the biotechnology workforce of the future; and mobilizing the collective strengths of allies and partners.\u00a0 The 11-member bipartisan commission led by Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) was mandated as part of the 2022 defense authorization bill.\u00a0Sen. Young said he is already working with the leadership of the Senate Armed Services Committee to include provisions from the report in the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act.<\/p>\n

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Cassidy Raises Concerns About 23andMe Bankruptcy \u2013 <\/strong>Senate HELP Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, MD (R-La.) has sent a letter<\/a> to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressing concerns about the potential sale of 23andMe\u2019s genetic database of over 15 million customers. \u00a023andMe filed for bankruptcy last month, and announced that it intends to sell all of its assets to pay off debts.\u00a0 Sen. Cassidy urges the administration to use its authority through the Committee on Foreign Investment to prevent foreign adversaries from buying the database.\u00a0 \u201cSafeguarding sensitive consumer data is a top goal to protect our national security,\u201d\u00a0Cassidy writes. \u201cChinese companies have already taken steps to collect genetic data across the world that could be used for adverse purposes. These adversaries may similarly seek to acquire 23andMe\u2019s database and potentially use it against Americans.\u201d<\/p>\n

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RAND Releases Report on Current State of Emergency Care \u2013 <\/strong>The RAND Corporation released a new report entitled Strategies for Sustaining Emergency Care in the United States<\/em><\/a>. <\/em>The report assesses the\u00a0current\u00a0<\/em>value of emergency care, evaluates challenges to sustaining emergency care, measures trends in emergency care payment, and identifies alternate funding strategies for emergency care. The authors assert that while emergency departments offer many types of value to different stakeholders across the country, the stresses EDs have faced over the past decade (including the opioid and gun violence epidemics, COVID-19 pandemic, increases in patient acuity and complexity, and declines in payment) put the viability of emergency care at risk.\u00a0The report includes the following recommendations:<\/p>\n