{"id":1777,"date":"2025-07-21T13:33:09","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T13:33:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cms.hhs.com\/?p=1777"},"modified":"2025-07-21T13:33:09","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T13:33:09","slug":"appropriations-update-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms.hhs.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/21\/appropriations-update-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Appropriations Update"},"content":{"rendered":"

Appropriations Update \u2013 <\/strong>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\u2019s 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\u2019s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) by $150 million. Full committee markup of the package is scheduled for Wednesday.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Congress Approves President\u2019s Rescissions Request \u2013 <\/strong>Congress voted to approve the Trump administration\u2019s 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 \u2014 Susan Collins (Maine) and Lisa Murkowksi (Alaska) \u2014 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

President Trump Signs Fentanyl Legislation \u2013 <\/strong>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.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Blackburn Calls for Investigation into Online Marketing of GLP-1s \u2013 <\/strong>Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) has sent a letter<\/a> calling on the Federal Trade Committee (FTC) to investigate the online marketing of alternatives to Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved GLP-1 medications.\u00a0 The letter states that \u201cmany 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,\u201d while often failing to disclose precautions, warnings, contraindications, or adverse events. \u201cWhat we are seeing is a growing commercial ecosystem that relies on the fa\u00e7ade of legitimacy, all while sidestepping appropriate regulatory oversight,\u201d Sen. Blackburn asserts. She urges the FTC to initiate a formal investigation to the advertising practices of companies marketing GLP-1 drugs \u2013and to consider enforcement actions where warranted.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bipartisan PBM Reform Package Introduced \u2013 <\/strong>Rep. Buddy Carter, BSPharm (R-Ga.) led the introduction of bipartisan legislation to reform the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) industry.\u00a0 The PBM Reform Act (H.R. 4317<\/a>) 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.).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Democrats Urge Insurers to Protect Vaccine Coverage \u2013 <\/strong>Democratic leadership of the Senate Finance Committee and House Energy and Commerce Committee, Ways and Means Committee, and Education and Workforce Committee wrote<\/a> to the nation\u2019s 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. \u201cSecretary Kennedy\u2019s actions threaten the stability of our nation\u2019s immunization infrastructure, and threaten Americans\u2019 access to all vaccines,\u201d 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. \u00a0The lawmakers request a response to their letter by July 23.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

CBO Examines New Drug Development Scenarios \u2013 <\/strong>The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has issued a new report<\/a> exploring how changes in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and changes in the FDA\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups<\/strong><\/p>\n

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing \u201cEnsuring Patient Safety: Oversight of the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplant System;\u201d 10:15 a.m.; July 22<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

House Ways and Means joint Health and Oversight Subcommittee hearing \u201cMedicare Advantage: Past Lessons, Present Insights, Future Opportunities;\u201d 2:00 p.m.; July 22<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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

 <\/p>\n

House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee markup of legislation, including H.R. 740, Veterans\u2019 Assuring Critical Care Expansions to Support Servicemembers Act; H. R. 3400, the Territorial\u00a0 Response and Access to Veterans\u2019 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\u00a0 Act; H. R. 3494, VA Hospital Inventory Management System Authorization Act; H.R. 3863, VA\u00a0 Mental Health Outreach and Engagement Act; Major Medical Lease Committee Resolution FY25;\u00a0 and Major Medical Lease Committee Resolution PACT Act; 10:15 a.m.; July 23<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Recently Introduced Health Legislation<\/strong><\/p>\n

H.Res.579 \u2014 Supporting the designation of July as Uterine Fibroids Awareness Month; Sponsor: Scott, David [Rep.-D-GA-13]; Committees: House – Energy and Commerce<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4381 \u2014To 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4384 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.Res.322 \u2014 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.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2294 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2292 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2289 \u2014 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 \u2013 Finance<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2287 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2286 \u2014 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 \u2013 Finance<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2285 \u2014\u00a0A 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2279 \u2014\u00a0A 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 \u2013 Finance<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2276 \u2014\u00a0A bill to address patent thickets; Sponsor: Welch, Peter [Sen.-D-VT]; Committees: Senate \u2013 Judiciary<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2275 \u2014\u00a0A 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4417 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4409 \u2014\u00a0To 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4407 \u2014\u00a0To 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4406 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4398 \u2014\u00a0To 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4396 \u2014\u00a0To 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4395 \u2014\u00a0To 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4392 \u2014\u00a0To 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4388 \u2014\u00a0To 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2309 \u2014\u00a0A 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2303 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2302 \u2014\u00a0A 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2301 \u2014 A bill to reauthorize certain programs regarding rural health care; Sponsor: Scott, Tim [Sen.-R-SC]; Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2298 \u2014\u00a0A 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.Res.585 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4473 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4470 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4464 \u2014 To amend the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 respecting the scoring of preventive health savings; Sponsor: Obernolte, Jay [Rep.-R-CA-23]; Committees: House \u2013 Budget<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4453 \u2014\u00a0To 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4445 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4443 \u2014\u00a0To 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4441 \u2013\u00a0<\/em>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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4436 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4435 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4434 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4433 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4425 \u2014To 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2356 \u2014 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 \u2013 Finance<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2355 \u2014\u00a0A 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<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

S.2353 \u2014\u00a0<\/em>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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2348 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2347 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2345 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2340 \u2014\u00a0A 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2339 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2336 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2332 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

S.2329 \u2014 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 \u2013 Finance<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.Res.593\u00a0\u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4545 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4543 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4541 \u2014\u00a0To 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4525 \u2014\u00a0To protect an individual\u2019s 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4518 \u2014\u00a0To 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4517 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4515 \u2014\u00a0To 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4510 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4509 \u2014\u00a0To 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4493 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4492 \u2014\u00a0To 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 \u2013 Judiciary<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4486 \u2014\u00a0To 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4484 \u2014 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<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

H.R.4475 \u2014\u00a0To 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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Appropriations Update \u2013 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\u2019s budget. The National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Subcommittee also advanced its FY 2026 spending … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Appropriations Update”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[13,15],"issue":[],"class_list":["post-1777","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-weekly-policy-briefing","tag-legislative-updates","tag-regulatory-updates"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms.hhs.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1777","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms.hhs.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms.hhs.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms.hhs.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms.hhs.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1777"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cms.hhs.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1777\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1779,"href":"https:\/\/cms.hhs.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1777\/revisions\/1779"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms.hhs.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1777"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms.hhs.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1777"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms.hhs.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1777"},{"taxonomy":"issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms.hhs.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/issue?post=1777"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}