This Week in Washington: All Efforts Are on Funding the Government Through the Rest of the Fiscal Year

Congress

House

House Passes Short-Term Funding CR

On Dec. 14, the House of Representatives passed a short-term funding bill to avoid a government shutdown since the existing Continuing Resolution would run out on Dec. 16. The Senate passed the short-term CR on Dec. 15. The federal government is now funded until Dec. 23.

In the House, nine Republicans voted with Democrats in supporting the measure after GOP leadership urged Republican members to oppose the short-term CR. 

It is hoped that the language for the CR to fund the federal government through the rest of the fiscal year will be released Dec. 19.

House Passes Bipartisan Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022

On Dec. 2, the U.S. House passed the Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022 with a 390-26 vote. The bipartisan bill will reauthorize the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program for an additional five years. The bill will specifically increase funding for services that support new parents and their children from pregnancy through kindergarten, with in-home support that has been shown to improve maternal and child health, family safety, family stability, child development and school readiness. It will also update the MIECHV Program to improve outcomes for families, state accountability and access to MIECHV funds.

For more information, click here.

Senate

Senators Push Legislation to Preserve Provider Bonus Payment

On Dec. 15, Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and John Barrasso (R-WY) introduced “the Preserving Access to Value-Based Care Act” to save the bonus that goes away in 2023 for providers. The 5 percent bonus went to providers who agreed to sign up in an alternative payment model.

Read more on healthcare policy in McGuireWoods Consulting’s Washington Healthcare Update.