This week in Washington: Reconciliation markups begin.
Need for Continuing Resolution to Fund the Government
On Sept.10, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) stated that he expected the House to act on a Continuing Resolution (CR) the week of Sept. 20. It is expected that the CR would run approximately through Dec. 10. This would provide
On Aug. 31, 2021, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) issued a notice announcing the reorganization of several parts of the agency. This is not the first effort in recent years to reorganize HRSA. On June 3, 2020, the Trump administration issued a notice to make changes to
This week in Washington: House passes budget resolution with compromise, setting up a September deadline for infrastructure bill vote.
House Passes Budget Resolution
On Aug. 24, the House voted 220-212 to pass a $3.5 trillion budget resolution and also advanced a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill. The vote allows Democrats to write and approve the
This week in Washington: Senate passes infrastructure bill; Senate passes budget resolution with reconciliation instructions; Congress enters recess with House members to return Aug. 23.
Senate Passes Infrastructure Bill
On Aug. 10, the Senate voted 69-30 to pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill, with 19 Republicans voting in favor. The path forward for the bill is
The clock is ticking for Congress to reach a deal to raise the federal borrowing limit — the debt ceiling. On July 23, 2021, Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen notified Congress that, as of Aug. 1, the outstanding debt of the United States will be at the statutory limit and the Treasury would use
On Aug. 10, 2021, the Senate passed the infrastructure bill, called the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in a 69-30 vote. The bill will now wait for consideration in the House of Representatives. The total cost of the bill is $1.2 trillion with $548 billion in new spending. The bill reauthorizes the traditional surface
The courts continue to play an important role in health policy. 2020 saw several notable lawsuits related to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Several other Trump administration policies were challenged, including Medicare payment policies, price transparency, how the Medicaid program can change and whether Medicaid beneficiaries can sue over curtailed benefits, and immigration changes affecting
On Monday, Aug. 9, 2021, the Senate Budget Committee released its budget resolution for fiscal year 2022. The bill will serve as the foundation for the broad, sweeping spending bill that Democrats and President Biden hope to pass this fall. The bill aims to fulfill many of the promises made by the administration related to
This week in Washington: House in recess, Senate continues to debate bipartisan infrastructure bill, Senate to pass a budget resolution with reconciliation instructions before they leave for recess.
Bicameral Legislation to Update Food Labeling Introduced
On Aug. 4, Reps. Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
This week in Washington: Senate agrees on infrastructure compromise, budget resolution with reconciliation instructions to be voted on.
76 Members of Congress Request CMS Guidance for States to Extend Postpartum Medicaid Coverage
On July 26, a group of 14 Senate and 62 House members wrote to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator