This Week in Washington: President Biden Reiterates Healthcare Priorities and Announces Initiatives in his State of the Union Address Congress House Appropriations Update The current continuing resolution (CR) funding the government expires on March 11. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) announced that the House expects to consider an omnibus appropriations bill by March 8. Members were still discussing programmatic funding levels, having already agreed on “top-line” numbers for the different functions of the government.…

This Week in Washington: President Biden Selects Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to Nominate to the Supreme Court Congress House Rep. McMorris Rodgers and Sen. Burr Oppose Additional $3 Billion for HRSA’s Uninsured Program On Feb. 22, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) wrote to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra regarding the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) uninsured program, which is used to reimburse providers…

This Week in Washington: Robert Califf Confirmed as FDA Commissioner Congress The House is in a district work period this week. The Senate is in a state work period this week. Senate Short-Term Continuing Resolution Passes Senate and is Signed by the President On Feb. 18, President Biden signed a short-term continuing resolution (CR), averting a government shutdown and funding the government through March 11. The House had passed the measure several weeks ago, but it…

This Week in Washington: Continuing Resolution Moves Forward and Senate Sets Up Vote on FDA Commissioner Nomination this Week House 70 Republican House Members Call for Unwinding the Public Health Emergency Designation On Feb. 11, House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), leading a group of 70 House Republicans, wrote to President Biden and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, calling on them to accept the COVID-19 pandemic has…

This Week in Washington: House Passes America COMPETES Act   House House Passes COMPETES Act On Feb. 4, the House voted 220-210 to pass the America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing, Pre-Eminence in Technology, and Economic Strength (COMPETES) Act of 2022. The bill aims to increase investment in U.S.-made products and strengthen domestic supply chains. Specifically, the bill would increase the number of critical products at the Strategic National Stockpile, increase monitoring of foreign manufacturing sites…

This Week in Washington: Senate HELP Committee Chair Patty Murray and Ranking Member Richard Burr Release Discussion Draft of Bipartisan Pandemic and Public Health Response Bill The House has a district work period this week. House Bicameral Democratic Health Committee Members Express Support for Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2023 On Jan. 27, members of the Bicameral Democratic Health Committee wrote to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra and Centers for Medicare…

This Week in Washington: President Biden and Speaker Pelosi Open to Moving Pieces of the Build Back Better Act The House has a district work period this week. House Rep. Brady Announces Updated Ways and Means Subcommittee Assignments On Jan. 19, the Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee Kevin Brady (R-TX) released updated subcommittee assignments for the 117th Congress. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) is the new ranking member of the Health Subcommittee…