Senate Steers Toward Summer Break - With the House already on August recess, the Senate will consider several of President Trump’s nominees, including Gustav Chiarello III to be an assistant secretary of the US Department of...more
Two long weeks until August recess - This is the last week with both chambers in session until September, and things are relatively slow as lawmakers count down the days to the month-long August recess. With reconciliation...more
THIS WEEK’S DOSE - - OBBBA implementation begins. While the administration focuses on implementing the new law, some lawmakers are already discussing adjustments to health provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act...more
THIS WEEK’S DOSE - - President Trumps signs OBBBA into law. After months of debate, Congress passed and President Trump signed H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), into law on July 4, 2025. - Senate HELP...more
Staff from U.S. Senate committees held meetings with the Senate parliamentarian over the weekend of June 20-22, 2025, to complete the "Byrd bath," a process by which committee staff make their case to the Senate...more
The U.S. Senate will likely release additional sections of the reconciliation package this week. It is unlikely the Senate Committee on Finance, which has jurisdiction over Medicaid, will hold a markup on its portion of the...more
Congress is back from recess this week, and focus is on the Senate’s consideration of the House-passed reconciliation bill. Much of this work – for example, ensuring that provisions are consistent with the Byrd Rule – will be...more
THIS WEEK’S DOSE - - House Passes Reconciliation Package. The package now moves to the Senate, where substantive changes, including in healthcare, will likely be made. - HHS Secretary Kennedy, FDA Commissioner Makary...more
MAHA and More Medicaid - Late Sunday night, May 18, 2025, the House Budget Committee voted to advance the reconciliation package drafted by the Energy and Commerce Committee and Ways and Means Committee last week. The four...more
Reconciliation Hits a Speedbump - As of May 6, 2025, it will not be what was anticipated on Capitol Hill. Multiple committees, including the House Energy and Commerce Committee, reportedly had planned to spend this week...more
THIS WEEK’S DOSE - - House Committees Begin Reconciliation Markups. Non-health-related committees moved forward this week, with the House Energy and Commerce Committee tentatively scheduled to mark up its legislative text in...more
Reconciliation Watch - Reports indicate that the Senate will move as soon as Wednesday to begin advancing a unified budget plan. The Senate hopes to be able to advance the budget resolution by having the two chambers...more
Key Nominations Move Forward. The Senate Finance Committee advanced Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Jr.’s nomination to lead the US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) in a 14 – 13 vote along party lines. The nomination now...more
A lot has happened in the last three weeks, so here’s a high-level recap: Congress successfully, albeit rockily, passed a continuing resolution that will fund the government through March 14, 2025. That legislation...more
The incoming Trump Administration made several decisions and announcements in the first week of the lame duck session, including announcing his nominee for Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)....more
Congress Returns for Lame Duck Session. The House and Senate returned this week, kicking off the post-election lame duck session. The focus this week was not on legislating, but on organizing for the upcoming 119th Congress,...more
Election Day 2024 has come and gone. Republicans have all but officially achieved a trifecta – control of the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives. Both the House and Senate return today for the lame duck...more
Republicans Win Control of White House and Senate, Seem Poised to Maintain Control of House. Former President Donald Trump will return to the White House, and Republicans also gained control of the Senate. Some toss-up House...more
Donald Trump will be the 47th President of the U.S. Not since 1892 has a President been elected to two non-consecutive terms, and his victory has helped Republicans pick up several critical seats in Congress. Senate...more
One More Week Until Election Recess - The House and Senate are in Washington, DC, for one more week before leaving until after election day. Over the weekend, congressional leaders struck a deal on a continuing resolution...more
Senate HELP Committee Marks Up Public Health Program Reauthorizations. The bills would reauthorize several programs related to older adults, individuals with developmental disabilities and individuals with traumatic brain...more
Senate Staying Busy The House has started its August recess, so members are out until September 9, 2024. The Senate is in session, before joining the House in recess next week. The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor...more
House Ways & Means Health Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Value-Based Care. The hearing examined the challenges and opportunities associated with delivering better health outcomes and Medicare savings through value-based care....more
Senate Finance Committee Holds Hearing on Disability Benefits. The hearing discussed ways to improve work incentives for those on Social Security disability programs. Senators and witnesses noted that there are currently...more
House Energy & Commerce Committee Advances 13 Health Bills. The bipartisan legislation dealt with public health, Medicaid fraud and some small telehealth bills, but not the Medicare extension legislation that the committee is...more