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Congressional:
Senate Finance Committee Advances Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Nomination for HHS Secretary
On Tuesday, the Senate Finance Committee held a markup on the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), voting to approve the nominee by a 14 to 13 vote. Kennedy won the votes of every Republican, including Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), who had previously stated he was conflicted about his vote. On Thursday night, the Senate voted 52-47 to move to executive session on his nomination, setting up a confirmation vote next week.
House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Illicit Drug Threats
On Thursday, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on combatting existing and emerging illicit drug threats. During the hearing, Health Subcommittee Chair Buddy Carter (R-GA) discussed the need to expand the availability of overdose reversal treatments like naloxone and increase border security to stop illicit fentanyl from entering the US. Ranking Member Diana DeGette (D-CO) pointed to measures from the Trump Administration that would worsen the health care crisis, noting Trump’s rollback of a Biden-era order to lower prescription drug costs, a freeze on biomedical research, and Elon Musk’s government spending cuts. Witnesses at the hearing included physicians, a professor of addiction policy, the vice president of the Major County Sheriffs Association, and a family advocate. Read Chair Carter’s opening statement here, DeGette’s opening statement here, and the witness testimonies here.
House Passes the HALT Fentanyl Act
On Thursday, the House passed the HALT Fentanyl Act (H.R. 27) in a 312 -108 vote. The legislation would permanently classify fentanyl analogues—drugs that are chemically similar to the prescription version of the opioid—as Schedule 1 drugs, the most stringent category under the Controlled Substances Act. The legislation would also modify registration processes for research activities with controlled substances. The bill now heads to the Senate. Read the bill here.
Dr. Oz Meets with Senators on Capitol Hill
On Tuesday, Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), met with senators on Capitol Hill. Oz met with Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Sens. Susan Collins and Steve Daines. The Senate Finance Committee has not yet scheduled a confirmation hearing for Oz. The Office of Government Ethics also has not yet posted Oz's ethics forms or financial disclosures.
House Democratic Health Leaders Ask Comptroller General at GAO to Monitor Implementation of Drug Price Negotiation
On Wednesday, House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ), House Ways & Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA), and House Education & Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) wrote a letter to Eugene Dodaro, Comptroller General at the Government Accountability Office (GAO), requesting the GAO to monitor the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program to ensure the Trump Administration upholds its legal obligation. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) directed the Comptroller General to conduct oversight of the law, including the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. GAO has previously reviewed the program, including the first ten drugs selected for price negotiation. Read the press release here and the letter here.
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden Asks for Answers Following Report of Musk Personnel Seeking Access to Highly Sensitive U.S. Treasury Payment System
Late last week, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) asked for answers from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent following a report that personnel affiliated with Elon Musk have sought access to a highly sensitive Treasury Department payment system. The system, maintained by non-political staff, disperses trillions of dollars annually, such as Social Security and Medicare benefits, tax credits for individuals and businesses, and grants and payments to government contractors. Read his full statement here.
Notable Bills Introduced:
Senate Finance Committee and House Budget Committee Members Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Ensure Medicare Patients’ Access to Cancer Detection Technologies
On Monday, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Finance Committee member Michael Bennet (D-CO), along with Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Finance Committee member Tim Scott (R-SC), reintroduced the Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Screening Coverage Act that would ensure access to cutting-edge tests capable of detecting multiple types of cancer before symptoms appear for Medicare beneficiaries. The bill would allow for MCED tests to be covered by Medicare in a timely manner upon approval by the Food and Drug Administration. Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington reintroduced the companion bill in the House. Read the press release here and the bill here.
Sens. Kennedy, Schmitt Introduce Bill to Add Work Requirements to Medicaid
On Thursday, Sens. John Kennedy (R-LA), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, and Eric Schmitt (R-MO) introduced the Jobs and Opportunities for Medicaid Act. The bill would require “able-bodied” adults without dependents who receive Medicaid benefits to work or volunteer for at least 20 hours per week in order to maintain Medicaid coverage. Read the press release here and the bill here.
Reps. Dingell, Kiggans, McClellan, Miller-Meeks Introduce Bipartisan Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act
On Wednesday, Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Jen Kiggans (R-VA), Jennifer McClellan (D-VA), and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act to reduce and prevent suicide, burnout, and mental and behavioral health conditions among health care professionals. Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Todd Young (R-IN), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Roger Marshall (R-KS) have introduced companion legislation. The bill would reauthorize a grant program for health care organizations and professional associations for employee education on strategies to reduce burnout, peer-support programming, and mental and behavioral health treatment for five years. Read the press release here and bill here.
Sens. Hyde-Smith, Merkley Introduce Bill to Permanently Authorize CDC Office of Rural Health
On Wednesday, Sens. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced legislation to permanently authorize the Office of Rural Health within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The bipartisan Rural Health Focus Act would authorize the CDC Office of Rural Health, which was established in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, and direct the head of the CDC to name a director. Read the press release here and the bill here.
Rep. Smucker Leads Bipartisan Legislation Expanding Primary Care Access
On Wednesday, Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) reintroduced the Primary Care Enhancement Act to expand access to Direct Primary Care (DPC). Reps. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Kim Schrier (D-WA), and Claudia Tenney (R-NY) are co-leads in introducing the legislation, representing bipartisan support from members of the Committees on Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, and Education and Workforce. The legislation would clarify provisions of the Internal Revenue Code to remove barriers for individuals with Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) from using those funds to access DPC. Read the press release here and the bill here.
Reps. Miller-Meeks, Dingell Reintroduce Bipartisan Medicaid Program Improvement Act
On Wednesday, Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI) introduced the bipartisan Medicaid Program Improvement Act, which would improve the accuracy and reliability of address information for Medicaid beneficiaries. The legislation amends Title XIX of the Social Security Act, mandating that state Medicaid programs implement a regular process for verifying and updating beneficiary address information. Read the press release here and the bill here.
Sens. Hassan, Collins, Britt, Smith Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Access to Maternal Health Care
On Tuesday, Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME), Katie Britt (R-AL), and Tina Smith (D-MN) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to support rural health care facilities in providing urgent obstetric care. The Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act would help rural hospitals and doctors handle obstetric emergencies by creating training programs to help non-specialists respond to emergencies like labor and delivery, providing federal grants for rural facilities to buy better equipment, and developing a pilot program for teleconsultation services. Read the press release here and the bill here.
Reps. Garbarino, Schrier, Valadao, Craig Introduce Legislation to Grow Health Care Workforce
On Tuesday, Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) introduced the Health Care Workforce Innovation Act of 2025, co-led by Reps. Kim Schrier (D-WA), David Valadao (R-CA), and Angie Craig (D-MN). The legislation would create a new federal grant program within the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to establish and expand partnerships between Community Health Centers (CHCs) and high schools, vocational-technical schools, community colleges, Area Health Education Centers (AHECs), and other entities. Through these partnerships, the program would support community health centers and rural health clinics in implementing innovative, community-driven models to train and develop a pipeline of allied health professionals. Read the press release here and the bill here.
Sens. Grassley, Welch Introduce Bipartisan Proposal to Extend Medicare Rural Hospital Programs
On Tuesday, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) introduced the bipartisan Rural Hospital Support Act. Specifically, the legislation would permanently extend the Medicare-Dependent Hospital (MDH) program and the Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) program, as well as update the rebasing year for Sole Community Hospitals (SCH) and MDHs to allow hospitals to tie reimbursement estimates to more recent trends in costs. Read the press release here and the bill here.
Reps. Buchanan, Panetta Introduce Bill to Expand Coverage Options for Chronic Disease Treatment and Prevention
On Tuesday, Reps. Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Vice Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and Chair of the Health Subcommittee, and Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) introduced the Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act. The legislation would allow employers who offer high-deductible health plan (HDHP) coverage for their employees the option of including pre-deductible coverage for certain healthcare services that treat common chronic illnesses. The legislation codifies a Trump Administration policy established in 2019. Read the press release here and the bill here.
Reps. Moore, Panetta Reintroduces Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Health Care Savings for Americans
On Tuesday, Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT) reintroduced the bipartisan Health Out-of-Pocket Expense (HOPE) Act. The bill, co-led by Reps. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Adrian Smith (R-NE), and Brad Schneider (D-IL), would create a tax-advantaged account similar to a Roth savings account and provide certain tax advantages and investment options for individuals and families to save for future health care expenses. Read the press release here and the bill here.
Executive Branch:
President Trump Announces Executive Order on Deregulation
Late last week, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) requiring agencies to identify at least ten existing rules, regulations, or guidance documents for repeal whenever they introduce a new one. The EO states that the Director of the Office of Management and Budget will ensure the standardized measurement and estimation of regulatory costs. The order also requires the total incremental cost of all new regulations, including those that are repealed, to be significantly less than zero for the fiscal year 2025. Read the EO here and the fact sheet here.
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