On Tuesday, the House voted 368-57 to pass legislation containing $40 billion in military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine. However, the legislation did not make it through the Senate this week, due to a request from Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) that the legislation include a provision designating a federal watchdog to oversee how the funds are spent. This request resulted in Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) scheduling an extra procedural vote to overcome the hurdle. However, despite the roadblock, it is expected that the legislation will pass the Senate early next week.

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a markup on six health bills, including legislation that reauthorizes Food and Drug Administration (FDA) user fees for an additional five years. The current FDA user fees are slated to expire on September 30, 2022. The Subcommittee also voted on legislation that would create the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), which would be an independent agency within HHS that would work to speed up the development of new, life-saving cures for diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s. Additionally, the Subcommittee passed legislation that aims to curtail the nation’s substance use disorder and mental health crises. It is anticipated that the full Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing to mark up these bills on Wednesday, May 18.

The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee is expected to unveil its own version of FDA user fee legislation later this week and will likely consider both user fee and mental health legislation later this month or next. Our summary of the E&C markup can be found here.

On Wednesday, the Senate voted on legislation (S. 4132) designed to codify the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. The Senate voted 49-51, with all Republicans and one Democrat, Joe Manchin (WV), voting against the bill which was authored by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) pushed for the vote after a draft Supreme Court decision leaked last week indicating that a majority of the Justices would vote to overturn the landmark 1973 decision protecting abortion rights. Chief Justice Roberts has confirmed that the draft decision, authored by Justice Samuel Alito, was an authentic draft and called for an investigation into the source of its leak. A final ruling, which could differ from the leaked document, is expected to be released by the Court next month.

On Thursday, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) reintroduced legislation that would establish a Medicare-for-all national health insurance program. The bill would be implemented over a four-year period and includes coverage for hospital services, ambulatory patient services, prescription drugs, mental health services, dental, vision, and hearing. The fact sheet can be found here and the summary can be found here.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that $5 million will be made available for community health centers to increase access to life-saving cancer screenings. The agency said that the funding “supports President Joe Biden’s Unity Agenda and his call to action on cancer screening and early detection as part of the Administration’s Cancer Moonshot initiative to end cancer as we know it.” The notice of funding opportunity can be accessed here.

HHS awarded $16.3 million in grant funding to 31 grantees to improve the telehealth infrastructure of Title X family planning clinics across the U.S. The funds were made available through the American Rescue Plan and were given to the grantees for a 12-month project, beginning on May 15, 2022. Title X clinics have been around for more than 50 years and help low-income and uninsured individuals with family planning, as well as with an array of preventative services. The full list of awardees can be found here. 

Mehlman Castagnetti’s summary of the markup can be found here and the results can be found below:

H.R.7667 Food and Drug Amendments of 2022: To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to revise and extend the user-fee programs for prescription drugs, medical devices, generic drugs, and biosimilar biological products, and for other purposes.

Final Vote Result: Approved, 30 – 0

H.R.7666 Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act of 2022:To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize certain programs relating to mental health and substance use disorders, and for other purposes.

Final Vote Result: Approved, 32 – 0

H.R.7233 Keeping Incarceration Discharges Streamlined for Children and Accommodating Resources in Education Act: To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to provide for requirements under Medicaid State plans for health screenings and referrals for certain eligible juveniles in public institutions; and to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue clear and specific guidance under the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance programs to improve the delivery of health care services, including mental health services, in elementary and secondary schools and school-based health centers.

Final Vote Result: Approved, 32 – 0

H.R.623 Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act 2.0: To require certain civil penalties to be transferred to a fund through which amounts are made available for the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program at the National Institutes of Health, and for other purposes.

Final Vote Result: Approved, Voice Vote

H.R.3771 South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act of 2021: To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for research and improvement of cardiovascular health among the South Asian population of the United States, and for other purposes.

Final Vote Result: Approved, Voice Vote

H.R.5585 Advanced Research Project Agency–Health Act: To establish the Advanced Research Projects Agency–Health, and for other purposes.

Final Vote Result: Approved, Voice Vote

On Wednesday, the Senate voted on legislation (S. 4132) designed to codify the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. The Senate voted 49-51, with all Republicans and one Democrat, Joe Manchin (WV), voting against the bill which was authored by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) pushed for the vote after a draft Supreme Court decision leaked last week indicating that a majority of the Justices would vote to overturn the landmark 1973 decision protecting abortion rights. Chief Justice Roberts has confirmed that the draft decision, authored by Justice Samuel Alito, was an authentic draft and called for an investigation into the source of its leak. A final ruling, which could differ from the leaked document, is expected to be released by the Court next month.

On Thursday, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) reintroduced legislation that would establish a Medicare-for-all national health insurance program. All of the original cosponsors of the legislation joined Sanders on the 2022 bill, including Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). The bill would be implemented over a four-year period and includes coverage for hospital services, ambulatory patient services, prescription drugs, mental health services, dental, vision, and hearing. The fact sheet can be found here and the summary can be found here.

This week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that $5 million will be made available for community health centers to increase access to life-saving cancer screenings. The agency said that the funding “supports President Joe Biden’s Unity Agenda and his call to action on cancer screening and early detection as part of the Administration’s Cancer Moonshot initiative to end cancer as we know it.” In reference to the announcement, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said, “In partnership with National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers, we are giving community health centers in underserved communities funding to provide life-saving cancer detection and referrals to treatment.” The notice of funding opportunity can be accessed here.

On Tuesday, HHS awarded $16.3 million in grant funding to 31 grantees to improve the telehealth infrastructure of Title X family planning clinics across the U.S. The funds were made available through the American Rescue Plan and were given to the grantees for a 12-month project, beginning on May 15, 2022. Title X clinics have been around for more than 50 years and help low-income and uninsured individuals with family planning, as well as with an array of preventative services. The full list of awardees can be found here. 

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee - Hearing

Full Committee Hearing: "Cybersecurity in the Health and Education Sectors."

Wednesday, May 18 at 10:00 AM ET

House Committee on Appropriations - Hearing

Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Hearing: FY 2023 Budget Request for the Department of Labor

Tuesday, May 17 at 10:00 AM ET

House Committee on Appropriations - Hearing

Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Hearing: FY23 VA Electronic Health Record Modernization Budget Hearing

Tuesday, May 17 at 10:30 AM ET

House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis - Hearing

Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis Hearing: Hybrid Hearing on "Underpaid, Overworked, and Underappreciated: How the Pandemic Economy Disproportionately Harmed Low-Wage Women Workers"

Tuesday, May 17 at 12:30 PM ET