Congress

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) will be the ranking Republican on the House Energy & Commerce Committee next year, replacing retiring Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR) and defeating Reps. Michael Burgess (R-TX) and Bob Latta (R-OH), who were also vying for the job.

A bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers unveiled a $908 billion COVID-19 relief package on Tuesday (Dec. 1) -- which Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) alleged was a waste of time as he pushed his own bill -- while House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said that she and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sent a different proposal to House and Senate Republicans and are negotiating with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.

Dozens of groups that represent employers and benefit advisors tell lawmakers that even if they’re unable to reach an agreement to address surprise billing, they should still pass a suite of less-controversial provisions on transparency, drug pricing and other reforms included in the Senate health committee's bipartisan Lower Health Care Costs Act (S. 1985).

The Trump administration must pause any efforts to cut off consumers’ Affordable Care Act subsidies for the 2021 plan year since IRS processing delays have resulted in Americans being wrongfully denied financial assistance, Democratic Sen. Mark Warner (VA) writes in a letter to IRS and CMS.

As coronavirus cases top 170,000 a day, states and providers are looking at a potential omnibus spending bill -- or any other vehicle to keep the government funded -- to implement their COVID-19 relief wish lists, which largely consist of more money for providers and cash-strapped states, many of whom want to see the CARES Act spending deadline extended into next year so they can use funds they already have for vaccine distribution.

The American Hospital Association, American Medical Association and American Nurses Association are pressing the Trump administration to quickly share real-time data on COVID-19 supplies and updates on response efforts with President-Elect Joe Biden’s transition team.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) told reporters Thursday (Nov. 12) he is waiting to see who will become the next House speaker before working across the aisle on another COVID-19 package.

Leaders of the House Cannabis Caucus on Tuesday (Nov. 10) called for lawmakers to support passage of marijuana legislation after House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said the House will vote in December on a bill that aims to remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act -- a move that would take authority away from the Drug Enforcement Administration and potentially put it at least partially into the hands of FDA.

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday (Nov. 10) proposed giving FDA more than $3 billion in discretionary funding for fiscal 2021, a $40 million increase in base funding over fiscal 2020 levels.