Week in Brief
Supreme Court Appointments: Senate Judiciary Committee Commences Series of Hearings to Consider Nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to Supreme Court of the United States. For Related News, See:
- Day 1 Video and Member Statements
- Day 2 Video and Member Statements
- Day 3 Video and Member Statements
- Day 4 Video and Member Statements
Veterans’ Health: Senate and House Appropriations Committees Convene Conference Committee Meeting on Minibus Appropriations Package Including Fiscal Year 2019 Energy And Water Development, Military Construction And Veterans Affairs, And Legislative Branch Appropriations Acts. For Related News, See:
- Recap and Statement, and Full Remarks from Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (D-AL)
- Remarks from Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
- Remarks from House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ)
- Remarks from House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY)
- Press Release from Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-VT) on All Three FY 2019 Minibus Appropriations Bills
Affordable Care Act: Oral Arguments Begin in Texas Federal Court Case on ACA Constitutionality. For Related News, See:
- Statement from Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA)
340B: Hospital Groups Re-File Lawsuit Against HHS Regarding Cuts to 340B Drug Discount Program.
Opioids: Senate Agrees to Vote on “The Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018.”
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Tuesday, September 4
Labor, HHS Appropriations: House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY) Releases Statement Regarding Motion to Instruct Conferees to Recede From FY 2019 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Bill.
- Statement from House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) Regarding Announcement of Conferees
- Remarks from House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Regarding Announcement of Conferees
Medicare: House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Health Subcommittee Chairman Peter Roskam (R-IL) Write Three Letters to CMS Administrator Seema Verma Regarding “Red Tape Relief” in Medicare Program.
Veterans’ Health, Chronic Pain: House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Leaders Write Letter to VA Secretary Regarding Use of Medical Cannabis as Alternative Therapy for Veterans with PTSD or Chronic Pain.
Health Care Spending: House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans Publish Blog Post on Drivers of Health Care Costs.
Wednesday, September 5
Medicare: House Ways and Means Committee Holds Full Committee Markup of Several Medicare Bills. For Related News, See:
- Opening Statement from Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA)
- Recap and Statements from Ways and Means Republicans
Health Care: House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Hearing Reviews Five Health Care Bills. For Related News, See:
- Recap from House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Republicans
HHS: House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) Releases Statement Following Republican Committee Members’ Meeting With HHS Secretary Alex.
Opioids: House Energy and Commerce Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Health Subcommittee Chairman Michael C. Burgess (R-TX) Issue Statement Regarding SAMHSA Grant Announcement.
Graduate Medical Education: House Energy and Commerce Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR) and Health Subcommittee Chairman Michael C. Burgess (R-TX) Issue Statement Following Senate Passage of Dr. Benjy Frances Brooks Children’s Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2018.
Thursday, September 6
Nursing Homes: House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Holds Hearing to Examine Federal Efforts to Ensure Quality of Care and Resident Safety in Nursing Homes.
Value-Based Care: House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Announces Hearing on Value-Based Care.
FDA Funding: Senate Names Conferees for Minibus Appropriations Package Including Funding for FDA.
Friday, September 7
Medicaid: House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Advances Six Health Care Bills. For Related News, See:
- Markup Announcement and Bill Summaries
- Recap from House Energy and Commerce Republicans
- Remarks from House Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone
REGULATORY UPDATE
Tuesday, September 4
Traumatic Brain Injury: CDC Releases Guideline to Improve Care of Children with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.
Wednesday, September 5
Chronic Pain: NIH Study Examines High Impact Chronic Pain in U.S.
Behavioral Health: NIH-Funded Study Examines Relationship Between Stress and Neuronal Circuit Development.
Thursday, September 6
Medicare Payment Models: HHS Secretary Alex Azar Remarks on Value-Based Care and Two-Sided Risk in Remarks to Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee.
Heart Health: CDC Vital Signs Report Finds Heart Disease and Stroke Deaths Hitting Middle Age Adults in Large Numbers.
Friday, September 7
Organ Transplantation: HRSA Renews Charter for Advisory Committee on Organ Transplantation.
Behavioral Health and Substance Use: SAMHSA Announces Plans to Reveal Annual, National Survey Data on Mental Health and Substance Use.
EVENTS
NIH
Symposium on Chronic Pain: The Science of Complementary and Integrative Health Approaches
September 11, 2018
Boston Convention and Exhibition Center
415 Summer Street
Boston, MA 02210
Senate Budget Committee
Hearing: An Update on Transparency at the Congressional Budget Office
September 13, 2018, 10:30 AM
608 Dirksen Senate Office Building
SAMHSA
Press Conference and Presentation on New National Survey Data on Mental Health and Substance Use
September 14, 2018, 10 AM
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Hubert H. Humphrey Building, Small Auditorium,
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee
Hearing: Examining Barriers to Expanding Innovative, Value-Based Care in Medicare
September 13, 2018, 1:15 PM
2322 Raymond House Office Building
FDA
Public Workshop: Advancing the Development of Pediatric Therapeutics 5: Advancing Pediatric Pharmacovigilance
September 14, 2018 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
FDA White Oak Campus
10903 New Hampshire Ave. Bldg 31, Room 1503
Silver Spring, MD 20903
Senate HELP Committee
Hearing: Reducing Health Care Costs: Examining How Transparency Can Lower Spending and Empower Patients
September 18, 2018, 10:00 Am
430 Dirksen Senate Office Building
FDA Pediatric Advisory Committee
Meeting
September 20, 2018, 8:30 AM to 4 PM
FDA White Oak Campus
Building 31, Conference Center, the Great Room (Rm. 1503)
10903 New Hampshire Ave
Silver Spring, MD 20993-002
NIH
Meeting: National Advisory Mental Health Council.
September 20, 2018, 9:00 AM to 12:20 PM
National Institutes of Health
Neuroscience Center
6001 Executive Boulevard
Rockville, MD 20852
FDA
Public Meeting: Expanding Access to Effective Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: Provider Perspectives on Reducing Barriers to Evidence-Based Care
September 20, 2018, 9 AM to 4 PM
National Press Club
529 14th St. NW
Washington, DC 20045
For more information about this issue of Power Play: Washington Week in Review or more legislative and regulatory updates, contact the Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville Government Relations and Public Policy group at (202) 466-6550.