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Week in Brief

Labor, HHS Appropriations:
Senate and House Appropriations Committees Convene Conference Committee Meeting, Reach Final Conference Agreement, and File Conference Report on Defense and Labor, HHS, Education, and Related Agencies Minibus Appropriations Package.
For Related News, See:
  • Press Release, Statement, and Remarks from Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) Regarding Conference Committee Meeting
  • Summary and Statements from Republican Senate Appropriations Committee Leadership Regarding Final Conference Report
  • Statement from Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
  • Summary of Final Conference Agreement from Senate Appropriations Committee Democrats
  • Press Release and Additional Statement from Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
  • Press Release and Statement from House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ)
  • Full Remarks from Conference from House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ)
  • Statement from House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY)
  • List of Top Democratic Priorities in Minibus Package from House Appropriations Committee Democrats
  • Summary of Minibus Package from House Appropriations Committee Democrats
Supreme Court Appointments: Senate Judiciary Committee Considers Nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to Supreme Court of the United States in Executive Business Meeting.

WHITE HOUSE UPDATE

Opioids: White House Issues Presidential Proclamation on Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Tuesday, September 11

Health Legislation: House Energy and Commerce Committee Announces and Postpones Markup of Health Legislation.

Wednesday, September 12
Veterans’ Health: Senate and House Appropriations Conference Committee Reaches Final Conference Agreement, Passes Conference Report 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:
  • Press Release and Commentary from Senate Appropriations Committee Republicans
  • Full Remarks from Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL)
  • Summary of Final Conference Agreement from Senate Appropriations Committee Democrats
  • Press Release and Statement from Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
  • Full Remarks from Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
  • Press Release from Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Jon Tester (D-MT)
  • Press Release and Statement from House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) Prior to Passage
  • Remarks Introducing Conference Report from House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ)
  • Statement from House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) Following Passage
  • Statement on Filing Conference Committee Report from House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY)
  • Statement from House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Subcommittee Ranking Member Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) Regarding VA MISSION Act Funding
  • Summary of Minibus Package from House Appropriations Committee Democrats
  • List of Democratic Priorities Regarding Minibus Package from House Appropriations Committee Democrats
  • Floor Statement from House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY)
  • Statement from House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Phil Roe (R-TN)

Health Legislation: House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) Releases Statement Following House Passage of Legislation on Local Coverage Determinations, Other Committee-Sponsored Health Bills.

Opioids: Senate Leaders Demand Action on Opioid Crisis.
Senate HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) Releases Statement Regarding Upcoming Senate Vote on Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018. Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) Also Releases Statement.
Senate Special Committee on Aging Ranking Member Bob Casey (D-PA) and Senator John Thune (R-SD) Lead Bipartisan Group of Senators in Sending Letter to CMS Regarding Medicare Advantage Coverage for Opioid Addiction Treatment.

Veterans’ and Behavioral Health: Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Jon Tester (D-MT) Writes Letter to VA Secretary Robert Wilkie Regarding Veterans’ Access to Mental Health Care, Suicide Prevention Efforts.

Thursday, September 13
Budget: Senate Budget Committee Holds Hearing on Transparency at Congressional Budget Office. For Related News, See:
  • Press Release and Comments from Senate Budget Committee Chairman Mike Enzi (R-WY)
Pain Management and Behavioral Health: Judiciary Committee Approves Bill Regarding Medical Marijuana Research. For Related News, See
  • Opening Remarks from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA)
  • Press Release and Statements from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL)
  • Opening Remarks from House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerrold Nadler (D-NY)
Medicare: House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Barriers to Expanding Value-Based Care in Medicare. House Energy and Commerce Republicans Provide Recap and Commentary.

REGULATORY UPDATE

Monday, September 10

Traumatic Brain Injury: CDC Issues Final Guideline on the Diagnosis and Management of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Among Children.
Compounded Medicines: FDA Issues Draft Guidance Regarding Federal and State Oversight of Compounded Medicines.

Medicare Advantage: GAO Releases Report on Benefits and Challenges of Medicare Advantage Payment Adjustments Based on Beneficiaries’ Ability to Perform Daily Tasks.

Tuesday, September 11

Precision Medicine: HHS Awards $21 Million to Support Health Center Participation in NIH’s All of Us Research Program.
Wednesday, September 12
ACA: CMS Announces Recipients of 2019 ACA Navigator Grants, Unveils New Exemption for Individual Mandate Penalty.
Pediatrics: FDA Awards $6 Million in Grants to Advance Development of Pediatric Medical Devices.
Substance Use: FDA Announces New Agency Efforts to Address Youth E-Cigarette Use. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb Issues Statement.
Thursday, September 13
 
Brain Research: NIH Announces Findings of Recent Study on Neuron Activity.
Drug Pricing: CMS Administrator Seema Verma Delivers Remarks at Financial Times Pharma Pricing and Value Summit.
Drug Pricing: FDA Issues 42 New Product-Specific Generic Drug Guidance Documents.
Friday, September 14
Substance Use: SAMHSA Releases 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).
Heart Failure: FDA Approves Device for Treatment of Acute Coronary Artery Perforations.

EVENTS

Senate HELP Committee
September 18, 2018, 10:00 Am
430 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Senate Judiciary Committee
September 20, 2018, 9:30 AM
216 Hart Senate Office Building
FDA Pediatric Advisory Committee
September 20, 2018, 8:30 AM to 4 PM
FDA White Oak Campus
Building 31, Conference Center, the Great Room (Rm. 1503)
NIH
September 20, 2018, 9:00 AM to 12:20 PM
National Institutes of Health
Neuroscience Center
FDA
September 20, 2018, 9 AM to 4 PM
National Press Club
CMS
September 26, 2018, 8:30 AM to 4 PM
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Hubert H. Humphrey Building, Room 502A, Conference Room
HRSA
September 26, 2018, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
September 27, 2018, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Senate HELP Committee
September 27, 2018, 10:00 AM
430 Dirksen Senate Office Building
FDA Neurological Devices Panel Advisory Committee
September 27, 2018, 8 AM to 5 PM
Hilton Washington
DC/North, Salons A, B, C, and D
FDA
Public Workshop and Request for Comment
September 27, 2018, 8:30 AM to 6 PM
September 28, 2018, 8 AM to 12:30 PM
FDA White Oak Campus
Bldg. 31 Conference Center, the Great Room (Rm. 1503, sections B and C)

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.

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