The Senate cut short their extended work schedule on Thursday when they finished work on several nominations including some from HHS. They will be out until after Labor Day. When Congress returns in September they will have a long list of items many that must be addressed by the end of the month or at
Last week’s debate and fire on repealing the Affordable Care Act was bookended by two narrow votes of 50 to 51 and 49 to 50 with three senators being the key actors. In between the fewer than a dozen votes cast it became clear that a replacement plan was not possible and any reforms or
On Wednesday, July 26, Congressman Danny Davis (D-IL) sponsored a briefing on trauma and its impact on children. The briefing was supported by Building Community Resilience, Redstone Center at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, and the Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice. The session included remarks by briefing sponsor Congressman
The last week of head-spinning on health care was best represented by the various positions of the President throughout the week. By week’s end the path forward is still uncertain with the Senate parliamentarian delivering the biggest blow Friday night but Senator McConnell (R-KY) determined to vote on Tuesday. The effort to move forward on
The second of the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and Opioid Crisis will be held via teleconference on Monday, July 31, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. EST. The Commission, Chaired by Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ) is behind schedule. It met for the first time on Friday, June 16. The Commission was established to develop interim
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will delay a critical key procedural vote this week after Senator John McCain (R-AZ) announced he would be absent due to a medical procedure. That will not prevent McConnell from trying to get the necessary votes but will likely delay it at least a week. Once the Senate approves
On Thursday, July 13, Roll Call publications sponsored a forum on Fighting the Opioid Crisis. The forum included introductory remarks by David Hawkings, Senior Congressional Editor of Roll Call, David Cordani, President and CEO, Cigna, sponsor of the event, a discussion with Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Congressman Tim Murphy (R-PA), a discussion on current
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) pulled the Better Care Reconciliation Act from a vote during the Republican weekly luncheon last Tuesday, June 27 concerned that the bill would go down to defeat. Once that happened he intensified rounds of negotiations looking at nearly $200 billion in projected savings to try and buy enough support
Senate Majority Leader, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) plans to have a final vote on the Senate majority health bill by the end of this week. The Senate bill, released on Thursday morning, modifies the House bill but for the most part sticks to the same core elements: eliminates the individual mandates, weakens requirements that all
Last Tuesday, June 20, the House of Representatives adopted a series of bipartisan child welfare bills. The five bills were all taken from last year’s Families First legislation that had been adopted by the House last summer. Taken together the bills would speed up placements across state lines, improve regional partnership substance use treatment grants