WASHINGTON WIRE
March 6, 2009
Issue 192
PRESIDENT OBAMA TAPS SEBELIUS FOR HHS AND DEPARLE FOR WHOHR
Congress Extends CR Until Wednesday; Senate to Vote on Amendments to Omnibus
White House Hosts Healthcare Reform Summit
House Democrats Introduce Legislation to Counteract Supreme Court Medical Device Decision
House Committee Passes Series of Public Health Bills
Top Story
PRESIDENT OBAMA TAPS SEBELIUS FOR HHS AND DEPARLE FOR WHOHR
On Monday, March 2, President Obama announced his administration's selection of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D) as the next chief of HHS. Sebelius' selection came on the heels of Secretary-designate Tom Daschle's withdrawal of his nomination because of tax issues. Daschle was also selected to heard the new White House Office of Health Reform, but that post will now be held by former Clinton official Nancy Ann DeParle.
Stakeholders were concerned that Daschle's withdrawal could delay healthcare reform. But advocates in DC publicly praised the choice of Sebelius and DeParle, and the White House and key Democratic leaders in Congress are continuing to push for healthcare reform legislation in 2009. The latest indications point to a potential bill this summer, possibly as early as June.
Senate Finance Chair Max Baucus (D-MT) has called for a series of healthcare reform hearings that would wrap up in June, and last year he released a White Paper that outlined his plan for reform. Baucus is also convening a set of working groups made up of healthcare stakeholders that would provide feedback to Congressional staff. Healthcare reform champion Senator Ted Kennedy staff has been meeting with stakeholders twice weekly over the last few months.
It is unclear when the Senate health and finance committees will hold confirmation hearings for Sebelius.
Health Care News
Congress Extends CR Until Wedneday; Senate to Vote on Amendments to Omnibus
On Friday, March 6, Congress extended through Wednesday, March 11, a continuing resolution funding several federal agencies, including the Department of Labor and Health and Human Services. The resolution was scheduled to expire at midnight on Friday, and by mid day it was clear the Senate lacked the votes to pass an omnibus that would provide funding to the agencies for the remainder of 2009.
The House passed the $410 billion omnibus package (H.R. 1105) last month, but the bill has faced fierce resistance in the Senate because of earmarks attached to the package. Because of that resistance, the Senate agreed to consider a series of amendments to the spending bill early next week.
If the omnibus package is changed, the fate of the bill in the House is unclear. Lawmakers spent much of January hashing out an agreement on the omnibus, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi indicated that the House might extend the CR for the remainder of FY 2009 if the bill was changed from that agreement.
White House Hosts Healthcare Reform Summit
On Thursday, March 5, the White House hosted a summit on healthcare reform, bringing together over 100 lawmakers and leading healthcare advocates to share their priorities for reform. President Obama reiterated a commitment to produce legislation for reform this year, saying it was a moral and fiscal imperative.
Stakeholders committed to working with the White House, Congress and each other to ensure that healthcare reform becomes a reality. For his part, Obama told advocates that reform could not solely be about expanding coverage, but had to also encompass cost cutting measures.
On Friday, Obama announced a series of Regional White House Forums on Health Reform that will bring the conversation about health care reform directly to communities across the country. The forums will be an opportunity for citizens and stakeholders from all states to share their ideas for reform.
House Democrats Introduce Legislation to Counteract Supreme Court Medical Device Decision
On Friday March 6, Representatives Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, introduced a bill responding to a controversial U.S. Supreme Court 2008 decision immunizing medical device companies from lawsuits in certain situations.
The 2008 decision blocks some lawsuits brought by patients who are injured by certain medical devices. In Riegel v. Medtronic, Inc., the Court found that certain claims are preempted by the Medical Device Amendments of 1976 (MDA). The Medical Device Safety Act of 2009 reverses that decision.
Last month, Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee, and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced a companion bill.
House Committee Passes Series of Public Health Bills
On Wednesday March 4, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved a series of public health bills, including legislation that would authorize increased funding for research, education, and training related to chronic pain. The National Pain Care Policy Act of 2009 (H.R. 756) was passed by the House last year.
The committee passed several other health bills which were passed by the House last year, including:
- the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act (H.R. 307), which would increase paralysis research;
- the Vision Care for Kids Act of 2009 (H.R. 577), which would establish a children's vision care grant program;
- the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act (H.R. 20), which would support research on postpartum depression and psychosis; and
- the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act of 2009 (H.R. 1246), which would improve children's hearing screenings.
Upcoming Events
Hearings
Monday, March 9
Preventing Worker Exploitation
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
Full Committee Hearing
2:30 p.m., 430 Dirksen Bldg.
Tuesday, March 10
Fiscal 2010 Budget: Health Care Proposals
Senate Finance Committee
Full Committee Hearing
10 a.m., 215 Dirksen Bldg.
Health Care Overhaul
House Energy and Commerce - Subcommittee on Health
March 10, 10 a.m., 2123 Rayburn Bldg.
Strengthening Employer-Based Health Care
House Education and Labor - Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions
10:30 a.m., 2175 Rayburn Bldg.
Wednesday, March 11
Health Care Revision Proposals
House Ways and Means Committee
Full Committee Hearing
10:30 a.m., 1100 Longworth Bldg.
Thursday, March 12
Health Care Workforce Issues
Senate Finance Committee
Full Committee Hearing
10 a.m., 215 Dirksen Bldg.
For More Information
For further information on any topics discussed or publications listed, or to get copies of anything mentioned in this alert, please call (202) 466-6550 and ask for the Legislative Practice Group.
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