WASHINGTON WIRE
March 13, 2009
Issue 193
CONGRESS PASSES, PRESIDENT SIGNS FY 2009 FUNDING PACKAGE
House Democratic Chairmen Tell Obama They Will Meet Summer Healthcare Reform Deadline
White House Announces Dates for Healthcare Reform Regional Summits
White House Announces Comparative Effectiveness Council
Obama Rumored to Choose Margaret Hamburg as FDA Chief
Top Story
CONGRESS PASSES, PRESIDENT SIGNS FY 2009 FUNDING PACKAGE
On March 11, President Obama signed a $410 billion omnibus package funding several federal agencies for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2009, just hours before a continuing resolution funding the agencies at 2008 levels was set to expire. After a contentious debate over the amount of earmarks attached to the appropriations bill, the Senate eventually cleared the bill on March 10 by a vote of 62-35. The House approved the bill late last month.
The spending package includes $66.3 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Health and Human Services, a 3% increase from 2008. The HHS funding includes just over $30 billion for NIH; $171 million for Title VIII nursing workforce development programs; $75 million for state health access grants; $43.5 million for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology; and $39.2 million for rural flexibility grants.
As Congress finally ends the consideration of the delayed FY 2009 appropriations, lawmakers are gearing up for a fiercer battle over the 2010 budget. President Obama released a summary of his request earlier this month, and representatives on both sides of the aisle are already taking aim at some of the President's proposed cuts.
Health Care News
House Democratic Chairmen Tell Obama They Will Meet Summer Healthcare Reform Deadline
On Wednesday, March 11, Democratic Representatives Henry Waxman (CA), Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Charles Rangel (NY), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and George Miller (CA), Chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, wrote to President Obama that they planned to bring health reform legislation to the House floor before the August recess. At a health reform summit earlier this month, Obama signaled that he wanted Congress to vote on health reform legislation by the recess.
"Our intention is to bring similar legislation [to the Senate] before our committees and to work from a harmonized approach to ensure success," the chairmen wrote. The House Democratic leaders also pledged to work to gain bi-partisan support for the bill. A range of leading healthcare stakeholders and lawmakers attended the healthcare reform summit, but the skepticism surrounding the President's healthcare reserve fund in the FY 2010 budget illustrates how difficult it will be to gain consensus on healthcare reform, and raises questions about whether legislative goals will be met.
White House Announces Dates for Healthcare Reform Regional Summits
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.
As an extension of the White House Summit, on Friday, March 6, Obama also 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. This past week, the White House announced dates for those regional meetings:
- Dearborn, Michigan - March 12th
- Burlington, Vermont - March 17th
- Des Moines, Iowa - March 23rd
- Greensboro, North Carolina - March 31st
- Los Angeles, California - April 6th
White House Announces Comparative Effectiveness Council
The White House is scheduled to announce the creation of a new comparativeness effectiveness council this month. The Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research will comprise a range of federal employees responsible for health-related programs. The Council, which was authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, will report to Congress with recommendations on comparative effectiveness research. The HHS Secretary will chair the committee, and 50 percent of the committee members will be medical experts.
The stimulus bill included just over $1 billion for comparative effectiveness research. HHS is required to contract with the Institute of Medicine to submit a report to Congress by June 30, 2009 with recommendations on national CER priorities.
Obama Rumored to Choose Margaret Hamburg as FDA Chief
According to press reports, President Obama plans to nominate former New York City health commissioner Margaret Hamburg to lead the US Food and Drug Administration and Baltimore health commissioner Joshua Sharfstein as principal deputy to Hamburg.
During the Clinton Administration, Hamburg worked as the HHS assistant secretary for policy and evaluation. Hamburg has also worked at NIH and as Commissioner of the New York City health department.
Upcoming Events
Hearings
Tuesday, March 17
Medicare Payment Policy Report
House Ways and Means - Subcommittee on Health
10 a.m., 1100 Longworth Bldg.
Affordable Health Care Coverage
House Energy and Commerce - Subcommittee on Health
10 a.m., 2123 Rayburn Bldg.
Wednesday, March 18
Fiscal 2010 Appropriations: Labor-HHS-Education
House Appropriations - Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
10 a.m. and 2 p.m. 2358-C Rayburn Bldg.
Fiscal 2010 Budget: Health Care and Small Business
House Small Business Committee
Full Committee Hearing
1 p.m., 2360 Rayburn Bldg.
Health Care Quality
Senate Finance - Subcommittee on Health Care
2:30 p.m., 215 Dirksen Bldg.
Thursday, March 19
Stimulus Spending Oversight
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
Full Committee Hearing
10 a.m., 2154 Rayburn 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.
Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville P.C. is a full service law firm specializing in health care and education law and located at 1501 M St., NW 7th Floor, Washington DC 20005
© Copyright 2009, Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville P.C.
All rights reserved.
