Congress returns from its two-week recess to a busy period of crafting legislative proposals to align with the budget targets set in the recently adopted Republican budget resolution. House Republican leadership hopes to vote on final passage of the package the week of May 19. Ahead of that date, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce will meet for its markup — likely May 7 — where it will consider proposed cuts to Medicaid.
Once the House passes its version, the Senate will move to amend or approve the House-passed bill. If needed, leaders in both chambers then will reconcile differences and finalize the package for passage in the House and Senate before sending it to the president’s desk to be signed into law.
The association continues robust advocacy in defense of the Medicaid program on behalf of members, including a letter to congressional leadership circulating among membership for sign-on support.
340B
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Chair Bill Cassidy (R-La.) on April 24 released a new report raising concerns about a lack of transparency and oversight in the 340B Drug Pricing Program. Following a multi-year investigation, the letter alleges that the program does not sufficiently reach patients with the intended lower costs or improved access to care. Cassidy outlined numerous potential reforms for implementation.
America’s Essential Hospitals issued a statement, underscoring the importance of and expressing appreciation for Cassidy’s interest in the program. The association anticipates continued collaboration with Cassidy and Congress to ensure that the 340B program remains an available resource for essential hospitals to reach more patients and provide comprehensive, high-quality services to all.
Committee Activity This Week
The House and Senate are back from April recess and both chambers will be in session through Thursday, with just the Senate convening on Friday.
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce held a full committee markup on April 29, at 10 am ET. Several items of relevance to essential hospitals were considered, including:
- H.R. 2483, SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 (Reps. Guthrie and Pettersen)
- H.R. 1520, Charlotte Woodward Organ Transplant Discrimination Prevention Act (Reps. Cammack, Dingell, Issa, and Wasserman Schultz)
- H.R. 2319, Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act of 2025 (Reps. Boyle and Fitzpatrick)
- H.R. 1669, To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the Stop, Observe, Ask, and Respond to Health and Wellness Training Program. (Reps. Cohen and Carter of Ga.)
- H.R. 1082, Shandra Eisenga Human Cell and Tissue Product Safety Act (Reps. Moolenaar and Dingell)
- H.R. 2484, Seniors’ Access to Critical Medications Act of 2025 (Reps. Harshbarger and Wasserman Schultz)
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