The House narrowly approved a $70 billion funding package June 9 for the Department of Homeland Security, directing money to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol. It marks the second time in a year that Republicans have pushed through a multibillion-dollar boost for the agencies without Democratic support.
The bill passed 214–212, and President Trump signed it into law June 10. The vote brings an end to a 115‑day standoff.
Recent Committee Activity
The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee held a hearing on “Lowering Health Care Costs for All Americans: Examining Policies to Increase Health Care Transparency” on June 10. This legislative hearing built on the committee’s health affordability series and explored several policies to increase transparency in the health care sector.
Subcommittee Republicans and Democrats generally agreed that health care costs are too high and that greater transparency can help patients, employers, and policymakers better understand health care pricing, coverage practices, and market dynamics. Members from both parties supported efforts to expand price transparency, increase prior authorization and denial rates reporting, improve health care ownership transparency, and strengthen enforcement of existing transparency requirements. Subcommittee Republicans focused on codifying and expanding the Trump Administration’s transparency initiatives, increasing employer access to claims data, improving competition, and using transparency tools to help consumers and employers identify lower-cost care options.
Subcommittee Democrats largely agreed that transparency reforms are worthwhile but argued that transparency alone will not meaningfully reduce health care costs without addressing broader issues such as health care consolidation, private equity ownership, vertical integration, Medicare Advantage practices, the Working Families Tax Cut legislation, Medicaid reductions, and the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits, which they argued are increasing costs, reducing coverage, and placing additional financial strain on patients and providers.
The Senate is in session Monday through Thursday, and the House is in recess this week.
Join the Federal Action Network Today!
Stay connected to the latest from Washington. Join our Federal Action Network (FAN) — free for members — and gain exclusive access to advocacy expertise and updates.
Author