This week, the House and Senate continue negotiations to respond to the president’s request for $1.9 billion in emergency Zika funding.
The chambers can’t seem to agree on whether Zika funding should be passed as a standalone effort or as part of the regular appropriations process. The negotiations are getting more contentious as Zika continues to spread, particularly in Puerto Rico. The Senate aims to reach a deal before lawmakers adjourn on Friday for a week-long recess, but it is unclear if that will happen.
Meanwhile, the Senate Special Committee on Aging is holding an April 27 hearing, during which the former CEO of Valeant Pharmaceuticals Inc., among other witnesses, will testify about drug pricing. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce continues consideration of opioid legislation in a multiday markup.
On Friday, April 29, Energy and Commerce Democrats will host an event focused on health equity. The all-day forum includes a panel, “Examining Disparities Across the Continuum of Care through the Lens of Heart Disease,” that will include Brenda Battle, RN, BSN, MBA, from The University of Chicago Medicine, a member of America’s Essential Hospitals. Battle will discuss the hospital’s work to fight health care disparities in its community.
