Before leaving for its five-week August recess, the Senate passed a federal budget and debt limit deal, which the House approved earlier this month after successful negotiations between the White House and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
The bipartisan legislation aims to avert a $125 billion cut to federal discretionary spending and raise spending caps by $324 billion over the next two fiscal years. The budget deal would be partially offset by extending a 2 percent cut to Medicare provider payments, also known as the Medicare sequester, for two years through FY 2029. Under current law, the Medicare sequester would end in FY 2027.
The Senate passed the budget legislation on a 67-28 vote before starting the August recess. President Trump later signed the legislation.
Congress now will consider spending bills for FY 2020, when lawmakers return in September.
August Recess Action Alert
America’s Essential Hospitals will release an August recess action alert that will provide essential hospital members key advocacy messaging and materials to use as they connect with their lawmakers during the August recess. The alert also will preview health care policy priorities for Congress this fall, including legislation that likely will be considered before the end of the year.
On the Hill to Continue in September
The association’s weekly On the Hill article will not be published for the month of August and will return in Latest from Action the week of Sept. 9, when Congress comes back in session.
