Policy Briefs
September 29, 2023
Congress Has Homework: Completed and Still-to-be-Tackled Policy Legislation
What’s still to be done?
With the federal funding deadline still looming, Congress has much to accomplish before their next recess, but a razor-thin majority and intraparty fractures continue to hamper their productivity. As of last night, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy remains unsuccessful in uniting the Republican party to fund the government past their September 30th deadline. Congress still has to pass either an omnibus spending package or a continuing resolution to avert the all-but-guaranteed impending government shutdown.
What’s been accomplished?
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) met last week to mark up a slew of health-related bills. Standout among them was Sen. Sanders’ Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce bill. The bill proposes reforms to community health center funding, health care workforce, and hospital programs; it also includes provisions that would enact site-neutral payments by eliminating facility fees received by off-campus hospital outpatient departments. For a full breakdown of what passed and what didn’t in HELP’s latest executive session, click here.