Insights^

Welcome from Washington, DC where the leaves continue to fall, and the temperature remains much like Congress – a mystery as to what happens next.  This weekend saw a round of football where your author did not bother to watch his failing New York Giants lose again, but he did get pleasure in watching the Cowboys fall to the Eagles.  With the cheers from my jubilant four-year-old daughter, I watched the second Paw Patrol Movie this weekend: The Mighty Pups, on a big screen while both wanting the movie to end quickly but also fearing what will happen with my daughter’s behavior once the movie concluded (I got her to focus her energy after the movie by bribing her with Chick-Fil-A).  Of course, the entire situation reminded me of Congress and funding the government – facing an unsatisfactory continuing resolution which can make the average person cringe as lawmakers will most likely go home and blame the other side for a failure to produce a working budget. We are 12 days away from the government running out of money… no need to worry!  Welcome to the Week Ahead!

The Administration

The Biden Administration spent part of the weekend dismissing new polling which shows only 33% of Americans view Biden favorably, but it also shows only 29% view Trump in a favorable light.  The administration says polling one year away from Election Day is not representative of Election results.  The Biden Administration continues to move forward with its domestic policy agenda in health care following the release of its artificial intelligence (AI) executive order.  Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra will testify at a Senate Appropriations Full Committee Hearing on Wednesday to discuss the President’s supplemental request for HHS.  The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will continue its patient focused listening sessions on Medicare drug pricing negotiations.  The listening sessions focus on input from patients, caregivers, and advocacy organizations on certain medications selected for drug pricing negotiations. This policy continues to be a top priority of the Biden Administration heading into 2024. The sessions are open to the public and will continue through November 15.

The Senate

The Senate is in session today and will hold a procedural vote for President Biden’s nominee to lead the National Institutes of Health, Monica Bertagnolli.  The nomination is expected to pass the upper chamber with bipartisan support with a final vote expected tomorrow.  Senators are also moving forward with conversations on a bipartisan supplemental appropriations package which could link border security funding to aid for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan.  Last week’s House passed package for Israel funding for $14.3 billion is considered a non-starter in the Senate due to opposition from the administration and Senate leadership.

As the Senate continues to track bipartisan policy issues such as mental health, the Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law will conduct a hearing on “Social Media and the Teen Mental Health Crisis” on Tuesday.  As mentioned in previous reports, the Senate continues to take the lead on policy related to AI with two committee hearings scheduled this Wednesday.  The Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs will hold a hearing entitled, “The Philosophy of AI: Learning from History and Shaping Our Future”.  Additionally, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security, will hold a hearing entitled, “Avoiding a Cautionary Tale: Policy Considerations for Artificial Intelligence in Health Care.”  In other notable activity for this Wednesday, the Senate Finance Committee will hold a markup on mental health and a pharmacy benefit reform package.  The package includes language previously introduced in July on PBMs, as well as includes language on expanding mental health care under Medicare and Medicaid and reducing prescription drug costs for seniors. The package also includes Medicaid and Medicare provisions that will expire this year, as well as changes to Medicare payment to support physicians and other professionals.

The House

With 12 days remaining until government funding expires, all eyes remain on the House for what is to come on what happens next.  Newly anointed Speaker Johnson will look to move a funding bill this week to prevent a government shutdown.  The House Republican Conference meets tomorrow in a closed meeting and details are expected to emerge as to next steps after the gathering. Intel from the Hill suggests the Speaker favors a clean government funding bill through January 12^th.  This package could be the easiest to get through the House and provide the House to gather more time for a long-term spending package.  Other pathways for government funding mentions a “laddered approach CR” which would extend government funding for each agency for different periods of time, and funding that is tied to H.R. 2 – a GOP immigration bill.  These two approaches are guaranteed to go nowhere in the Senate and are also opposed by the administration.  In other appropriations business, the House passed its (FY) Interior-Environment spending bill last week and was held up on final passage of its Transportation-HUD appropriations bill as Republican members from the Empire State expressed concerns over cuts to public transit.

Create a great week!

Good Morning and welcome from Washington D.C. where Congress adverted shutdown several weeks ago and is still in gridlock like D.C. traffic on the beltway.  Tension continues to rise from the horrific attacks on Israeli citizens more than a week ago. The Republican House still has not elected a Speaker and has had as many candidates fail. Where the Cleveland Browns were triumphant against the 49ers in the biggest upset of the NFL season and the Washington Commanders skated by the lowly Atlanta Falcons. Both houses are back to business this week… Welcome to the week ahead!

The Administration

The Biden Administration is currently working to show support for events in Israel, while also looking to tie funding for Ukraine and Israel together to capitalize on bipartisan support for Israel. In the healthcare realm, the administration continues to move forward on Tuesday in light of congressional stagnation. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra will be featured on a webinar hosted by The Washington Post focused on the next generation of challenges and innovations in health care. Additionally that day, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Brooks LaSure will host the Quarterly CMS stakeholder call.

The Senate

The upper chamber returns to business this week with an eye on approving nominations.  The Senate will look to move the Jack Lew nomination as Ambassador to Israel amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. Additionally, on Wednesday the Senate HELP Committee will look to hold a hearing for Monica Bertagnolli to serve as Director of the National Institutes of Health.  Also on Wednesday the Senate Budget Committee will hold a hearing on lowering health care costs.  Finally, the Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing on MA enrollment entitled, “Medicare Advantage Annual Enrollment: Cracking Down on Deceptive Practices and Improving Senior Experiences.”

House

Last week was dramatic as the Republican Conference still cannot get to 217 votes to elect a new Speaker after Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)  was forced to vacate the Chair. Lots of people continue to run for Speaker but have been unsuccessful in their bids. Last Wednesday, Steve Scalise (R-LA) won the nomination on a slim vote (110-99 with additional help from 3 delegates who cannot vote on the floor), but could not get enough Republican support to get the votes on the House Floor to confirm his Speakership.

Jim Jordan who ran against him initially (and actually backed him) was drafted to run again. Austin Scott (R-GA) had a brief run and it really never got out of the starting gate. Currently Jim Jordan (R-OH) is the only person in the race but is 40 plus votes shy to get nominated. Presiding Speaker McHenry has no power to move any legislation so the House of Representatives is at a legislative standstill. A group of six moderate Democrats said they would support a McHenry bid if he wanted it, but McHenry (as of now) does not have any interest of taking the gavel.

There are a little more than 30 days till the government runs out of funding. There is no one to negotiate a deal for the Republican controlled house for a CR because there is no leadership in the House. This has caused a legislative stoppage of all House Committees and no key legislation is going to move forward until the Republicans decide who is going to be Speaker of the House. Additionally, there are several pressing issues that are facing Congress besides government funding like aid packages to Israel and Ukraine. Hopefully, the House decides on who their next Speaker will be so they can fund the government and work on the aid packages to the biggest hot spots in the world right now.

Committee work resumes in the House despite the Speaker voting drama. On Thursday, October 19 the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health host a hearing entitled, “What’s the Prognosis?: Examining Medicare Proposals to Improve Patient Access to Care & Minimize Red Tape for Doctors.”

Create a great week!

Good morning from a frazzled Washington, DC following a three-day weekend where not much has changed – but everything has at the same time.  Much like my six-year-old son in his almost empty jiujitsu class last night due to the holiday, the House is the only game in town.  Just as my son has previously struggled to nail certain moves, we have all seen the House struggle to function in the best of times. The Senate is out until next week, and all eyes remain on the race for the next House Speaker. This week we get into a quick overview of the candidates and where the House is in the process.  Of course, the politics of the House are taking on new urgency as Hamas militants attacked Israel leaving hundreds dead and many (including US citizens) taken as hostages.  Bipartisan calls for assistance to Israel are underway, complicating political stances on foreign affairs issues for members of both parties.

Speaker’s Race

The Speaker’s race has come down to two candidates. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA). Today, Republican House members will meet in conference. Both candidates will make a case to the Republicans on why they should lead the party (and the House) into the remaining of the year.  On Wednesday, the House is expected to vote for a new Speaker, but will Republicans have agreed on their leader? Here we run down the ins and outs of the candidates for the Speakership.

Jim Jordan (R-0H)

Jim Jordan is an ultra-conservative right leaning candidate. He can garner solid support from the House Freedom Caucus and other conservative members. Jordan has the backing of many conservatives as well as former President Trump. He is in the inner circle of former Speaker McCarthy.  If the former Speaker decides to put his weight behind the Jordan candidacy, it will ensure him the necessary votes to put him over the edge. Currently, it is believed that Jim Jordan will have to do a lot of back-room dealings to keep the rank and file happy, and he would have to make deals to keep the status quo while trying to unite the Conference.

Steve Scalise (R-LA)

Steve Scalise is the current Majority Leader in the House. He is known for his fundraising abilities, and he is the former Republican Study Conference (RSC) Chairman who took out a rank-and-file member Peter Roskam back in 2014. He was quietly working behind the scenes for the Speakership until former Speaker McCarthy decided to resign. He has a lot of support amongst the rank and file, but he will have a difficult time delivering the Freedom Caucus as they view him a continuation of McCarthy’s leadership. Also, Leader Scalise is recovering from cancer and his health remains a concern for some members.

Patrick McHenry (R-NC)

There are several rank and file and former McCarthy loyalists calling for the drafting of McHenry for Speaker because of his leadership as the presiding Chair. This would be a difficult climb with the Freedom Caucus as they view him as a continuation of the McCarthy era. Even though several of the Freedom Caucus members are impressed with his leadership abilities.

Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)

Kevin McCarthy (you are reading this correctly) there is a long shot bid that McCarthy could become Speaker once again. Since the attack on Israel this past weekend, many are wanting him to put his hat in the ring because of his leadership abilities and help guide the conference through a very difficult time with the current pressing foreign policy issues.  Additionally, many in the Republican Caucus are unsure if Scalise or Jordan can get to 217 votes. McCarthy stated he would return to the role if that were the will of the party.

Senators and former Speaker Kevin McCarthy were on the Sunday talk shows highlighting the need for the House to come together and select a Speaker considering current world events. Hopefully, the resolve will come by Wednesday where they are expected to vote on a new Speaker.

The Administration

President Biden will make remarks later this afternoon on the attacks on Israel.  The Hamas attack has upended much of the President’s political calculus on other issues. Bipartisan lawmakers are urging the Biden administration to pursue a joint aid package for Israel and Ukraine that would capitalize on bipartisan support for the Jewish state.  Such efforts could overcome opposition from some Republicans on continued funding for Ukraine.

On the health front, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will host its Quarterly National Stakeholder with Administrator Brooks LaSure to discuss implementation of CMS’ Strategic National Plan.  Interested parties can register here.

Create a great day!