On September 17, 2025, the House Energy and Commerce Committee (E&C) marked up five bills related to various health care issues, including legislation to reauthorize rural health, telehealth, and pediatric rare disease drug development programs. Although the bills marked up enjoyed bipartisan support, Democratic members expressed disappointment that the markup did not include legislation passed out of the E&C Health Subcommittee on September 11 related to reauthorization of health care workforce and newborn screening programs. Democratic members also criticized the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s provisions related to Medicaid and urged the Committee to pass a permanent extension of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) expanded tax credits. Democratic members called for the committee to conduct oversight on several Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) actions, including the firing of the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the cutting of federal research funding, the reductions in force at HHS, and changes to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Committee Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY-2) stated that he was willing to consider such requests but did not commit to a specific timeline for future hearings.
Opening Statements
Health Care Legislation Marked Up
- H.R. 2493, Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act of 2025 (Rep. Buddy Carter, R-GA-1), a bill to reauthorize grant programs for rural health care services outreach, rural health network development, and small health care provider improvement through Fiscal Year 2030.
- Reps. Buddy Carter (R-GA-1), Kim Schrier (D-WA-8), and Troy Carter (D-LA-2) expressed support for the bill. However, Rep. Schrier criticized the One Big Beautiful Bill Act for Medicaid cuts and criticized the Rural Health Transformation Fund as being overly focused on the “Make America Healthy Again agenda. Rep. Troy Carter also brought up his disappointment that legislation related to health workforce program reauthorization was not included in the markup.
- Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL-14) offered an amendment to insert a permanent extension of ACA tax credits into H.R. 2493, which numerous Democratic members voiced support for. Republicans countered that it was the Inflation Reduction Act that set the ACA expanded tax credit expiration date and that this issue is not within E&C’s jurisdiction. Rep. Guthrie noted that conversations are underway regarding possible next steps related to the tax credits, but that H.R. 2493 is not the bill to extend the tax credits. This amendment was withdrawn.
- Final vote tally for H.R. 2493: Passed 49-0.
- H.R. 3419 (Rep. David Valadao, R-CA-22), a bill to reauthorize the telehealth network and telehealth resource centers grant programs through Fiscal Year 2030.
- Final vote tally for H.R. 3419: Passed 48-0.
- H.R. 2846, (Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-PA-6), a bill to amend title II of the Public Health Service Act to include as an additional right or privilege of commissioned officers of the Public Health Service (and their beneficiaries) certain leave provided under title 10, United States Code to commissioned officers of the Army (or their beneficiaries).
- Final vote tally for H.R. 2846: Passed 46-0.
- H.R. 1262, Give Kids a Chance Act of 2025 (Rep. Michael McCaul, R-TX-10), a bill to expand the FDA’s authority with respect to research on rare pediatric diseases, including by permitting the FDA to take enforcement action against drug sponsors that fail to satisfy pediatric study requirements and by reauthorizing programs that support pediatric research.
- Rep. Neal Dunn (R-FL-2) offered an amendment to add H.R. 1843, a bill to increase transparency in generic drug applications, to H.R. 1262. This amendment was agreed to by voice vote.
- Rep. Castor offered an amendment to add language to H.R. 1262 that would prevent any modifications from being made to the CDC’s Adult and Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedules in effect on May 26, 2025, that would result in a reduction to no-cost coverage of vaccines. Other Democratic members expressed support for the amendment, but Republican members questioned the amendment’s germaneness. This amendment was withdrawn.
- Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO-1) offered an amendment to add the health care extenders from the December 2024 year-end agreement in H.R. 1262. Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA-9) noted that even though he is willing to work on these extenders, he did not support this amendment because of concerns about germaneness and that some of the extenders have moved separately. This amendment was withdrawn.
- Final vote tally for H.R. 1262: Passed 47-0 as amended.
- H.R. 3302, Healthy Start Reauthorization Act of 2025 (Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY-14), a bill to reauthorize the Healthy Start Initiative through Fiscal Year 2030.
- Final vote tally for H.R. 3302: Passed 49-0.