Remember when you were a kid, and someone else’s school got out for summer before yours? That same deeply unfair feeling is settling over the Senate right about now. The House has packed its bags and headed home for summer break, while senators are still stuck at their desks watching their colleagues disappear into the sunshine while feeling the heat from the President on the SAVE Act. So, let’s get into it. Welcome to the Week Ahead!
The Administration
President Trump has announced his next set of tariffs on the pharmaceutical sector with a 100% tariff on imported generic drugs beginning in August 2028. John Murphy III, the President and CEO of the Association for Accessible Medicines (AAM)has said they need to see more specifics about the policy, but that the generics industry is committed to policies that stabilize the industry and patient access to affordable medications. On the Hill, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced legislation to require congressional approval of tariffs before they take effect.
Attention is divided at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as the agency deals with rising measles cases and the cyclosporiasis outbreak. Measles was declared eliminated in the US in 2000, but cases have been on the rise over the past few years. Over halfway through 2026, and the number of reported cases has surpassed 2025 levels, which was the most reported since 1991. Cyclosporiasis is also hitting new milestones as 9 states are now battling outbreaks. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working with the CDC to investigate sources of the parasite and contain its spread. The simultaneous public health threats have fueled criticisms about public health funding levels and staffing cuts at the agencies. The lack of permanent leadership at the CDC and FDA is likely not helping the administration to contain the issues and will mean that any nominee will have a lot to clean up.
The Senate
The Senate must now pick up where the House left off and decide on the direction for Reconciliation 3.0. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has said he doesn’t have the votes to pass the House resolution and that his focus is on government funding. Thune has said that he plans to bring the House-passed continuing resolution (CR), which extends existing government funding through December 4, up for a vote before the Senate’s August recess. However, he has also said he would consider using Reconciliation to fund the government and avoid a shutdown if a CR cannot be passed. Notably, the CR does not include health care extenders, such as telehealth flexibilities and funding for Medicare-dependent and low-volume hospitals, that often accompany government funding bills because most of them are already extended until at least the end of the year.
Meanwhile, new Senate Budget Committee Chairman Ron Johnson (R-WI) shared that he has directed Budget Committee staff to begin drafting two Senate budget resolutions, with the goal to pass one of them before the August recess. The first would mirror the House resolution, and the second would be more expansive to ensure GOP funding priorities are met. Chairman Johnson also said he supports a fourth reconciliation package focused on addressing fraud. In discussing this, he cited Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services actions against hospice providers in Los Angeles as an example of the sort of rampant fraud that needs to be addressed.
Also on our radar: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) is looking to move on the Committee vote to advance the nomination of Dr. Erica Schwartz to be Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This vote had to be delayed, despite Cassidy’s support, due to a family emergency affecting Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). Along with Dr. Schwartz’s nomination, the Committee also delayed a vote on the nomination of Sean Kaufman to serve as Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). During his nomination hearing, bipartisan concerns were raised about his views on vaccines. A HELP Committee spokesperson has shared that “there are ongoing conversations with the administration on the path forward for Mr. Kaufman’s nomination.” The Committee is scheduled to vote on his nomination, as well as bill from Chairman Cassidy on health privacy, during the July 30 executive session.
Other Health Care Hearings This Week
- July 29: Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing with Dr. Anthony Fauci
The House
House Members are out of session until August 31.
There You Have It
What was your final week of school like when you were little? Field days, yearbook signings, class parties? Let us know your favorites! Make it a great week.