POLICY BRIEFINGS

Woodcock Reportedly Offered Leadership Post at FDA

President Joe Biden’s nominee for Commissioner of Food and Drugs Robert Califf has asked Janet Woodcock to remain at the agency in a leadership position should he be confirmed by the Senate. Woodcock has served as the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) acting commissioner for the last 11 month, having previously worked as the head of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER). The role of principal deputy commissioner has been vacant since Amy Abernethy’s departure in April. A confirmation hearing for Califf has not yet been scheduled by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. However, HELP Committee Patty Murray (D-Wash.) has announced her support for the nominee and said they are working to schedule a hearing as soon as possible.

HHS Report Shows Drastic Increase in Telehealth Usage

A new report released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) indicates that the number of Medicare telehealth visits increased significantly from 840,000 in 2019 to 52.7 million in 2020, while in-person visits to health care providers decreased by 11%. Ninety-two percent of telehealth visits took place in the beneficiary home, with the highest rates of telehealth usage occurring amongst white and urban beneficiaries, particularly those in the Northeast and West. The full report from the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) can be found here.

Number of Omicron Cases Expected to Rise

More than 16 states have reported cases of individuals testing positive for the omicron variant of the coronavirus that was first detected in South Africa. Some patients who have tested positive have had no travel history, suggesting that community transmission of the variant is well-underway in the U.S. Many of the people who have tested positive were fully vaccinated and have thus far only experienced mild symptoms. Public health officials believe omicron is more transmissible than the delta variant and are working to determine whether it better evades immune protection from vaccines or causes more severe disease than other variants.

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Enviornment hearing “Forever Chemicals: Research and Development for Addressing the PFAS Problem;” 10:00 a.m.; December 7

House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, Central Asia, and Nonproliferation hearing “Biosecurity for the Future: Strengthening Deterrence and Detection;” 10:00 a.m.; December 8

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing “The Future of Biomedicine: Translating Biomedical Research into Personalized Health Care;” 10:30 a.m.; December 8

Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing to consider the nomination of Kurt D. DelBene to be Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Information and Technology; 3:00 p.m.; December 8

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing “Examining Federal Efforts to Address PFAS Contamination;” 10:15 a.m.; December 9

House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing “Unsustainable Drug Prices: Findings from the Committee’s Drug Pricing Investigation and the Need for Structural Reforms;” 10:30 a.m.; December 9

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

S.Res.461 — A resolution commemorating and supporting the goals of World AIDS Day; Sponsor: Sen. Booker, Cory [D- NJ]; Committees: Senate - Foreign Relations

S.Res.462 — A resolution designating November 2021 as “National Lung Cancer Awareness Month” and expressing support for early detection and treatment of lung cancer; Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]; Latest Action: Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

S.Res.463 — A resolution expressing support for the goals of Stomach Cancer Awareness Month; Sponsor: Sen. Young, Todd [R-IN]; Latest Action: Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

H.Res.824 — Recognizing the 75th anniversary of United Spinal Association, a leading national advocacy organization that is dedicated to promoting the independence and enhancing the quality of life of all people living with spinal cord injuries and neurological disorders, including veterans, and providing support and information to their loved ones, care providers, and personal support networks; Sponsor: Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.6087 — To amend chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code, to cover, for purposes of workers’ compensation under such chapter, services by physician assistants and nurse practitioners provided to injured Federal workers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Courtney, Joe [D-CT-2]; Committees: House - Education and Labor

H.R.6094 — To amend title 10, United States Code, to provide for the coverage of assisted reproductive technology services under the TRICARE program, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10]; Committees: House - Armed Services

S.3290 — A bill to establish a National Manufacturing Extension Partnership Supply Chain Database, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]; Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

S.3291 — A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to enhance efforts to address antibiotic resistance, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]; Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.3293 — A bill to expand access of veterans to mental health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]; Committee on Veterans’ Affairs

S.3295 — A bill to increase access to pre-exposure prophylaxis to reduce the transmission of HIV; Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]; Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

S.3299 — A bill to prohibit the Department of Defense from discharging or withholding pay or benefits from members of the National Guard based on COVID-19 vaccination status; Sponsor: Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK]; Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time

H.R.6101 — To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to improve transparency and prevent the use of abusive spread pricing and related practices in the Medicaid program; Sponsor: Rep. Carter, Earl L. “Buddy” [R-GA-1]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.6102 — To ensure that claims for benefits under the Black Lung Benefits Act are processed in a fair and timely manner, to better protect miners from pneumoconiosis (commonly known as “black lung disease”), and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Cartwright, Matt [D-PA-8]; Committees: House - Education and Labor; Ways and Means

H.R.6105 — To terminate the public health emergency with respect to COVID-19 on December 25, 2021; Sponsor: Rep. Gohmert, Louie [R-TX-1]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.6106 — To amend title III of the Public Health Service Act to terminate the effective time period for immunity for manufacturers of COVID-19 vaccines, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Gooden, Lance [R-TX-5]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.6111 — To modernize laws and policies, and eliminate discrimination, with respect to people living with HIV/AIDS, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Lee, Barbara [D-CA-13]; Committees: House - Judiciary; Energy and Commerce; Armed Services

H.R.6113 — To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to prohibit employers from inquiring about vaccination status, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Mast, Brian J. [R-FL-18]; Committees: House - Education and Labor

H.R.6117 — To increase access to pre-exposure prophylaxis to reduce the transmission of HIV; Sponsor: Rep. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA-28]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce; Oversight and Reform; Ways and Means; Veterans’ Affairs; Armed Services; Natural Resources; Financial Services

H.R.6118 — To establish a National Manufacturing Extension Partnership Supply Chain Database, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Torres, Norma J. [D-CA-35]; Committees: House - Science, Space, and Technology

S.3301 — A bill to prohibit discrimination on the basis of mental or physical disability in cases of organ transplants; Sponsor: Sen. Rubio, Marco [R-FL]; Committees: Senate - Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

S.3304 — A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to improve the ability of veterans to electronically submit complaints about the delivery of health care services by the Department of Veterans Affairs; Sponsor: Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA]; Committees: Senate - Veterans’ Affairs

H.R.6119 — Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3]; Committees: House - Appropriations; Budget

H.R.6133 — To require the Commissioner of Food and Drugs to make available for public inspection all records of information submitted to the Food and Drug Administration in conjunction with authorizing the emergency use of, or licensing, a COVID-19 vaccine; Sponsor: Rep. Norman, Ralph [R-SC-5]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.6134 — To authorize the regulation of interstate commerce with respect to food containing cannabidiol derived from hemp, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rep. Rice, Kathleen M. [D-NY-4]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

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