POLICY BRIEFINGS

CDC Announces Internal Reorganization

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced several internal structural changes to the agency last week. Most of the CDC will now report directly to the Immediate Office of the Director, a change from the structure known as “Community of Practice” previously in place. According to staff familiar with the changes, a centralized leadership team of multi-disciplinary experts including the CDC director, chief of staff, and several deputy directors will be created to supervise the agency. The Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services and the Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support will be combined into a new agency entity called the National Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Public Health Infrastructure and Workforce. The Center for Preparedness and Response will be renamed the Office of Readiness and Response. Several new offices will also be created, including the Office of Health Equity and the Office of Public Health Data, Surveillance, and Technology. The reorganization follows Director Rochelle Walensky’s recognition last year that the CDC’s performance in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic did not meet expectations.

Upcoming Congressional Hearings and Markups

House Rules Committee meeting on H.J. Res. 7 – Relating to a national emergency declared by the President on March 13, 2020; H.R. 139 – SHOW UP Act; H.R. 382 – Pandemic is Over Act; and H.R. 497 – Freedom for Health Care Workers Act; 5:00 p.m.; January 30

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing “Lives Worth Living: Addressing the Fentanyl Crisis, Protecting Critical Lifelines, and Combatting Discrimination Against Those with Disabilities;” 10:00 a.m.; February 1

House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing “Federal Pandemic Spending: A Prescription for Waste, Fraud and Abuse;” 10:00 a.m.; February 1

House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing “Challenges and Opportunities to Investigating the Origins of Pandemics and Other Biological Events;” 2:00 p.m.; February 1

Recently Introduced Health Legislation

H.R.445 — To establish within the Department of Health and Human Services an Ombuds for Reproductive and Sexual Health. Sponsor: Williams, Nikema [Rep.-D-GA-5]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.437 — To amend title X of the Public Health Service Act to require grant recipients to comply with all applicable State and local laws requiring notification or reporting of child abuse, child molestation, sexual abuse, rape, incest, intimate partner violence, or human trafficking, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Smucker, Lloyd [Rep.-R-PA-11]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.436 — To prohibit United States contributions to the United Nations Population Fund. Sponsor: Roy, Chip [Rep.-R- TX-21]; Committees: House - Foreign Affairs

H.R.435 — To prohibit the award of Federal funds to an institution of higher education that hosts or is affiliated with a student-based service site that provides abortion drugs or abortions to students of the institution or to employees of the institution or site, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Roy, Chip [Rep.-R-TX-21]; Committees: House - Education and the Workforce

H.R.434 — To establish certain protections for a member of the Armed Forces, or a cadet or midshipman at a military service academy, who refuses to receive a vaccination against COVID-19. Sponsor: Roy, Chip [Rep.-R-TX-21]; Committees: House - Armed Services

H.R.431 — To implement equal protection under the 14th article of amendment to the Constitution for the right to life of each born and preborn human person. Sponsor: Mooney, Alexander X. [Rep.-R-WV-2]; Committees: House – Judiciary

H.R.429 — To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to deny the trade or business expense deduction for the reimbursement of employee costs of child gender transition procedure or travel to obtain an abortion. Sponsor: Mast, Brian J. [Rep.-R-FL-21]; Committees: House - Ways and Means

H.R.428 — To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit the unlawful disposal of fetal remains. Sponsor: Latta, Robert E. [Rep.-R-OH-5]; Committees: House – Judiciary

H.R.427 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to prohibit the approval of new abortion drugs, to prohibit investigational use exemptions for abortion drugs, and to impose additional regulatory requirements with respect to previously approved abortion drugs, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Latta, Robert E. [Rep.-R-OH-5]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.421 — To prohibit chemical abortions performed without the presence of a healthcare provider, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Good, Bob [Rep.-R-VA-5]; Committees: House - Judiciary

H.R.420 — To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for enhanced Medicare beneficiary information through access to annual Medicare notifications in multiple languages. Sponsor: Gomez, Jimmy [Rep.-D-CA-34]; Committees: House - Ways and Means; Energy and Commerce

H.R.417 — To provide a set-aside of funds for Indian populations under the health profession opportunity grant program under section 2008 of the Social Security Act, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Gomez, Jimmy [Rep.-D-CA-34]; Committees: House - Ways and Means

H.R.416 — To amend title IV of the Public Health Service Act to prohibit sale or transactions relating to human fetal tissue. Sponsor: Franklin, C. Scott [Rep.-R-FL-18]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.411 — To ensure that Members of Congress and Congressional staff receive health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs instead of under the Federal Health Benefits Program or health care exchanges. Sponsor: Davidson, Warren [Rep.-R-OH-8]; Committees: House - House Administration; Veterans’ Affairs

H.R.410 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for hospital and insurer price transparency. Sponsor: Davidson, Warren [Rep.-R-OH-8]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.407 — To prohibit the use of Federal funds to implement Executive order relating to reproductive health services. Sponsor: Clyde, Andrew S. [Rep.-R-GA-9]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce; Judiciary; Ways and Means

H.R.405 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for stockpiles to ensure that all Americans have access to generic drugs at risk of shortage, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Carter, Earl L. “Buddy” [Rep.-R-GA-1]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.403 — To prohibit COVID-19 vaccination mandates, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Biggs, Andy [Rep.-R-AZ-5]; Committees: House - Oversight and Accountability; House Administration; Energy and Commerce

H.R.401 — To prohibit the Director of the National Science Foundation from awarding grants and other forms of assistance to Chinese communist military companies and their affiliates, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Allen, Rick W. [Rep.-R-GA-12]; Committees: House - Science, Space, and Technology

H.R.398 — To amend the Public Health Service Act to prohibit the Secretary of Health and Human Services from conducting or supporting any research involving human fetal tissue that is obtained pursuant to an induced abortion, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Luetkemeyer, Blaine [Rep.-R-MO-3]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

S.Res.12 — A resolution designating January 23, 2023, as “Maternal Health Awareness Day”; Sponsor: Booker, Cory A. [Sen.-D-NJ]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

S.8 — A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand eligibility for the refundable credit for coverage under a qualified health plan, to improve cost-sharing subsidies under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Shaheen, Jeanne [Sen.-D-NH]; Committees: Senate – Finance

S.15 — A bill to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act and the Public Health Service Act to improve the reporting of abortion data to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Ernst, Joni [Sen.-R-IA]; Committees: Senate – Finance

S.18 — A bill to amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit discrimination by abortion against an unborn child on the basis of Down syndrome; Sponsor: Daines, Steve [Sen.-R-MT]; Committees: Senate – Judiciary

S.24 — A bill to fight homelessness in the United States by authorizing a grant program within the Health Resources and Services Administration for housing programs that offer comprehensive services and intensive case management for homeless individuals and families; Sponsor: Feinstein, Dianne [Sen.-D-CA]; Committees: Senate - Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

S.33 — A bill to rescue domestic medical product manufacturing activity by providing incentives in economically distressed areas of the United States and its possessions; Sponsor: Rubio, Marco [Sen.-R-FL]; Committees: Senate – Finance

S.36 — A bill to review domestic biopharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities in order to improve public health and medical preparedness and response capabilities and domestic biopharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities; Sponsor: Rubio, Marco [Sen.-R-FL]; Committees: Senate - Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

S.48 — A bill to amend title V of the Social Security Act to establish a grant program for community-based maternal mentoring programs; Sponsor: Rubio, Marco [Sen.-R-FL]; Committees: Senate – Finance

S.55 — A bill to limit the detailing of directors of medical centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs to different positions within the Department, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Boozman, John [Sen.-R-AR]; Committees: Senate - Veterans’ Affairs

H.Res.55 — Recognizing the roles and the contributions of Americas Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) and their critical role in providing quality health care for the public and the Nation’s Armed Forces for more than 150 years, through multiple public health emergencies, and beyond; Sponsor: Schakowsky, Janice D. [Rep.-D-IL-9]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.451 — To amend title 18, United States Code, to criminalize abuse with respect to assisted reproductive technology, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Bice, Stephanie I. [Rep.-R-OK-5]; Committees: House – Judiciary

H.R.456 — To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to limitations on exclusive approval or licensure of orphan drugs, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Carter, Earl L. “Buddy” [Rep.-R-GA-1]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.459 — To ensure the privacy of pregnancy termination or loss information under the HIPAA privacy regulations and the HITECH Act; Sponsor: Eshoo, Anna G. [Rep.-D-CA-16]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.461 — To amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit discrimination by abortion against an unborn child on the basis of Down syndrome; Sponsor: Estes, Ron [Rep.-R-KS-4]; Committees: House – Judiciary

H.R.467 — To amend the Controlled Substances Act with respect to the scheduling of fentanyl-related substances, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Griffith, H. Morgan [Rep.-R-VA-9]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce; Judiciary

H.R.468 — To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to extend beyond the COVID-19 emergency period, with certain modifications, the Emergency Declaration Blanket Waiver relating to training and certification of nurse aides to alleviate burdens imposed on staff of skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities; Sponsor: Guthrie, Brett [Rep.-R-KY-2]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

H.R.472 — To require the Attorney General to propose a program for making treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and acute stress disorder available to public safety officers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Joyce, David P. [Rep.-R- OH-14]; Committees: House – Judiciary

H.R.477 — To amend title V of the Social Security Act to establish a grant program for community-based maternal mentoring programs; Sponsor: Miller, Carol D. [Rep.-R-WV-1]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce

H.R.485 — To amend title XI of the Social Security Act to prohibit the use of quality-adjusted life years and similar measures in coverage and payment determinations under Federal health care programs; Sponsor: McMorris Rodgers, Cathy [Rep.-R-WA-5]; Committees: House - Energy and Commerce; Ways and Means

H.R.492 — To amend title 38, United States Code, to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a patient outreach system relating to mental health care, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Wittman, Robert J. [Rep.-R-VA-1]; Committees: House - Veterans’ Affairs

S.76 — A bill to require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to furnish tailored information to expecting mothers, and for other purposes; Sponsor: Rubio, Marco [Sen.-R-FL]; Committees: Senate - Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

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