Summary
The COVID-19 legislative dash continues this week as Democrats aim to pass President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan by March 14, the expiration of temporary federal unemployment benefits. Later today, the House Budget Committee will mark up the package of individual bills approved by various House committees, setting up a House floor vote by Friday or Saturday. The Senate will likely make changes to the anticipated House-approved package as Byrd Rule objections are raised and party leaders work to earn all 50 Democratic votes (particularly those of Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ)).
After a significant delay, Xavier Becerra, Biden’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, will appear before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) tomorrow (Feb. 23) and the Senate Finance Committee (SFC) on Wednesday (Feb. 24), both of which will vote to send his nomination to the Senate floor for a final vote. Unlike Neera Tanden, Biden’s nominee to head the Office of Management and Budget, Becerra appears on track to be confirmed. Still, Senate Republicans are expected to attack Becerra’s record on Medicare for All and abortion rights, among other issues.
On Thursday (Feb. 25), the Senate HELP Committee will consider the nominations of Vivek Murthy to serve as the Surgeon General and Rachel Levin to serve as the Assistant Secretary of Health. Today (Feb. 22), Merrick Garland, Biden’s nominee for Attorney General, begins a two-day hearing with the Senate Judiciary Committee. SFC is expected to move “quickly” on the nomination of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure to be the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
On Friday (Feb. 26), the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee will discuss emergency use authorization of the single-dose COVID-19 vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson (J&J). According to their Phase 3 clinical trial, the vaccine is 66 percent effective at preventing moderate to severe COVID symptoms, 85 percent effective in preventing severe cases of the disease, and “demonstrated complete protection against COVID-19 related hospitalization and death,” 28 days after vaccination. Unlike Pfizer’s and Moderna’s vaccines, the J&J vaccine can be stored in most standard refrigerators. J&J announced that they expect to supply the U.S. with 100 million doses in the first half of the year.
Tomorrow (Feb. 23), J&J, Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Novavax (all of whom received funding through Operation Warp Speed) will be questioned by the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations about their ongoing efforts to develop and accelerate production of COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (Feb. 25) and House Ways and Means Committee (Feb. 26) will also convene hearings to discuss COVID-19 vaccination issues this week.
On Wednesday (Feb. 25), the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies will hear from state officials regarding public health infrastructure issues. The discussion will likely inform the drafting of FY 2022 appropriations legislation. We may see an announcement this week from Appropriations Committee leaders regarding the reintroduction of earmarks into the process, which would likely limit them to government agencies and non-profit organizations.