Summary
This week, both chambers are working through their priority to-do list before leaving for the summer recess. The House adjourns on August 1, and the Senate adjourns a week later. Beginning tomorrow, the House will vote on a slew of legislation, including bills on telehealth flexibilities, long COVID research (H.R. 7180), and heart health initiatives in the South Asian community (H.R. 3771).
Meanwhile, Senate Democrats are awaiting guidance from the Senate Parliamentarian on whether their slimmed down budget reconciliation package, expected to only include drug pricing provisions (WHG summary) and a two-year extension to ACA premium subsidy enhancements, complies with the Byrd Rule. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is pushing to hold a final vote on the package next week.
In addition, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) plans to release Senate Democrats’ long-awaited 2023 appropriations bills this week, which we view as a starting point for bipartisan negotiations on FY 2023 government funding later this year. Due in part to time constraints and political factors, we anticipate Congress will pass a continuing resolution for FY 2023, level funding the government until at least after the midterm elections and possibly through early December.