TRP is Hiring: Legislative Assistant (Health Portfolio)

The House and Senate remain adjourned for their five-week summer recess. When Congress returns in September, lawmakers plan to take up a series of issues, including a continuing resolution to fund the government past September 30, a border security bill, reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank, extending the Internet Tax Freedom Act and consideration of a […]

The House and Senate have adjourned for a five-week summer recess. Before departing, the House on August 1 approved a border security bill (H.R. 5230) in 223-189 vote. House members also passed a second measure (H.R.5272) by 216-192 that would limit the President’s power to shield undocumented immigrants from deportations. Passage in the House came […]

The House and Senate remain adjourned for a five-week summer recess. When Congress returns in September, lawmakers plan to take up a series of issues, including a continuing resolution to fund the government past September 30, a border security bill, reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank, extending the Internet Tax Freedom Act and consideration of a […]

Last week we learned that the economy added another 209,000 jobs, which was the six straight month with growth of at least 200,000 new jobs.  Although the unemployment numbers ticked up slightly, the news followed on earlier positive reports that the economy grew by 4% in the second quarter.  For Democrats, who are hoping that […]

Last week saw a flurry of activity on Capitol Hill as lawmakers looked to complete work on a series of legislative priorities before adjourning for the August recess. On Friday night, the House voted 223-189 to pass a $694 million bill (H.R.5230) to deal with the influx of migrants at the southern border, overcoming concerns […]

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) could take significant steps to improve the contract planning and oversight practices that led to the failed launch of Healthcare.gov last October, an official from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) testified today at a hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Oversight Subcommittee.  CMS was aware up […]

Both chambers of Congress were in session last week, as lawmakers looked to complete work on several legislative priorities before the upcoming August recess. Last Friday, the House voted 237-173 to pass legislation (H.R. 4935) to overhaul the child tax credit by requiring applicants to provide their Social Security numbers. Separately, the House voted 370-40 […]

Congress limps into the last week of July looking to notch some legislative victories in what has been an otherwise uneventful year.  With only two weeks of session remaining when they return, this last week in July may be the best bet for both chambers to deal with pressing items, such as the highway trust […]

Today, the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs’ subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development met to conduct a hearing entitled, “Building Economically Resilient Communities: Local and Regional Approaches.” Witnesses discussed the economic growth that their communities have experienced with investments in public transportation and how their experiences could help others. Subcommittee Chairman […]

Healthcare remained a dominant topic on Capitol Hill last week, punctuated by a bitter debate in the Senate over the Supreme Court’s recentHobby Lobby ruling. On Wednesday, lawmakers failed to advance a bill (S. 2578) that would require companies to provide contraceptive coverage in their employee healthcare plans. The Senate voted 56-43 against invoking cloture on […]

Today marks the 4th anniversary of the signing of the Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. While last week saw the usual suspects hold the type of “look back” analysis one would expect on such occasion, Better Markets marked the occasion by highlighting how the public still doesn’t trust “big banks,” believes the markets are rigged, and favors stricter regulations. Interestingly, […]

Medicare still has significant room for improvement in incentivizing care coordination for individuals with multiple chronic conditions, lawmakers concluded at a Senate Finance Committee hearing today. In a hearing focused on the challenges of treating patients with chronic conditions, Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) announced that the Finance Committee will begin a months-long effort “to find […]