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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11)

On Monday, Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill introduced legislation to keep firefighters safe in crisis situations by improving equipment, training, and staffing for departments’ emergency rescue teams.

In addition to bipartisan support from Congressman Don Bacon, Sherrill’s legislation earned the endorsement of the New Jersey Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association, International Association of Fire Chiefs, and National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
 

NJ Spotlight News: Help planned for fighting port fires

By: Ben Hulac | May 12, 2025
 

• Legislation to craft a new national strategy for fighting port fires like the 2023 blaze that killed two firefighters at the Newark port has a good shot at becoming law, according to its lead sponsor, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-11th).
   
• Fighting fires on ships demands particular knowledge and skills, said Sherrill […]
   
• The two Newark firefighters who responded to and died from the fire two years ago on an Italian cargo ship did not have special training, she said. This bill would include specific measures to better train firefighters for combat maritime fires.
   
• “They had not been given any specialized training,” Sherrill said in an interview with NJ Spotlight News. “Had they had a lesson in maritime training, I think it would have made a big difference. I think they would be alive today.”
   
• Experts with the National Transportation Safety Board, an independent federal agency that dispatches investigators to emergency sites, found thick smoke disoriented the two firefighters — Wayne Brooks Jr. and Augusto Acabou — who could not find their way out of the vessel as the fire burned.
   
• Six other emergency responders were hurt. The fire burned for five days. The probable cause was a Jeep the ship crew used to push other vehicles on board, the NTSB found.
   
• Liquids from the Jeep’s transmission boiled over and ignited the blaze, investigators said. “Also contributing to the severity of the fire was the Newark Fire Division’s lack of marine vessel firefighting training, which resulted in an ineffective response and led to the firefighter casualties,” the NTSB said in its final report, released in April.
   
• The port of Newark and New York is the largest by volume on the East Coast and the third largest in the country, behind Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif.
   
• Sherrill’s Republican co-sponsor on the bill is Don Bacon, a former Air Force general from Nebraska and one of the few moderate members of his party in the House. 
   
• The bill directs the U.S. Fire Administration, a division of the Department of Homeland Security, to establish a “comprehensive strategy to improve equipment, training, and staffing standards,” including for groups of firefighters that respond to fires at ports.
   
• Moving around on a ship can be tricky given the tight quarters and segmented structure, Sherrill said, referencing fire training sessions she completed during her Navy career.
   
• “When you get on ships, it can be very, very hard to get in and out. They’re compartmentalized for various reasons,” Sherrill said. “So getting throughout the ship is difficult.”
   
• The bill contains no funding, which could make passage easier.
   
• Bills expire at the end of each Congress, which last for two years, and must pass the House and Senate before the president can sign them into law.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This morning, Representative Lauren Underwood, Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Appropriations delivered the following the remarks at the subcommittee’s oversight hearing on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE):

“Thank you, Chairman Amodei, and I would like to welcome our witness Todd Lyons, the Acting Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

As the Federal agency charged with the enforcement of violations of customs and immigration laws, the scope of ICE’s investigatory and operational work is broad. ICE has an incredibly important role in preserving public safety and national security by combatting cartels and other transnational criminal organizations, investigating illicit drug trafficking, including deadly fentanyl, human trafficking and smuggling networks, and going after violations of trade and intellectual property laws that seek to undermine our economic security.

However, since January 20 we have seen a shift in priorities by this Administration away from data-driven, security-focused approaches and toward impossible politically-driven goals, like a million removals in a year. Leadership at DHS, and ICE in particular, are operating with disrespect and disregard for the foundational constitutional principles that govern our country.

As we endeavor to secure the homeland, we must continue to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. As I told the Secretary last week: that is not a secondary mission.

But under the Trump Administration, ICE’s work appears to be dominated by egregious mistakes, misuse of taxpayer funds, and flagrant violations of constitutional rights like due process.

Let’s take last month in Oklahoma, where ICE sent 20 armed agents, with their rifles drawn, to storm the home of a mom who was home alone with her young daughters in the middle of the night.

These American citizens who did nothing wrong were forced to wait outside their home in the rain during a midnight investigation that had nothing to do with them.

Agents reportedly confiscated not just their phones and laptops but also their cash savings – again, these are U.S. citizens who, based on publicly available information, were never implicated in any of the crimes being investigated. It’s not even clear whether the family’s devices and savings were ever returned to them.

Your department has issued no apology, taken no accountability, just doubled down.

How can Americans trust an organization that operates like this – that treats them like this – with their national security?

ICE is the second-largest law enforcement component within DHS, America’s largest federal law enforcement agency. You are charged with upholding our laws – which start with the Constitution and Bill of Rights, representing our values as Americans, and using taxpayer dollars responsibly.

And the standard we expect from our federal law enforcement is excellence. The American people deserve nothing less.

But instead of prioritizing the actual greatest threats facing America – because we all know the data shows encounters at the southern border started declining in March 2024 and keep hitting new lows – this Administration is cashing checks it does not have to reach questionable goals it cannot meet.

You’re removing people so hastily and with so little care that you’re defying court orders.

Your department is wasting millions flying the Secretary around the country for publicity stunts so she can post photos on social media from operations that are still ongoing, putting actual agents at risk.

Let me be clear – you are roughly two months away from running out of funding and a violation of the Antidefiency Act. As I said to Secretary Noem, the reliance on funding from a reconciliation bill that has not passed Congress is an incredibly risky strategy that sets you up for failure.

Lastly, let me remind you of Article I of the Constitution, which gives Congress, and only Congress, the power of the purse. Increases to ICE at the expense of other national security programs and initiatives that members on both sides of the aisle voted for undermine our core work and Congressional intent. And if this committee provides funding for your agency, we have every right to oversee how those taxpayer dollars are spent.

Last week, ICE blocked members of Congress from conducting an unannounced inspection at the Delaney Hall facility in New Jersey. That too appears to be in violation of federal law, which clearly states we have the right to enter ICE facilities even if we show up unannounced.

Mr. Lyons, you cannot accept federal funding and then shut the door on oversight from the people’s elected representatives. 

ICE is already burning the money Congress appropriated – and frankly, right now ICE has much more work to do to justify being entrusted with even more taxpayer dollars.

I am deeply concerned about the administration of funds by this department, but ICE in particular, and I am glad we have the opportunity to discuss this further with you today.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.”

 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brad Sherman (D-CA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Our tax system allows for lower tax rates for capital gains on stocks to incentivize Americans to make investments that grow our economy. Yet, Americans who invest in companies abroad and build the economies of other nations – even in adversarial nations such as China – are still able to receive this preferential tax treatment. Meanwhile, China provides preferential tax treatment to investments in China, but not those made in the United States. 

At a recent hearing with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, I asked him a few simple questions: Can you think of a reason why the American tax code should provide enormous tax benefits like the capital gains allowance to Americans who invest in Chinese stocks? Don’t we prefer American capital to be invested in America?

To which he replied that while he would never bet against America, those that do, can and should be able to receive tax benefits.

In January, President Trump signed an executive order calling for an America First Trade Policy, but apparently that means America First so long as those who send our capital to China get massive tax breaks.

“The American people deserve a tax code that puts our workers, our industries, and our national interest ahead of foreign profits,” said Congressman Brad Sherman. “If the Trump Administration is serious about an “America First” agenda, it should start by ending tax breaks for those who ship capital—and opportunity—to China.”

Rewarding U.S. investors who invest in Chinese companies that may compete with or even threaten U.S. industries is not strategic. It’s not pro-worker. And it’s certainly not America First.

Last Congress, I introduced the bipartisan No Capital Gains Allowance for American Adversaries Act, which would eliminate the capital gains tax break for investments in companies based in China, Russia, Belarus, Iran, and North Korea. It would also eliminate a related tax break, the “step-up in basis” at death, for investments in such companies, and would direct the SEC to require disclosure that no tax breaks are available for these stocks. I plan to re-introduce this bill this Congress.

Watch my exchange – Here.

 

See a partial transcript – Here. 

 

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Riley Moore (WV-02)

Washington, D.C. – This afternoon, Congressman Riley M. Moore introduced a resolution with 20 of his House colleagues to honor Pope Leo XIV after his historic election to the Chair of St. Peter. Born Robert Francis Prevost, Pope Leo XIV is a native of Chicago and graduate of Villanova University. He was ordained a priest in 1982 and named a Cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023.

Congressman Moore issued the following statement:

“I was thrilled to hear of Pope Leo’s XIV election to the Chair of St. Peter, and have felt a tremendous sense of national pride that an American now leads the Catholic Church.

“I pray the Lord blesses the Holy Father with the great wisdom and unyielding courage necessary to preach the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Represenative Tom Suozzi (D-NY) co-led the resolution with Congressman Moore. Joining on as original co-sponsors were Representatives Tom Barrett (R-MI); Ryan Zinke (R-MT); Ann Wagner (R-MO); Michael McCaul (R-TX); Rob Bresnahan, Jr. (R-PA); Michael Rulli (R-OH); Stephanie Bice (R-OK); Lisa McClain (R-MI); John Rose (R-TN); Bryan Steil (R-WI); Mark Messmer (R-IN); Carlos Gimenez (R-FL); Chris Smith (R-NJ); French Hill (R-AR); John Rutherford (R-FL); Tony Gonzales (R-TX); Jeff Hurd (R-CO); Don Bacon (R-NE); and Jen Kiggans (R-VA).

The Daily Wire first covered the story, read more here.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark Amodei (NV-02)

Washington, D.C. – This week, the House Natural Resources Committee passed its directives for the Reconciliation process, which includes $18.5 billion in savings. In addition, Rep. Mark Amodei’s amendment pertaining to disposal of Federal lands in Nevada was included in the package.

“This week, the House Natural Resources Committee advanced our portion of the budget reconciliation bill, delivering on the Administration’s commitment to curb reckless spending, steward taxpayer dollars responsibly, and identify smart investments,” said Rep. Mark Amodei. “Our contributions will generate a total of $18.5 billion in savings, well beyond our $1 billion target.

“In addition to these historic savings, my Nevada-centric lands amendment was included in the package. The reality is, most of my colleagues don’t fully grasp the unique challenges Nevada faces as a state that is 80% federally owned. For years, folks from my district, and even across district lines, have voiced serious concerns about how these vast stretches of public land could threaten Nevada’s economic momentum and competitiveness if we run out of usable acreage.

“With Republicans holding only a slim majority, the reconciliation process presented a rare vehicle to advance these land disposal requests and ensure the priorities of our county commissions were heard. This is only the first step in our efforts to support responsible development in our state while also delivering a meaningful return for the American taxpayer.”

Background

The Reconciliation Process

Reconciliation is a rigorous process that allows the President’s agenda to move forward without being blocked by a Senate filibuster. It began with both the House and Senate passing an identical budget blueprint that provided clear directives for committees to identify areas for saving and investment. Congressional committees have been working to turn those directives into actionable legislation within their respective jurisdictions.

All proposed legislation must meet deficit-reducing or revenue-related targets. The end goal is to compile all legislation passed through committees and bring it onto the chamber floors for voting in one big bill.

Rep. Amodei’s Land Disposal Amendment

Nevada’s population centers are all encumbered by Federal lands and can’t meet their housing and development needs without disposal of Federal lands. Unlike most other states, Nevadans rely on Congress to make these lands available.  

Each of the maps included in this amendment was generated by the respective counties referenced in the bill. National Parks and areas of significant environmental value are not included in the list of disposal lands within the amendment, and all disposal of Federal lands must still go through the NEPA process and comply with existing federal regulations. This amendment focuses on communities who have been starved of development and housing needs.

Breakdown of the Amendment

* 449,174 acres are encompassed in the amendment; however, 356,100 acres are part of the Pershing County checkerboard resolution that have no net change in federal ownership. 

Washoe County

The amendment identifies 15,860 acres in Washoe County for disposal, also allowing for joint selection between the County and Federal government to prioritize lands for affordable housing development.

Clark County

The amendment identifies 65,129 acres in Clark County for disposal, also allowing for joint selection between the County and Federal government to prioritize lands for affordable housing development. The amendment includes a savings clause to ensure that no proceeds deposited into the SNPLMA special account under previous lands sales are to be rescinded or redirected.

Lyon County

The amendment identifies 12,085 acres in Lyon County, which will be sold for fair market value to the City of Fernley, Nevada and be developed as the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center (TRIC) II.

Pershing County

The amendment authorizes the sale or exchange of lands previously identified for disposal by the BLM in a streamlined manner. This encompasses approximately 356,100 acres of land to be exchanged at a 1:1 ratio.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) along with Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), today introduced the End Price Gouging for Medications Act.

The bicameral bill would lower prescription drug costs for all Americans and end pharmaceutical price gouging by requiring drug companies to offer medications in the United States at no more than the lowest price per drug in twelve other similarly developed countries—Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

“In the wealthiest nation on earth, no one should have to choose between buying groceries and affording the medications they need to survive.” said Dingell. “There’s no reason we should be spending more on prescriptions than any other country. This legislation will bring down the cost of prescription drugs, hold drug companies accountable for their unchecked greed, and provide much-needed relief to American families.”

“Americans pay the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs, even though we invest the most in cutting-edge research and development. That is unconscionable,” said Merkley. “In my town halls across every corner of Oregon, I’ve heard time and again from Oregonians about how sky-high prescription drug prices are pushing their budgets to the limit. The End Price Gouging for Medications Act will crack down on Big Pharma’s greed. If President Trump is serious about lowering prescription drug costs for families and seniors across America, he should work with Congress to ensure we get the best prices, not the worst.”

“No one should ever be forced to choose between paying for the prescriptions they need or putting food on the table. It’s unacceptable, and for too many Americans it’s a reality because of Big Pharma’s price gouging,” said Welch. “The End Price Gouging for Medications Act would put an end to this bad practice and help more Vermonters access the medications they need. I’m proud to join Sen. Merkley to introduce this bill and help Vermonters get the care they need.”

On average, Americans spend over $1,400 on prescription drugs every year—the highest per capita drug spending in the world—largely because the pharmaceutical industry is hiking up the cost of drugs to make billions in profits each year. The American people want action, and lowering prescription drug prices to levels obtained in nations similar to the United States has strong bipartisan support. This includes medication such as:

• Ozempic, which costs Americans nearly $13,000 annually to treat type 2 diabetes compared to roughly $820 in Japan; and
• Humira, which costs Americans with Crohn’s disease more than $100,000 per year compared to roughly $3,320 per year in Austria.

Unlike Trump’s recent executive order (EO) on international reference pricing, which only applies to Medicare and Medicaid, the End Price Gouging for Medications Act goes further by requiring drug companies to offer prescription drugs at the established reference price to all individuals in the U.S. market, regardless of insurance or health care status. That includes individuals utilizing all federal health programs, uninsured individuals, individuals covered under a group health plan, or individuals who have purchased their own health insurance coverage.

In addition to Dingell, Merkley, Welch, and Sanders, the End Price Gouging for Medications Act is co-sponsored by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL). The bicameral bill is endorsed by Public Citizen, Center for Health and Democracy, Just Care USA, Center for Medicare Advocacy, and Social Security Works.

“American consumers pay far too much for drugs, not because it is costly to manufacture them, or even because of the expense of research and development. We pay too much because the U.S. government grants patents and other monopolies to brand-name drug corporations and then does far too little to rein in Big Pharma’s exploitation of those monopolies to price gouge consumers and the government itself. If President Trump were serious about bringing U.S. drug prices down to levels in other countries, he would embrace this legislation and use the bully pulpit to urge legislators to support it instead of retrograde proposals to take away health care from millions of people to give tax cuts to billionaires and corporations. We applaud Senators Merkley, Sanders and Welch for their leadership,” said Peter Maybarduk, Director of Public Citizen’s Access to Medicines Program.

“There’s no good reason Americans should be forced to pay as much as four times more for our drugs than people in France, Japan and Canada. Senator Merkley, Senator Welch, Ranking Member Sanders, and Representative Dingell’s ‘End Price Gouging for Medications Act’ legislation recognizes that monopoly pricing by drug corporations is killing tens of thousands of Americans each year and driving countless more into medical debt. It rightly calls for fair drug pricing, which is essential to our health and well-being,” said Diane Archer, President, Just Care USA.

Full text of the End Price Gouging for Medications Act can be found here. 

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In his closing remarks, during a 26-hour long markup in the Energy and Commerce Committee on the Republican budget, Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) shared the story of a local family who relies on Medicaid and who would be hurt by the massive healthcare cuts included in the GOP budget. Throughout the markup, Tonko shared firsthand accounts of constituents across the district who would have their Medicaid coverage ripped away as a result of Republicans’ budget cuts. In his closing remarks today, Tonko highlighted the story of Sara, the mother of a 16-month-old pediatric stroke survivor who relies on Medicaid to get the care he deserves.

Tonko spoke with Sara directly about the impact of Medicaid in providing support her son. Their conversation can be viewed HERE.

Tonko’s full remarks can be viewed HERE or read below as prepared for delivery:

As we wind down this debate, I have a confession to make.

I’m tired.

I know we’re all tired too.

We’ve been at this more than 25 hours now.

But while I am tired, I am also energized.

Because I know our cause is just.

And because I know that these past 25 hours have helped to illuminate the stakes of this debate for the American people.

And the stakes couldn’t be higher.

The choices that are made in this room today, and in our House of Representatives will impact the lives of millions of people we will never meet.

In this moment, I’m thinking of how this might impact one family I have met – Sara and her son Cameron from Niskayuna, New York.

Cameron is a 16-month-old pediatric stroke survivor. Cam was previously normally developing and healthy, but at 7 months old, he had a rare pediatric stroke that changed everything.

Sara shared how they quickly found themselves in a community of parents with disabled kids that rely on Medicaid. Her son receives 5 to 6 therapies a week and goes to 2 to 3 doctors’ appointments every month.

Medicaid is the safety net that supports them to provide things like copays and medical braces, which add up and make a huge difference.

Sara’s story could be any of our stories. She shared with me:

“It really hits home for me that Cameron became disabled after his stroke, pretty much overnight, our lives changed. So, I think what people may be missing here is, anyone can become disabled at any moment and therefore you may not have the coverage you once thought you had.”

Republicans falsely claim that children like Cameron won’t be impacted by their package, but I’ve read the text and that’s simply not true.

New York State stands to lose billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid from the reduced federal match, the provider tax provisions and more senseless provisions in this cruel package.

Again, let me reiterate: when states have to make these massive cuts to their Medicaid programs, where do you think they’re going to look first?

To the most expensive patients: the elderly, the sick, and the disabled. To the very people that my Republican colleagues claim they are trying to protect.

Republicans have been offered so many opportunities today to put pen to paper on their claims that this bill won’t hurt people like Cameron.

They’ve refused to do so.

When someone shows you who they are, believe them.

Here’s your last chance.

Support this amendment and let’s make an ironclad guarantee to folks like Sara and Cameron that we’re going to take care of them.

Let’s make that ironclad guarantee that lets this family sleep a little easier tonight.

I’m ready to make that promise. And I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce completed its reconciliation markup hearing on budget recommendations that fall in line with the budget resolution. The House Budget Committee will receive the Energy and Commerce recommendations as they prepare to draft a reconciliation package. U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:

“Congressional Democrats and progressive prognosticators shouted day and night that the Energy and Commerce Committee couldn’t make budget recommendations without massive, significant cuts to Medicaid. And yet, House Republicans proved them all wrong. I look forward to working with House Republicans during the next phase of the reconciliation process to produce a bill that carries out a pro-growth, commonsense agenda.”

BACKGROUND

On April 10, 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives passed U.S. Senate-amended H. Con. Res. 14, a budget resolution that sets fiscal objectives for House committees to identify potential savings. 

The resolution instructs the House Committee on Energy and Commerce to identify a target of $880 billion in savings.

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce started its markup hearing on Tuesday, May 13.

The Committee’s proposed recommendations must still be considered by the Budget Committee. Changes to the underlying reconciliation bill are still possible and then must be voted on by both chambers of Congress.

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Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12)

Washington, DC:  Today, the House Energy & Commerce Committee advanced a broad reconciliation bill that implements fiscally-sound policies to end wasteful spending on Green New Deal-style projects, support the rapid innovation and modernization of American Commerce, and protect Medicaid for vulnerable Americans for generations to come by cutting waste, fraud, and abuse.  One of the provisions included in the package, the LIVE Beneficiaries Act, authored by Representative Bilirakis, will help strengthen funding for the Medicaid program and its beneficiaries. This provision requires states to quarterly certify that those enrolled in Medicaid are still living.  Bilirakis filed his bill in response to a recent independent audit of just 14 states in one year that documented $249 million in payments to providers on behalf of deceased individuals.  The reconciliation package also prohibits beneficiaries from being enrolled in Medicaid in multiple states at the same time and prohibits those individuals who are here illegally from participating in Medicaid.  

“I’m proud of the common-sense approach we’ve put forth to achieve significant savings while preserving benefits and access to care for our most vulnerable individuals,” said Congressman Bilirakis.  “We have a responsibility to ensure taxpayer dollars are used wisely and that includes protecting access to healthcare for low-income children, seniors, pregnant women, and those with disabilities. Despite the fear-mongering rhetoric from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle throughout the hearing – these critical populations will not see any change to their healthcare under our bill.  Instead, we will disallow duplicative reimbursement, payments for deceased individuals, and coverage for illegal aliens. In doing so – we will strengthen and preserve Medicaid for generations to come while helping to restore fiscal responsibility.  

Congressman Bilirakis, who is the Chairman of the Commerce, Manufacturing and Technology Subcommittee in the House, also spearheaded a measure included in the package that would implement a 10-year moratorium on state and local regulation of AI models.  This moratorium will prevent the failures we have seen from the state-based regulatory morass on internet privacy from infecting the budding AI marketplace led by the United States.

“Harnessing the potential of AI is not just an opportunity for the United States, it’s an absolute necessity to secure economic leadership, strengthen national security, and ensure that American values shape the future of this transformative technology,” said Chairman Bilirakis.  “We must prevent a fragmented patchwork of rules from each state that could stifle innovation, confuse compliance, and undermine the creation of effective, nationwide standards that protect both progress and the public.  The moratorium included in this package enables us to achieve that goal.”  

As Co-Chair of the Rare Disease Caucus, Congressman Bilirakis has worked tirelessly for many years to support rare disease patients and families by streamlining FDA processes and encouraging the development of treatments and cures for smaller patient populations.  Two measures co-authored by Bilirakis to help rare disease patients were also included in the reconciliation package that passed out of Committee today.  Children with complex medical needs may not have the specialized care they need within their home state. In these instances, parents must work with health care providers and state Medicaid officials to find out-of-state care. The process is difficult and complex, often delaying children and their families from receiving the care they desperately need – and in some cases blocking access to care all together. The Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act addresses this concern by allowing states to streamline the process for out-of-state pediatric care providers to enroll in another state’s Medicaid program, while also safeguarding important program integrity processes. The legislation enables smooth coordination across state lines by clarifying the process by which state Medicaid programs can cover this care regardless of where the child lives and where their care is received.  The Orphan CURES Act is a bipartisan measure that would accelerate the development of new life-saving cures and provide hope to millions of Americans affected by rare diseases. Under current federal law, a drug or treatment that receives approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to exclusively treat one rare disease – commonly known as an “orphan drug” – is eligible for certain incentives, including an exemption from Medicare’s drug negotiation program.  Unfortunately, those same incentives do not exist if an orphan drug receives FDA approval to treat two or more rare diseases.  The result is a disincentive for American innovators to invest in the expensive and time-intensive research necessary to determine if an orphan drug could cure or treat additional rare diseases. The ORPHAN Cures Act would remedy these harmful, unintended consequences by honoring the intent of the Orphan Drug Act of 1983 and restoring proven, time-tested incentives to encourage the discovery of new cures for the narrow patient populations affected by rare diseases.

“Including these two critical provisions in the reconciliation package is a huge win for the rare disease community,”  said Congressman Gus Bilirakis who serves as Co-Chair of the Rare Disease Caucus.  “My colleagues and I will continue to work toward advancing the development of treatments and cures for rare disease patients and removing regulatory barriers that prevent patients from accessing care.”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Diana DeGette (First District of Colorado)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01) released the following statement after the Energy & Commerce Committee completed a nearly 27 hour-long markup of Trump’s ‘One Big, Bogus Bill’ that would cut $715 billion from Medicaid, kick 13.7 million Americans off their health care, and defund Planned Parenthood to give tax cuts to billionaires.

“House Republicans held a 27 hour markup, starting debate over the health care provisions at 1 o’clock in the morning, to hide what they are doing from the American people. Throughout the night, they deflected from their true intentions of kicking millions of Americans off their health care. But here’s the truth: you can’t cut $715 billion from Medicaid without kicking eligible recipients off the program. The policies House Republicans want to implement have been tried in states like Georgia and Arkansas, and they have failed miserably, leading to eligible people losing their health care and actually costing the states more money. Make no mistake: this bill will lead to eligible recipients losing their health care, and House Republicans couldn’t care less.

“Furthermore, they are specifically targeting Planned Parenthood, which serves over 60,000 Coloradans annually, by eliminating their federal funding. That means 1 million Planned Parenthood patients on Medicaid will lose access to care, such as cancer screenings, wellness visits, HIV prevention, and family planning counseling.

“House Republicans are so focused on appeasing Trump and giving tax cuts to billionaires that they are gutting essential health care programs and providers. I called out their cuts throughout the markup, and I am going to continue to fight to protect Medicaid and access to health care as Republicans try to jam this monstrosity of a bill through Congress.”

Democrats on the committee offered a number of amendments to stop this bill from taking health care away from hard-working Americans. Republicans voted against every single Democratic amendment, including: 

• An amendment to require the HHS Secretary to certify that the Trump administration will not cut Medicaid benefits.
• An amendment to prevent defunding Planned Parenthood.
• An amendment to prevent the bill from taking effect if any of the provisions result in an increase in mortality rates.
• An amendment to require 100 percent of savings to be reinvested in medical assistance for eligible Medicaid recipients.
• An amendment to maintain state flexibility in funding Medicaid.
• An amendment to require assessments from states on the impact of this bill on uncompensated care and emergency department wait time.
• An amendment to remove unnecessary and burdensome paperwork requirements.
• An amendment to require states to provide 12 months postpartum coverage.
• An amendment to codify a ban on CHIP waiting periods.
• An amendment noting the Sense of Congress that Americans should not pay more than those in other countries for the exact same prescription drugs.

An amendment that says none of the provisions of the bill will take effect if any of the provisions result in reduced access to coverage.

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