Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
All Eyes Look To Senate Now After House Approves Massive Spending Bill
The New York Times: House Passes Biden’s Build Back Better Bill
The House narrowly passed the centerpiece of President Biden’s domestic agenda on Friday, approving $2.2 trillion in spending over the next decade to battle climate change, expand health care and reweave the nation’s social safety net, over the unanimous opposition of Republicans. The bill’s passage, 220 to 213, came after weeks of cajoling, arm-twisting and legislative legerdemain by Democrats. It was capped off by an exhausting, circuitous and record-breaking speech of more than eight hours by the House Republican leader, Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, that pushed a planned Thursday vote past midnight, then delayed it to Friday morning — but did nothing to dent Democratic unity. (Cochrane and Weisman, 11/19)
Politico: Dems’ $1.7T Spending Bill Clears House, But Senate Changes Loom
The House passed a sweeping $1.7 trillion spending bill Friday, a major step forward for the health care and climate package before action turns to the Senate, where an uncertain fate awaits. The behemoth bill is the most significant restructuring of the social safety net in decades, touching nearly every aspect of American life from universal pre-K to college assistance to elder care. Democrats also hope the landmark legislation can help them beat the historical odds and maintain full control of Congress next year. (Caygle, Ferris and Wu, 11/19)
Stat: Democrats’ Major Drug Pricing Reforms Clear A Hurdle In The House
House Democrats Friday broke a monthslong logjam and advanced prescription drug pricing reform policies as part of a broader domestic spending package. Despite a last-minute lobbying sprint by the pharmaceutical industry, the drug pricing deal Democrats announced earlier this month remained largely unchanged. The plan would allow Medicare to negotiate some drug prices, penalize drug makers that hike prices faster than inflation, and cap drug costs for seniors and patients who use insulin. (Cohrs, 11/19)
Politico: ‘Whole Different Ballgame’: Dems Vow They’ve Learned Obamacare Lessons In Messaging $1.7T Megabill
A huge boost to the nation’s safety net. A looming midterm with the majority on the brink. A flood of GOP attack ads. That’s where House Democrats hope the similarities end between now and 2010. As they take their first pass at President Joe Biden’s $1.7 trillion social spending bill, House Democrats are gambling that its medley of popular family, health care and climate proposals can steer them toward a radically different political fate than eleven years ago — when a historic electoral wipeout followed the passage of their signature health care overhaul. (Ferris and Caygle, 11/19)
Also —
Politico: New GOP Weed Approach: Feds Must ‘Get Out Of The Way’
“We need the federal government just to get out of the way,” said Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who introduced the first Republican bill in Congress to decriminalize marijuana this past week and pointed to more than 70 percent of Americans supporting the idea. Stronger Republican involvement could hasten a snowball effect on Capitol Hill, where Democrats lead the charge on decriminalization but lack results. It could also chip away at Democrats’ ability to use cannabis legalization to excite progressives and younger voters as the midterms approach. (Fertig and Zhang, 11/21)
