Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Amendments, CBO Scoring Push Key Infrastructure Vote To Weekend
Politico: Senate Punts Infrastructure Vote After Amendment Meltdown
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer set up a pivotal vote on President Joe Biden's infrastructure plan for Saturday, after breakneck talks to wrap up the bill on Thursday night fell apart. Senators in both parties spent the entire day assembling a package of amendments for consideration that could grease the wheels to final passage, but Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) refused to sign off under intense lobbying from Republican colleagues. (Everett, 8/5)
Roll Call: Senate Aims For Weekend Vote On Infrastructure Bill - Roll Call
Senators had hoped to finish work on the bipartisan bill as early as Thursday night, with Senate leadership trying to push through 16 amendments and then pass the bill before senators leave Friday morning for the funeral of former Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo. Instead, they spent a day waiting, first for a Congressional Budget Office score of the bill, then for an agreement on amendments. They got the score at around 4 p.m., with the CBO's release confirming conservative complaints that the bill was not, as advertised, fully paid for. (Wehrman, Morton and Cohn, 8/5)
CBS News: Key Senate Vote On $1 Trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Expected Saturday
The Senate debated amendments to the $1 trillion, 2,700 page bipartisan infrastructure bill late into the night Thursday before Majority Leader Chuck Schumer adjourned the session and said proceedings would resume Saturday. The New York Democrat said there would be a vote to cut off debate on the measure at the beginning of that session. A green light would set the stage for a vote on final passage early next week. (Quinn, 8/5)
How the bill would affect the deficit and Medicare —
NBC News: Infrastructure Bill Projected To Add $256 Billion To Deficit: CBO
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bipartisan infrastructure bill will add $256 billion to the deficit over 10 years, one of the final pieces lawmakers were awaiting before the Senate moves onto final consideration of the bill. The bipartisan group that negotiated the bill had worked to make it "paid for," congressional speak for not adding to the deficit. But the CBO disagreed. (Finn, 8/5)
Modern Healthcare: Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Would Cut $8.7B Medicare Provider Pay
The bipartisan infrastructure bill would lead to a $8.7 billion reduction in Medicare payments to providers, according to an estimate released Thursday by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The bill proposes a 4% cut to Medicare payment rates for the first six months of 2031 in part to pay for more than $500 billion in new spending on roads, bridges, and other surface infrastructure. The extension has been fiercely opposed by hospital groups, who argue Medicare shouldn't be cut to pay for unrelated infrastructure projects. (Hellmann, 8/5)
In other news from Capitol Hill —
The Washington Post: GOP Congressman Suing Pelosi Over Mask Mandate Contracts Coronavirus
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), one of three Republican members of Congress who last week filed a lawsuit against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi over the House mask mandate, has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, he said in a statement Thursday. “After experiencing minor symptoms this morning, I sought a covid-19 test and was just informed the test results were positive,” Norman tweeted Thursday afternoon. “Thankfully, I have been fully vaccinated and my symptoms remain mild.” (Wang, 8/5)
