Incoming House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Stresses Swift Action on Health Care Overhaul

Incoming House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) on Monday during a speech sponsored by the Prescription Project promised to take swift action on both energy and health care reform in the 111th Congress, CQ HealthBeat reports. "I think we need to do both at the same time," he said, adding that the economy "depends on how we resolve the health care issue."

Waxman "echoed the position of other top lawmakers in the House and Senate," saying he'd follow the lead of President-elect Barack Obama's administration on health care reform. "This is the time, this is the opportunity that has eluded us, and we simply will not fail," he said. Waxman added, "What to me is clearly the best approach is what we can pass, and that secures the goals of universal coverage, sensible controls on cost and assurances of quality care."

Acknowledging the leadership the Senate has taken thus far in proposing health care legislation, Waxman said, "We'll have our own House bill" (Armstrong, CQ Today, 12/8). He said that a House health care overhaul proposal will be worked on together by the Energy and Commerce and the House Ways and Means committees.

Waxman said in his speech Monday that the first thing the Energy and Commerce Committee will undertake is the reauthorization and expansion of SCHIP. He noted that he is committed to creating an approval pathway for generic biotechnology products, giving FDA the authority to regulate the tobacco industry and the ability -- on a case-by-case basis -- to regulate direct-to-consumer television advertisements for prescription medications. Waxman said that any health information technology proposals the Obama administration includes in its stimulus package would go through the Energy and Commerce Committee (Reichard, CQ HealthBeat, 12/8).