Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Powerful House Subcommittee's Probe Into Juul's Marketing Practices Comes On Heels Of Senate Investigation
The Hill: House Panel Launches Investigation Into Juul
A powerful House committee is launching an investigation into e-cigarette manufacturer Juul, seeking a host of information about whether the company has actively marketed its product to American children. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), chairman of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, sent a letter to Juul asking for all documents related to the company’s marketing strategy, the product’s impact on minors, information on the health effects of the product and details about its business arrangements with potential investors, among other information. (Weixel, 6/12)
Politico Pro: Exclusive: Federal Ban On Vaping In Schools Pushed By Romney, Udall
Legislation that would impose a federal ban on the use of e-cigarettes in schools will be unveiled Thursday by the bipartisan duo of Sens. Mitt Romney and Tom Udall, POLITICO has learned.The so-called Smoke Free Schools Act will be reintroduced by Udall (D-NM) and Romney (R-Utah) as students increasingly use the devices, sometimes in bathrooms and even in class. Udall introduced a version of the bill last Congress with Utah’s former GOP senator, Orrin Hatch, who retired. (Gaudiano, 6/13)
And in other news from Capitol Hill —
Politico: Dems Scramble To Break Impasse Over Funding Migrant Crisis
House Democrats are still haggling over the details of a contentious bill to deliver billions of dollars for the humanitarian crisis at the border, with chances of a vote before the Fourth of July diminishing by the day. Top Democrats left a closed-door meeting Wednesday still aiming to bring legislation to the floor within the next two weeks. But Democrats have yet to reach a final agreement, with a vocal group of progressives still refusing to back the proposal to send money to the Trump administration. (Ferris and Caygle, 6/12)
Stat: Senators Want To Know If HHS Money Went To Chinese Genomics Firms
Two Republican senators are asking whether the Department of Health and Human Services might have compromised national security by indirectly doing business with genomics companies tied to China, the latest escalation in Washington’s efforts to limit overseas access to American intellectual property. In a letter to the HHS inspector general, Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) name-checked WuXi Nextcode and BGI, two Chinese-founded genomics companies that have relationships with U.S. companies that have received payments from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (Garde, 6/12)
The Hill: Cruz Pitches Ocasio-Cortez On Bill To Make Birth Control Available Over The Counter
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is looking to join forces with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on legislation that would make over-the-counter birth control legal. The GOP Texas senator on Wednesday offered to team up with her to create a "simple, clean bill making birth control available over the counter," a move that comes just weeks after he offered to take up lobbyist reform with her. (Wise, 6/12)
