Provisions Aimed At Boosting Generic-Drug Market, Raising Legal Age For Tobacco Purchases Added To Senate Health Care Package
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee will mark up the overall package on Wednesday. In other news from Capitol Hill, Democrats seek answers from the Department of Agriculture about climate change research, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will meet with 9/11 first responders to talk about the victims' fund.
Modern Healthcare:
Senate Healthcare Bill Raises Legal Tobacco Age, Includes Creates Act
The Senate health committee chair on Monday amended its suite of healthcare proposals to include the Creates Act, aimed at boosting the generic-drug market, and to raise the legal age for buying tobacco products to 21. These two major additions to the package from committee leaders Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) didn't come as a big surprise. The Creates Act cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee last year, and two committees in the U.S. House of Representatives, but has not been up for a floor vote yet. The bill would prohibit brand-name manufacturers from keeping drug samples out of the hands of generic competitors. (Luthi, 6/24)
CQ:
Senators Add Tobacco, Drug Price Language To Bill Before Markup
A manager’s amendment of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee bill (S 1895) on surprise emergency medical expenses and other issues, which was released Monday, includes an amended proposal on the tobacco age by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and other senators from both parties. The bill would raise the national tobacco purchasing age from 18 to 21, and would require the administration to update rules to require age verification for anyone under age 30. In recent years, as a response to the significant spike in teenagers using e-cigarettes, 16 states and Washington, D.C., raised the local tobacco age to 21. (Siddons, 6/24)
Politico:
Democrats Demand Answers From USDA On Lack Of Climate Science Promotion
Several Democrats criticized Monday the Trump administration after POLITICO reported the Agriculture Department has largely stopped promoting its own climate science. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who's also running for president, sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue expressing "deep concern and alarm" over the report. The Minnesota Democrat asked the department to explain its justification for not publicizing certain studies and to immediately release "any [Agricultural Research Service] study related to climate science that was ignored, downplayed, or its findings held back." (Evich, 6/24)
The Associated Press:
McConnell To Meet 9/11 Responders To Discuss Victims' Fund
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is meeting this week with Sept. 11 first responders following withering criticism from comedian Jon Stewart that Congress had failed to ensure that a victims' compensation fund never runs out of money. A group of first responders will meet Tuesday with McConnell at the Capitol, said John Feal, a ground zero recovery worker and longtime activist on behalf of first responders. (6/24)
