Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Senate Clears Path To Confirm FDA Nominee
The Associated Press: Senate Clears Way For Approval Of New FDA Commissioner
The Senate has cleared the way for approval of President Barack Obama’s nominee for commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. Senators voted 80-6 Monday to end a Democratic filibuster of Obama’s pick to head the agency. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Ed Markey of Massachusetts had held up the nomination of Dr. Robert Califf in an effort to force the agency to be tougher on prescription drug prices and the abuse of opioid painkillers. (Jalonick, 2/22)
CQ Healthbeat: Democratic Senators Make Last Push Against FDA Nominee
The Senate appeared poised to agree on Monday to cut off debate on the nomination of Robert Califf to be FDA commissioner. If the Senate invokes cloture as expected, that would set the stage for a final vote on Califf’s nomination as early as Tuesday. (Siddons, 2/22)
Meanwhile, lead-poisoning prevention legislation is getting attention from national and state lawmakers —
The Associated Press: US Senators Propose Tax Credits To Clean Up Lead In Homes
A bill first proposed by Hillary Clinton to help homeowners clean up lead hazards that can poison children is getting new life after the lead contamination crisis in Flint, Michigan. Two Democratic U.S. senators — Sheldon Whitehouse, of Rhode Island, and Charles Schumer, of New York — plan to introduce a bill in Congress this week that would give federal tax credits of up to $3,000 to homeowners or landlords who eliminate lead dangers found in old paint and pipes. (O'Brien, 2/22)
The Associated Press: Congressional Democrats Join New Jersey's Debate On Lead
For weeks, Democratic lawmakers in New Jersey's statehouse have claimed that Republican Gov. Chris Christie is spending too little on lead poisoning prevention. On Monday, one of New Jersey's Democratic Congressman appears to have joined that fight. In a letter to the state's health department, U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone asked for a full accounting of federal funds that are available to New Jersey to combat lead poisoning. (Finley, 2/22)
In other news —
St. Louis Public Radio: Sen. Claire McCaskill Announces She Has Breast Cancer
“I very recently learned that I have breast cancer,” Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., announced in a statement on Monday. In a note on her Tumblr page, McCaskill, 62, wrote that her prognosis is good and that she expects a full recovery. The cancer was detected during a routine mammogram, and McCaskill said she will be in St. Louis for three weeks to receive treatment. (Bouscaren, 2/22)
