Capitol Hill Snapshot

Academy PAC Supports Former HHS Secretary Donna Shalala

Academy staff attended a fundraiser for Representative Donna Shalala (D-Florida) on June 5.  Earlier in her career, Representative Shalala served as the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) from 1993 to 2001 and as such is the longest serving HHS Secretary in U.S. history. Representative Shalala is known for her health-care expertise particularly in the areas of Medicare and Medicaid.

Legislation Expected to Address Research Security

Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) announced in a June 5 Senate Finance Committee hearing that he plans to introduce a bill to protect federally funded research from theft. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) as of May 2019 had probed 61 institutions that had received grants in response to concerns regarding foreign governments’ influence. The legislation would require agencies to improve cybersecurity to protect research.

Congress Concerned About Possible Effects of Health-Care Consolidation

The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on June 12 on consolidation in the healthcare industry and possible effects on patient choice and costs.