Senate Advances FDA Appropriations Bill: On Thursday, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the FY2026 Agriculture-FDA funding bill, without the House-proposed cuts to SNAP and WIC programs. The Senate and House bills provide roughly the same level of funding for FDA at $7 billion, comprised of $3.6 billion in taxpayer funds and $3.4 billion in user fee revenues, but the Senate version saw a bipartisan vote. The Senate has not yet posted its bill report for the Agriculture-FDA appropriations legislation.

House Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan PBM Reform Bill: On Thursday, outgoing Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health Chair Buddy Carter (R-GA) led a new legislative package for PBM reforms not included in the OBBB reconciliation package. The bill, co-sponsored by 11 bipartisan House representatives, would ban PBMs from using spread pricing in Medicaid, instate more transparent systems to ensure pharmacies are fairly reimbursed for serving Medicaid enrollees, and would require the “delinking” of PBM compensation from the list price of Part D prescription drugs.

Supreme Court Overrules District Court Hold on HHS Firings: On Tuesday, the US Supreme Court ruled 8-1 overturning Judge Susan Illston of the Northern District of California’s hold on White House-ordered layoffs at HHS. The ruling allows the RIFs to move forward but was not a permanent ruling in favor of the government. It is likely the Court will rule in favor of the White House.

Senate HELP Advances CDC Director Nominee: On Wednesday, the Senate HELP Committee voted 12-11 to advance Dr. Susan Monarez's appointment for CDC Director. Monarez, who said she differs in her opinions on vaccine science to HHS Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., still earned no votes from Democrats who said she has not pushed back against the Trump Administration's CDC cuts and mission reprioritizations.

Rural Hospital Funding Open for Application: On Thursday, HHS posted early application information for the Rural Hospital Transformation Fund, the $50 billion program added by Republican senators to offset CMS funding drawbacks passed in the OBBB. The fund allocates $10 billion annually from fiscal year 2026 through 2030, and states may submit their application packages until the end of the year.

Senate HELP Holds Hearing on Healthcare Cybersecurity: On Wednesday, the Senate HELP Committee held a hearing on solutions to cybersecurity issues within the healthcare sector. Witnesses argued that new HIPPA rulemaking proposed by the Trump Administration is not clear or comprehensive enough for the current tech landscape, that HIPPA standards should be applied to wearable healthcare technologies, and that Congress should pursue reimbursement bonuses for provider systems that invest in cybersecurity infrastructure.

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