This week marks the Senate’s last week in session before its August recess kicks off. Last night, the Senate Appropriations Committee released the text for its continuing resolution (CR), which would fund the government through December 11, 2026. The CR includes a provision that would prevent the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB)’s proposed rule regarding federal financial assistance from taking effect. The OMB proposal has drawn significant stakeholder and bipartisan concern because it would put political appointees in charge of grant approvals. For example, Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Collins (R-ME) wrote a letter to OMB Director Vought asking for an extension of the proposed rule’s comment period and revisions to the rule’s potential impact on small and rural communities and scientific and biomedical research. We expect this week to focus on the Senate’s movement of the CR. The House passed its version of a CR, extending government funding to December 4, 2026, before leaving town.
In the last week before the recess, we see some Senate healthcare committee action. The Senate Finance Committee’s Health Subcommittee will hold a hearing on biotechnology in healthcare, while the Senate Budget Committee will hold its first hearing with its new chair, Sen. Johnson (R-WI), on Medicaid. The Senate Judiciary Committee was scheduled to discuss transparency and competition within the context of prescription drug costs, but the hearing was postponed without a new date set.
With the Senate expected to depart by the end of this week, if not sooner, the Preview will go on hiatus through the August recess. Assuming the House returns as scheduled the week of August 31, 2026, we will be back in your inboxes that Monday.
We hope you have a great August recess!
In this week’s Healthcare Preview, Debbie Curtis and Rodney Whitlock join Maddie News to preview the last week the Senate is in session before August recess officially begins.
