Last week, the Senate passed a revised version of the government funding bill, H.R. 7148, that the House approved earlier. This modified bill includes full funding for five key areas for the fiscal year 2026, particularly the Labor and Health and Human Services departments. However, funding for the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is currently on hold with a two-week stopgap measure while negotiations continue. This situation arises from demands from Democratic lawmakers following recent events in Minnesota.
Since the Senate made changes, the House needs to review the bill again before it heads to the President for approval. With some funding already expired, we are now experiencing a partial shutdown affecting HHS, but the hope is for this downtime to be brief. The House Rules Committee is set to discuss the bill today, with a vote planned for tomorrow. Speaker Johnson has expressed optimism, but he faces the challenge of rallying his party’s members to support the rule, especially with concerns from some Republicans about renegotiating DHS funding.
In this tense environment, newly elected Christian Menefee from Texas may tip the balance as he is expected to be sworn in today. If the proposed rule fails to garner enough support, some Democrats might step in to back it so that all members can vote on the bill. If the rule passes, it’s expected that the overall bill will too. And if the bill succeeds, discussions will carry on about DHS funding, with potential short-term extensions likely.
Meanwhile, health committees are actively discussing healthcare fraud this week. A Senate Judiciary Committee hearing will shine light on fraud issues in Minnesota, while the House Energy and Commerce Committee will tackle broader problems in Medicare and Medicaid fraud. NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya will also testify about modernizing the NIH, particularly focusing on long-term funding strategies and managing indirect costs.
According to recent studies, instances of healthcare fraud have surged, costing the system billions of dollars annually. Experts stress the need for stronger measures to protect against these scams, especially in programs that serve vulnerable populations. As discussions continue in Congress, the implications for healthcare services are significant, affecting both funding and policy decisions going forward.
