AGD Capitol Connections

Advocacy doesn’t just happen in Washington, DC or in your state capital. This week U.S. Representatives and Senators are home for Presidents’ Day recess. During this week they will be meeting with their constituents just like yourself.

On February 13, 2025, the Senate voted to confirm Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), by a vote of 52-48. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was the lone Republican to vote against Mr. Kennedy’s confirmation, in addition to every Democratic Senator.

On January 27, 2025, the Trump Administration, through the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), released a memorandum entitled, Temporary Pause of Agency Grant, Loan, and Other Financial Assistance Programs to the heads of executive departments and agencies.

On January 29 and 30th, 2025, the Senate Finance and Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions (HELP) Committees respectively held confirmation hearings for Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) nominee Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

On February 8, 2024, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released a final rule entitled, Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Patient Records.

On February 21, 2024, Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released a report entitled, Strengthening Health Data Privacy for Americans: Addressing the Challenges of the Modern Era.

On February 20, 2024, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) announced a bipartisan Task Force on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to explore ways that Congress can support AI innovation while establishing appropriate guardrails

On January 17, 2024, the Chair of the House Energy & Commerce (E&C) Full Committee and the Chair of the E&C Health Subcommittee, Representatives Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA-5) and Brett Guthrie (R-KY-2) respectively, sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) requesting a study on the vertical integration and consolidation of the dental and vision benefits industries.

On January 17, 2024, Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) introduced S.3597, the Promoting Dental Health Act.

In an interview with Bloomberg Law, Doug Parker, Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Occupational and Safety Health Administration (OSHA), described the enactment of a permanent COVID-19 workplace standard for the healthcare industry as OSHA’s most urgent rulemaking.

Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and John Boozman (R-AR) plan to introduce the Senate companion to H.R.4122, the Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act, this week.

Last Thursday, AGD met with Administrator Carole Johnson of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to welcome the Administrator to her new role and reinforce AGD’s ongoing collaboration with the agency.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is currently recruiting for the position of Chief Dental Officer (CDO) within the Office of Special Health Initiatives.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) opened the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Payment Reconsideration Process for American Rescue Plan (ARP) Rural and Phase 4 payments on February 1, 2022 for a period of at least 45 days.

In a letter addressed to President Biden and Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, Representatives Bobby Scott, Chair of the Education and Labor Committee, and Alma Adams, Chair of the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, objected to the administration’s plan to withdraw most of its June 21, 2021 Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) requiring health care facilities to take steps to protect healthcare workers from exposure to COVID-19 while a more permanent standard is developed.

Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA) reintroduced the Dental Care for Veterans Act (H.R.914) on February 12. The bill would eliminate the current statutory eligibility restrictions for VA dental care and expand eligibility for VA dental care to all veterans enrolled in the system.

On February 9, the National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) released a review of the Revised National Toxicology Program (NTP) Monograph on the Systematic Review of Fluoride Exposure and Neurodevelopmental and Cognitive Health Effects.

A pandemic relief package could get a House floor vote by the end of the month, with House authorizing committees finishing the initial drafting efforts to turn President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion proposal, the American Rescue Plan, into legislative text.

On January 20, AGD sent a letter to Dr. Rochelle Walensky congratulating her on her recent selection by President Biden to be the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). The CDC Director position does not require Senate confirmation.

The J&J vaccine division, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, reports that their vaccine is 66% protective against moderate to severe COVID-19 infection in a multi-country study.