ICYMI via BGOV: House Moderates Pushing Bipartisan Bills Before Midterm Election

Today, the New Democrat Coalition endorsed a slate of 22 bipartisan health care bills aimed at addressing mental health and substance use disorder, public health crises that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. These bipartisan, commonsense bills are in line with President Biden’s Unity agenda and New Dems are committed to getting them signed into law as quickly as possible to help our communities.  

Bloomberg Government wrote about this NDC legislative push today. You can read the BGOV article here and below:  

A group of centrist House Democrats is urging leadership to put nearly two dozen health-care bills on the floor for votes. 

The endorsement for the swath of legislation will be rolled out with a social media push Thursday and is part of the New Democrat Coalition’s broader effort to encourage the party to pass as many bipartisan bills as possible before the midterm elections—while they still control the House, Senate, and White House. 

The potential for Republicans to take back the House majority means the time is now for any lingering legislative priorities that could potentially find support in the Senate, New Dem Chair Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) said in an interview  

“We’re here right now, we’re ready to legislate right now,” she said. “Let’s get things done right now to help our communities.” 

The group’s leaders are working with the House Energy and Commerce Committee and its Health subcommittee to get some of the bills marked up in May, with potential floor votes in the summer, said  

Rep. Annie Kuster (D-N.H.), who sits on the Health subcommittee. New Dem lawmakers are also discussing whether the bills should be voted on as standalone measures or combined in a larger package. 

Many of the bills address mental health and opioid addiction, two issues President Joe Biden requested bipartisanship on during his State of the Union. 

The Biden administration released its drug control strategy last week, a sweeping plan that promises a new injection of cash for law enforcement agencies to crack down on drug traffickers and an expansion of harm-reduction programs.  

Among the 22 bills the New Dems are endorsing, one would ensure doctors are paid for prescribing non-opioid pain treatments, and one would make it easier for doctors to prescribe opioid treatment drugs. 

“This is grassroots, from-the-bottom-up in the House, but it is consistent with the president’s unity agenda, and they are enthusiastic at the White House about working with us on these bills,” Kuster said. 

House Democratic leaders also support the effort. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said addressing mental health is a top priority for House Democrats, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic. 

“I applaud the efforts of the New Democrat Coalition Health Care Task Force to advance a number of bills that take action on the opioid crisis and make important improvements in mental health support and treatment,” Hoyer said in a statement to Bloomberg Government. 

Bipartisan Effort  

Each bill has at least one Republican cosponsor. Most have more. Meanwhile, 13 have Senate companion bills. The group is working with Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) to help ensure the bills get consideration in that chamber. 

With some legislation stalling in the 50-50 Senate, other member groups have turned to the White House to enact priorities. That includes the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which met with the White House earlier this week.  

Rep.Sharice Davids (D-Kan.) said the New Dems are focusing on legislation that can move quickly and have staying power regardless of which party controls the White House. 

“Lasting policy that goes through the rigors of being bipartisan is how we’re going to improve people’s lives in our communities,” Davids said in an interview. “That’s not just for the next few years but well into the future.”