Pending Judicial and Executive Branch Nominations
The House and Senate are both in session next week with two weeks in Washington before the Memorial Day recess. Leader McConnell will continue to process pending judicial and executive branch nominations.
Disaster Aid
In the meantime, Senate leadership continues to negotiate an aid package to deliver supplemental funding to disaster-stricken areas around the country, though funding for hurricane recovery in Puerto Rico remains a point of contention. Majority Leader McConnell (R-KY) said this week that he aims to pass a bill before the recess.
Robocalls
The Senate may also hotline, or expedite consideration of, the TRACED Act, bipartisan legislation aimed at curbing abusive robocalls. Minority Leader Schumer (D-NY) endorsed the bill this week as its list of cosponsors neared 75, ensuring passage.
Lowering Prescription Drug Prices
Next week, the House will take up legislation that packages together a number of bills aimed at lowering prescription drug prices. H.R. 987, the Strengthening Health Care and Lowering Prescription Drug Costs Act, which will include, among other bills, the CREATES Act, the Protecting Consumer Access to Generic Drugs Act, and the BLOCKING Act. This week, the House passed two bills, H.R. 1503 and H.R. 1520, which would update the FDA Orange and Purple Books, respectively, with the goal of making it easier for generics and biosimilars to reach the market.