On Aug. 11, the Senate passed a $3.5 trillion budget resolution for fiscal year (FY) 2022 (S. Con. Res. 14) by a party line vote of 50-49. The FY 2022 budget resolution allows Senate Democrats to use the budget reconciliation process to pass legislation, including components of President Joe Biden’s American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan, by a simple majority and without being subject to a filibuster [refer to Washington Highlights, April 2, April 30].
The FY 2022 budget resolution provides top-line spending instructions for Senate committees to utilize as part of the budget reconciliation process. A summary of the resolution from the Senate Budget Committee to Senate Democrats provides an overview of the funding level instructions and recommended policies under each committee’s jurisdiction that may be included in the reconciliation bill. Some of the key policies of interest to academic medicine and the relevant committees of jurisdiction are described below.
Senate Finance Committee
The Senate Finance Committee has been instructed to find $1 billion in net savings. It will be responsible for identifying the vast majority of revenues and offsets for the package. The Finance Committee has also been instructed to make investments that include:
- Addressing shortage of heath care providers, including through graduate medical education.
- Extending the temporary marketplace subsidies [refer to Washington Highlights, March 12].
- Filling the Medicaid coverage gap in nonexpansion states.
- Expanding Medicare benefits to include vision, dental, and hearing — and lower the eligibility age.
- Advancing health equity, particularly through maternal, behavioral, and racial justice.
Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee
The Senate HELP Committee has received an instruction of $726 billion to make investments that include:
- Creating pandemic preparedness programs.
- Increasing funding for the National Health Service Corps and the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education program.
- Strengthening research infrastructure.
- Investing in minority serving institutions (MSIs) including historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
- Advancing health equity, particularly through maternal, behavioral, and racial justice.
- Bolstering funding for MSIs including HBCUs.
Senate Judiciary Committee
The Senate Judiciary Committee has received an instruction of $170 billion to make investments that include:
- Providing lawful permanent status for qualified immigrants.
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Technology
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Technology has received an instruction of $83 billion to make investments that include:
- Establishing a National Science Foundation research and technology directorate.
Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs
The Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs has received an instruction of $18 billion to make investments that include:
- Upgrading VA facilities.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) announced that the House will vote on the budget resolution the week of Aug. 23. Following House passage of the measure, both chambers will work to craft legislative text to fulfill the instructions outlined in the budget resolution with a tentative deadline to submit legislation by Sept. 15.