U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) this week officially gaveled in as the new chair of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, which has jurisdiction over 340B-related issues in the Senate.
Cassidy, an outspoken critic of the 340B program who served as the HELP Committee’s ranking member, or top Republican, in the last Congress, took control of the influential panel from U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). As HELP Committee chairman, the Louisiana Republican will set the panel’s agenda during the new two-year congressional session.
“It is an honor to lead my fellow Republicans as chair of the HELP Committee,” he said in a Tuesday statement. “I am excited to work closely with President [-elect Donald] Trump and my Republican colleagues to implement a pro-America agenda that improves the lives of all families.”
His comments came just days after Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), announced the 10 Democrats who will serve alongside Ranking Member Sanders on the HELP Committee in the 119th Congress. Democrats selected Sanders as the panel’s new ranking member in December.
Last month, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) announced the 11 GOP senators who will join Cassidy on the HELP Committee in the new Congress.
The Committee’s Agenda
Cassidy has yet to outline his specific legislative priorities for the committee. However, his previous comments offer a potential preview of what 340B-related proposals could come out of the committee under his leadership.
Axios Pro reported last month that Cassidy wants to pursue 340B reform and may continue gathering information on the program through hearings and information requests.
“There’s still things that we were unable to learn, so I need to know more,” he told the news outlet. “There’s a House bill. There’s something that came out of a ‘Group of Six’ up here. So you can take that, incorporate that as well.”
He added that lawmakers can “build on” what they’ve already done, “but there’s more to be done.”
As ranking member of the HELP Committee, Cassidy launched a probe in 2023 into how certain hospitals, health centers, chain pharmacies and drugmakers operate their 340B programs. That probe is likely to continue and potentially expand under his chairmanship as he will have more power to enforce information requests.
Cassidy has not specified how he intends to use any findings from his inquiries, and it’s unclear if his probe had the support of other members of the HELP Committee. According to the committee’s rules, only the chairperson can open a formal investigation, an attorney specializing in congressional investigations previously told 340B Report. However, senators acting alone can and often do open investigations seeking voluntary compliance from witnesses, the attorney said.
Cassidy also has previously advocated for increased provider transparency in the 340B program and supported efforts to place various restrictions on program use. He’s considered one of the Senate chamber’s most supportive advocates for drug industry causes—a stark contrast to Sanders.
However, any Cassidy-led efforts to update or overhaul the 340B program could face internal GOP pushback from Thune, who’s considered a longtime champion of the 340B program.
As majority leader, Thune—who was one of the “Group of Six” senators behind a long-awaited bipartisan plan to update the 340B program in the 118th Congress—has the power to set the chamber’s legislative agenda, including what bills receive floor votes.
Lawmakers did not introduce the bill, known as the SUSTAIN 340B Act last session as originally planned. Thune said in early December that the bipartisan group of senators was still developing the reform package’s framework and finalizing the SUSTAIN 340B Act.
And with Republicans holding narrow majorities in both the U.S. House and Senate, any major 340B-related legislation will likely require Democrat buy-in.
