U.S. House Energy and Commerce (E&C) Chair Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) last Friday formally announced Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) as Health subcommittee chair and Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) as leader of the Oversight and Investigations subcommittee.
Eshoo, who is based in a Northern California district with a large biotechnology presence, is considered to be largely an ally of the pharmaceutical industry. However, she has not supported the drug industry’s efforts to reign in the 340B program. DeGette has been more active in the 340B arena. She recently co-spearheaded a bipartisan letter to now former U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Azar signed by 243 members of Congress, calling on the department to penalize drug manufacturers for restricting or prohibiting access to 340B discounts at contract pharmacies. DeGette could end up holding hearings on the matter in the new session of Congress.
Democratic Reps. Angie Craig (Minn.), Kim Schrier (Wash.), Lori Trahan (Mass.) and Lizzie Fletcher (Texas) will be new on the E&C Health subcommittee this session. Schrier, a pediatrician, practiced medicine at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Issaquah, Wash., before entering politics.
Schirier, Trahan, and Rep. Tom O’Halleran (D-Ariz.) are new on the E&C Oversight and Investigations subcommittee.
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.), E&C’s new ranking Republican, on Jan. 14 announced the assignment of eight new party members to the full committee:
- Rep. Kelly Armstrong (N.D.)
- Rep. Dan Crenshaw (Texas)
- Rep. John Curtis (Utah)
- Rep. Neal Dunn (Fla.)
- Rep. John Joyce (Pa.)
- Rep. Debbie Lesko (Ariz.)
- Rep. Gary Palmer (Ala.)
- Rep. Greg Pence (Ind.)
McMorris Rodgers this morning announced her party’s E&C subcommittee leaders. Rep. Brett Guthrie (Ky.) will serve as the top Republican on the Health subcommittee. He has largely remained quiet when it comes to the debate over 340B’s future. Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) will be the ranking Republican on Oversight and Investigations.
