The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee has unanimously advanced four bipartisan bills aimed at improving health outcomes for American families. The committee, which oversees federal agencies and programs related to public health, education, workforce development, and labor protections as detailed on its official website, moved forward with legislation addressing lung cancer research in women, fentanyl detection in healthcare settings, cybersecurity for rural hospitals, and infant formula safety.
The bills reported favorably by the committee are: S. 1157, Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act; S. 921, Tyler's Law; S. 2169, Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act; and S. 272, Protect Infant Formula from Contamination Act.
Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), chair of the HELP Committee during the 119th Congress as noted on the committee’s website, addressed members before the vote:
"The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions will please come to order.
I appreciate everyone’s work on these pro-family, pro-patient bills. When the Committee sets politics aside and works together, we can deliver results for American families. As Chairman of the HELP Committee, I’m committed to holding more markups to move forward down dais member priorities on both sides, to benefit Louisianans and all Americans.
The legislation we are considering today is crucial to improving families’ health.
Senators Capito and Smith’s Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act will help doctors better identify which of their patients are at risk for lung cancer. Despite smoking at lower rates than men, more American women die from lung cancer than other types of cancers. We need to understand why. I thank Senators Capito and Smith, as well as Secretary Rubio who championed this legislation as a senator. Being a doctor, I know that early intervention saves lives.
Senators Banks and Padilla’s Tyler’s Law will enhance health care providers’ ability to detect fentanyl exposure. The bill honors Tyler, a 19-year-old who died from fentanyl poisoning the day after being seen in an emergency room. Unfortunately, the common drug test doctors gave Tyler wasn’t able to detect synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. Too many families know the pain from losing a loved one to fentanyl. I was happy to collaborate with President Trump to protect Americans from this dangerous drug. In July, President Trump signed my HALT Fentanyl Act to support law enforcement as they fight the scourge of fentanyl and fentanyl related substances on our streets. And in December, President Trump signed our SUPPORT Reauthorization Act into law, which bolsters prevention, treatment, and recovery services for Americans with substance use disorders and mental illness. I’m grateful to my colleagues for their continued work to address the opioid crisis.
Senators Hawley and Hassan’s Rural Hospital Cybersecurity Enhancement Act empowers rural hospitals to bolster their cybersecurity and protect patient data. Cyberattacks on the health care sector not only put patients’ sensitive health data at risk but can delay life-saving care. In conjunction with the bill we are voting on today, I’m also working with Senators Hassan, Cornyn and Warner on the Health Care Cybersecurity and Resilience Act to better prepare the health care sector against cyberattacks. I look forward to working with Ranking Member Sanders to advance that bill at a later date.
Senators Hoeven and Peters’ Protect Infant Formula from Contamination Act enacts important protocols to ensure infant formula is safe and readily available. We cannot allow a repeat of the 2022 infant formula shortage which had mothers scouring the shelves at Walmart to find formula for their babies. This legislation increases testing on infant formula for potential contaminants so the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can work better with manufacturers to address safety concerns before infant formula reaches the shelves. The bill also directs FDA to provide additional reports to Congress on how it is working to improve the safety and supply of infant formula.
Thank you all for your work. I look forward to advancing these bills as part of our pro-family, pro-patient agenda
With that, I recognize Senator Sanders."
The HELP Committee plays a significant role in shaping federal regulations affecting health care across America (source). It provides oversight over laws impacting public health policy while overseeing agencies like the FDA (source).
For further updates about actions taken by HELP Republicans or additional information about committee initiatives regarding public health or labor policy decisions in Congress visit their official website or Twitter account @GOPHELP.
