Jul 18, 2016, 12:37 PM
by
Grace Whittington
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, will stop pushing for a vote on a slate of medical innovation bills before the extended congressional recess. AAPM&R – along with the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Coalition (DRRC) - championed advocacy efforts for the Enhancing the Stature and Visibility of Medical Rehabilitation Research at NIH Act (S. 800), which unanimously passed the committee earlier this year and is part of the legislative package under consideration and awaiting a full Senate vote. Chairman Alexander said he hopes the Senate can reach an agreement and pass the legislation in September. If (Senate) Republicans and Democrats can’t reach an agreement on National Institutes of Health funding and initiatives in September, lawmakers could bring the bill back and pass it during a lame-duck congressional session after the November elections.