Election Watch: What’s at Stake in November that may Impact Health Legislation?

Election Watch: What’s at Stake in November that may Impact Health Legislation?

Story

August 26, 2024

BY: Sarah Dobson and Tony Brozey

As we are tracking the November elections with an eye toward impact on the work of the Lutheran Services in America network, we will be highlighting key races of members on committees with jurisdiction over issues that matter to us. As you know, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee and the House Energy and Commerce (E&C) Committee have jurisdiction over issues critical to our work. The HELP Committee plays a crucial role in shaping national policies related to healthcare and the workforce, while Energy and Commerce has broad jurisdiction over healthcare and the regulations and laws that govern the sector.

Senate HELP Committee

Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), a senior member of the HELP Committee and chair of the Special Committee on Aging, is seeking re-election and is running against Republican Dave McCormick. Early projections and polls estimate that Casey is currently expected to beat his opponent, with some estimates giving Casey as much as a 10-percentage-point edge. Of course, Pennsylvania is a key battleground state in this year’s presidential election and so the race is expected to tighten. Lutheran Services in America and the Disability Network have worked extensively with Sen. Casey on legislation such as S. 100, the Better Care, Better Jobs Act; S. 762, the HCBS Access Act, and S. 4120, the Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act. We will continue to watch this race.

House E&C Committee

House Energy & Commerce (E&C) chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) is not seeking re-election. Her successor as leader of the committee will be determined first by whether the Democrats or Republicans have the majority in the House, and then through internal party deliberations. As chair, Rep. McMorris Rodgers has championed legislation addressing the needs of people with disabilities and served as a speaker at LSA-DN meetings. We will be closely monitoring who becomes chair of this committee, given the scope of their work, and ensuring an ongoing relationship for our network.

To learn more about our work with these lawmakers, or their legislation, please reach out.

Sarah Dobson is Senior Director of Public Policy and Advocacy.

Tony Brozey is a summer intern with the government affairs team at Lutheran Services in America.

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