Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
Tomorrow's Senate HELP Committee markup of primary care-health workforce legislation is shaping up to be must-see viewing.
- Remember, this bill to boost the primary care ranks and expand community health centers is backed by Chairman Bernie Sanders and GOP Sen. Roger Marshall, but not the committee's ranking Republican, Bill Cassidy.
Driving the news: Here are a couple of newsy tidbits that we got ahead of time.
- "I expect several of my members on the committee to vote for it," Marshall told reporters on Tuesday when asked about additional GOP support. But he didn't name names. We'll be closely watching the vote count.
- GOP Sen. Mike Braun told Axios he is leaning yes, though he noted he wants to make sure it is paid for.
- One of the main points of contention has been how to pay for new spending in the bill. It is currently not fully offset, but Sanders said Tuesday that he has "assurances" from the Finance and Judiciary Committees about using payfors in their jurisdiction once the bill makes it out of HELP.
Our thought bubble: That's still not fully nailed down. The other committees did not fully commit to handing over their payfors. A Finance aide said, "Senator Wyden and Senator Sanders are having productive conversations on how to move their mutual health priorities forward."
- A Judiciary spokesperson said the panel had "nothing to share at this time" when asked about Sanders's statement.
- We did get some more details on the $10 billion in payfors that are in the HELP jurisdiction. See this breakdown from Sanders's office.
The other side: Cassidy has criticized the bill for not being fully paid for and not having appropriate Hyde language, which prevent federal funds from being used for abortion.
- "We still do not have a reliable explanation of how this legislation is to be paid for," Cassidy said in a statement to Axios. "This isn't serious legislating ... Don't just put up a bill based on aspiration, throw your hands up and say somebody else will figure out how to pay for it."
- Asked about the Hyde issue, Marshall defended the bill's use of a "lockbox" system similar to what was used in the 21st Century Cures Act in 2016. Mandatory funding will be placed in the lockbox, but will need to be unlocked through an appropriation, at which time he said Hyde language would be applied.
