House Panel OKs Bipartisan Preventive Health Measures Analysis

The House Budget Committee voted unanimously Tuesday to support a preventive health measures analysis bill — and tried to show that Republicans and Democrats can still work together.

Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, introduced the bill, H.R. 766, together with Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo. DeGette has been working on the bill for 15 years, and Burgess has been working on it for more than a decade.

The committee voted to change the name of the bill from the Preventive Health Savings Act to the Dr. Michael C. Burgess Preventive Health Savings Act to honor Burgess, who has decided against running for reelection for a 12th term in office.

Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, the House Budget chairman, pointed out that the level of support for the bill was unusual.

“It’s been a decade since this committee has passed bipartisan legislation, or any legislation outside of a partisan budget resolution,” Arrington said during the bill “markup” meeting, which was streamed live on the internet.

The committee’s recording of the meeting is available online.