⚡️ NIMITZ HEALTH NEWS FLASH ⚡️ 

“Healthier America: Legislative Proposals to Improve Public Health”

House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee

April 15th, 2026 (recording linked here)

WITNESS

• Jamie Ulmer, MA: President and CEO, Healthcare Network

• Rachel F. Brem, MD: FACR, FSBI, Co-Founder, Chief Medical Officer,

  Brem Foundation to Defeat Breast Cancer and Professor and Vice-Chair

  Emeritus, The George Washington University

• Holly Ahern, MS, MT(ASCP): Associate Professor of Microbiology, State

  University of New York Adirondack

• Amy L. Ronneberg, MBA: Chief Executive Officer, National Marrow Donor

  Program

• Brian Wallach & Sandra Abrevaya: Co-Founders, I AM ALS

• René Quashie, JD: Vice President, Digital Health, Consumer Technology

  Association

QUICK SUMMARY

• The hearing focused on bipartisan legislation to strengthen public health through prevention, early detection, and expanded access to care across areas such as chronic disease, cancer, ALS, and tick-borne illnesses.

• Witnesses and members emphasized the importance of sustained federal funding for community health centers, school-based care, and workforce development to address gaps in access, particularly in underserved and rural communities.

• Significant attention was given to integrating nutrition, behavioral health, and primary care as cost-effective strategies to reduce chronic disease and long-term healthcare spending.

• Advancements in research and innovation, including ALS therapies, cancer detection, bone marrow transplants, and digital health technologies like wearables, were highlighted as critical to improving outcomes.

• Ongoing challenges discussed included healthcare workforce shortages, disparities in care, data privacy concerns in digital health, and the impact of funding constraints on research and public health programs.

🐘 Republicans

• Emphasized prevention-focused health policy, particularly nutrition, lifestyle changes, and early intervention, as key to reducing chronic disease and long-term costs.

• Highlighted innovation, including digital health tools and research advancements, alongside support for bipartisan reauthorizations to expand access and improve outcomes.

🫏 Democrats

• Emphasized the importance of sustained federal funding, warning that recent cuts to healthcare programs, research, and coverage could undermine public health progress.

• Focused on expanding access to care, addressing disparities, and strengthening public health infrastructure while supporting bipartisan legislation.

MEMBER OPENING STATEMENTS

• Subcommittee Chair Griffith (R-VA) opened the hearing by stating that the subcommittee would examine policy proposals to improve public health and emphasized the importance of prevention, early detection, and community-based initiatives. He highlighted several bills under consideration, including those addressing tick-borne diseases, ALS research, and dementia care, noting their potential to improve outcomes and expand access to treatment. He also shared personal and regional experiences with diseases like Lyme disease and ALS to underscore their impact. He concluded by stressing the importance of continued investment in public health and expressed interest in hearing from witnesses on improving national health outcomes.

• Subcommittee Ranking Member DeGette (D-CO) stated that the bills under consideration addressed a wide range of public health issues, including school-based care, disease awareness, and research programs. She emphasized that many of the bills would extend successful bipartisan programs, such as Project ECHO and ALS research initiatives, and shared a personal connection to ALS. She argued that Congress must go beyond routine reauthorizations and pursue more ambitious reforms while working collaboratively. She concluded by urging bipartisan cooperation and stressing the importance of evidence-based policymaking to improve public health outcomes.

• Full Committee Chair Guthrie (R-KY) stated that there was strong bipartisan collaboration behind the hearing and emphasized the shared goal of improving health care access and outcomes. He highlighted the high cost of chronic disease and the need for policies focused on prevention, research, and access to treatment. He discussed several bills related to nutrition, physical activity, school-based health centers, and stem cell therapies, as well as the urgency of advancing ALS research. He concluded by noting that the legislation represented important steps toward a healthier nation and thanked participants for their contributions.

• Full Committee Ranking Member Pallone (D-NJ) stated that while the hearing addressed important bipartisan legislation, he was deeply concerned about broader health care policy decisions that he argued were harming Americans. He criticized recent actions that he said reduced funding, increased costs, and threatened access to care, particularly referencing potential hospital closures and insurance losses. He then outlined several bills under consideration, including those related to school-based health centers, community health services, cancer detection, and ALS research, acknowledging their importance. He concluded by reiterating his concerns about health care cuts while expressing support for the bipartisan efforts discussed in the hearing.

WITNESS OPENING STATEMENTS

• Mr. Ulmer expressed gratitude for bipartisan support and funding for community health centers, stating that these investments had expanded access to care and stabilized services in underserved communities. He described the impact of coordinated care through a patient story and emphasized that demand continued to exceed available resources. He highlighted the need for additional investment in school-based care, nutrition and prevention programs, and behavioral health integration. He concluded that sustained federal support would allow health centers to reach more patients earlier and improve long-term health outcomes.

• Dr. Brem stated that her work in breast cancer detection was both professional and deeply personal, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis in saving lives. She argued that breast cancer rates were rising among younger women and that a lack of standardized screening for women under 40 created a critical public health gap. She strongly supported the EARLY Act, explaining that education and awareness were essential where screening guidelines did not exist. She concluded that expanding the program would empower women, improve early detection, and ultimately save lives.

• Ms. Ahern described her professional background and personal experience with her daughter’s severe Lyme disease, emphasizing the consequences of missed early diagnosis. She argued that Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses were underdiagnosed, poorly understood, and could lead to long-term or fatal outcomes, including chronic illness and suicide. She highlighted gaps in surveillance, diagnostics, and medical consensus, noting the economic and public health burden of misdiagnosis. She concluded that reauthorizing the Tick Act would improve surveillance, diagnostics, and prevention efforts.

• Ms. Ronneberg explained the role of the National Marrow Donor Program in facilitating life-saving bone marrow and cord blood transplants for patients with serious blood disorders. She stated that the program had significantly expanded access to donors and improved transplant success rates through sustained federal support and innovation. She emphasized the importance of continued donor recruitment, infrastructure, and interagency coordination to maintain the program’s effectiveness. She concluded by urging reauthorization of the program to ensure continued access to life-saving treatments.

• Mr. Quashie discussed the growing role of digital health technologies, particularly wearable devices, in improving prevention, early detection, and chronic disease management. He stated that policy had not kept pace with innovation and supported the Digital Health Screeners Act to provide regulatory clarity and encourage continued development. He also emphasized the need for national data privacy standards, improved interoperability, and expanded reimbursement for digital health tools. He concluded that these steps would strengthen innovation and expand access to personalized, proactive health care.

• Ms. Abrevaya, speaking alongside her husband Mr. Wallach, emphasized the urgency of reauthorizing the Act for ALS, highlighting both personal and broader impacts of the disease. She explained that ALS was more common than often assumed and described how the law had expanded research funding, improved clinical trial access, and supported patients through expanded treatment programs. She argued that the act had significantly advanced scientific understanding and provided critical access to therapies for patients who would otherwise be excluded. She concluded that reauthorization was essential to continue progress toward a cure and to sustain life-saving treatments.

QUESTION AND ANSWER SUMMARY

• Chair Griffith (R-VA) asked how the Act for ALS model could be applied to other neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington’s, and Ms. Abrevaya explained that expanded access programs funded by the act allowed therapies to be tested across multiple diseases, accelerating broader research.

  Chair Griffith then asked about the Digital Health Screeners Act, and Mr. Quashie stated that it would clarify regulatory pathways and promote adoption of wearable technologies as frontline health tools.

  Chair Griffith also asked about advances in Lyme disease diagnostics, and Ms. Ahern described a new test in development with high early-stage accuracy and emphasized the need for improved detection to prevent chronic illness.

• Ranking Member DeGette (D-CO) focused on nutrition and access to healthy food in underserved communities, and Mr. Ulmer stated that many patients faced barriers such as food deserts, limiting their ability to maintain healthy diets.

  Ranking Member DeGette questioned the lack of funding in proposed nutrition legislation, and Mr. Ulmer emphasized that additional funding would expand services like nutrition counseling, community kitchens, and preventative care programs.

  Ranking Member DeGette also asked about real-world data from ALS expanded access programs, and Ms. Abrevaya explained that biomarker data collected through these programs could support FDA approval decisions and advance research across neurodegenerative diseases.

• Rep. Guthrie (R-KY) asked about current nutrition services at community health centers, and Mr. Ulmer described integrated models combining dietitians, behavioral health, and primary care to reduce chronic disease.

  Rep. Guthrie then asked about standards for wearable technologies, and Mr. Quashie explained that industry-led standards could provide guidance and accountability in the absence of comprehensive regulation.

  Rep. Guthrie also asked about the rise in vector-borne diseases, and Ms. Ahern cited environmental changes and gaps in surveillance as key drivers, emphasizing the need for improved monitoring and public awareness.

• Rep. Pallone (D-NJ) asked about integrating mental and behavioral health services into community health centers, and Mr. Ulmer explained that integrated care models improved access but were limited by workforce shortages. He emphasized that additional funding would allow hiring more behavioral health professionals and expanding services such as addiction treatment.

  Rep. Pallone also highlighted unmet demand and asked about nutrition services, and Mr. Ulmer stated that increased funding would enable fully integrated nutrition care models, improving chronic disease outcomes.

• Rep. Harshbarger (R-TN) asked how integrating nutrition and lifestyle interventions into primary care improved outcomes, and Mr. Ulmer described programs that reduced childhood diabetes risk and influenced entire families’ health behaviors.

  Rep. Harshbarger further asked whether such interventions reduced long-term healthcare costs, and Mr. Ulmer confirmed that preventative care lowered hospitalizations and chronic disease burdens.

  Rep. Harshbarger also raised the need for better provider training in nutrition, and Mr. Ulmer agreed that expanded training and integration were necessary.

• Rep. Dingell (D-MI) asked how the Early Act improved outcomes and reduced costs, and Dr. Brem explained that education and awareness enabled earlier detection, which significantly improved survival rates and reduced treatment intensity.

  Rep. Dingell emphasized that younger and underserved women often lacked access to screening and were at higher risk of late-stage diagnosis. Dr. Brem stated that empowering patients through education could lead to earlier care-seeking and better long-term outcomes.

• Rep. Carter (R-GA) asked about expanding provider training for dementia care, and Mr. Ulmer highlighted telehealth and Project ECHO as effective tools for connecting primary care providers with specialists.

  Rep. Carter also asked about school-based health centers, and Mr. Ulmer explained that these programs improved early intervention, reduced barriers to care, and prevented long-term health issues. Rep. Carter emphasized that preventative investments could reduce future healthcare costs.

• Rep. Kelly (D-IL) asked about the role of industry standards in wearable health technologies, and Mr. Quashie stated that consensus-based standards helped guide development and ensure trust in the absence of regulation.

  Rep. Kelly then asked about disparities in breast cancer outcomes, and Dr. Brem explained that funding cuts to research and care access would worsen disparities, particularly for Black women, by limiting access to advanced screening and diagnostic tools.

• Rep. Dunn (R-FL) asked about the importance of qualified professionals in mental health treatment, and Mr. Ulmer emphasized that integrated care teams with trained providers were essential to delivering high-quality care.

  Rep. Dunn also asked about cancer innovation and reimbursement, and Dr. Brem stated that lack of reimbursement often prevented new technologies from reaching patients, stressing the need for policies that support adoption of advanced treatments.

• Rep. Landsman (D-OH) did not ask specific questions but expressed support for the bipartisan legislation and emphasized concern about broader healthcare funding cuts, which he argued could limit the impact of the bills under consideration.

• Rep. Joyce (R-PA) asked about expanding nutrition education in medical training, and Mr. Ulmer supported integrating nutrition into residency programs and primary care models to address chronic disease.

  Rep. Joyce also asked about extending nutrition training to nurse practitioners and physician assistants, and Mr. Ulmer agreed it should be included.

  Rep. Joyce further asked about incentives, and Mr. Ulmer stated that reimbursement and continuing education programs could encourage adoption.

• Rep. Veasey (D-TX) raised concerns about data privacy in wearable health technologies and asked about needed protections. Mr. Quashie agreed that current laws were insufficient and advocated for comprehensive federal privacy legislation to create consistent standards and protect consumer data.

• Rep. Balderson (R-OH) asked about the benefits of wearable technologies, and Mr. Quashie explained that they enabled early detection and empowered patients to manage their health proactively.

  Rep. Balderson also asked about regulatory needs, and Mr. Quashie emphasized the importance of flexible, adaptive policies to keep pace with innovation.

  Rep. Balderson then asked about dementia care, and Mr. Ulmer highlighted tele-mentoring programs like Project ECHO as critical for improving diagnosis and care in rural areas.

• Rep. Carter (D-LA) asked about school-based health centers, and Mr. Ulmer explained that they reduced barriers to care, improved mental health outcomes, and prevented crises such as hospitalizations and suicides.

  Rep. Carter also asked about workforce shortages, and Mr. Ulmer emphasized the need for more trained behavioral health professionals and stronger training pipelines to expand access.

• Rep. Miller-Meeks (R-IA) asked how the EARLY Act could translate awareness into action, and Dr. Brem explained that education empowered women to recognize symptoms and seek care despite the lack of routine screening.

  Rep. Miller-Meeks also asked about technology’s role, and Mr. Quashie noted that digital tools could enhance prevention but required improvements in privacy, interoperability, and reimbursement.

• Rep. Fletcher (D-TX) did not ask direct questions but emphasized concern that federal funding cuts and staffing reductions could undermine the effectiveness of the programs discussed, even if reauthorized.

• Rep. James (R-MI) asked about awareness and prevention strategies, and Dr. Brem emphasized that lifestyle changes and education could reduce breast cancer risk and improve early detection.

  Rep. James also asked about early education, and Dr. Brem supported introducing health awareness concepts at younger ages to promote prevention and self-advocacy.

• Rep. Bilirakis (R-FL) asked about advancements in bone marrow and cord blood programs, and Ms. Ronneberg described improvements in donor matching, expanded transplant capacity, and increased survival outcomes due to research and innovation.

  Rep. Bilirakis also asked about broader neurodegenerative disease research, and Ms. Abrevaya recommended incentivizing cross-disease research to accelerate treatment development.

• Rep. Tonko (D-NY) asked about the need for the Tick Act, and Ms. Ahern emphasized the widespread and underrecognized burden of Lyme disease and the need for improved diagnostics and surveillance.

  Rep. Tonko also asked about school-based health centers, and Mr. Ulmer stated that they improved early intervention, promoted lifelong healthy behaviors, and expanded access to pediatric care, particularly in underserved areas.