Neal, Brady Praise Committee Passage of Home Visiting and Mental Health Legislation

Press Release

Today, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) and Ranking Member Kevin Brady (R-TX) applauded the Committee's passage of home visiting and mental health legislation:

"The Ways and Means Committee continues to show that when we work together, we not only deliver for the American people, but we accomplish big things," Chairman Neal said. "Today, we were honored to be joined by the loved ones of our late colleague, Congresswoman Jackie Walorski, as we honored her service and legacy by passing the reauthorization of home visiting legislation. The Jackie Walorski Maternal Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act doubles the federal funding in the proven MIECHV program over the next 5 years and will allow even more families to access this life-changing support."

Neal continued, "We also passed a package of bipartisan mental health bills that will strengthen care across the continuum, expanding access and improving transparency for patients in need. I'm proud of how these bills build on past bipartisan work of the Committee, and I extend my deepest gratitude to our members for working together to deliver a more comprehensive and accessible health care system for the American people."

"Mothers and their babies deserve support that works, and this bill delivers. The Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program is one of the only federal social programs where funding is tied to proven results, and targets dollars to the neediest communities," Republican Leader Rep. Kevin Brady said. "I am proud to join Chairman Neal in dedicating this bill to the late Republican Leader on the Worker and Family Support, our dear friend Rep. Jackie Walorski. This bipartisan bill wouldn't be possible without her tremendous work finding common ground for a five-year reauthorization, increasing transparency about outcomes, and her deep commitment to helping vulnerable children and families."

Brady continued, "Our package of mental health bills is a step in the right direction in helping patients dealing with mental health or substance use disorders. This collection of bipartisan policies will close gaps in mental health care, improve our current system to work better for patients, reduce physician burnout, protect consumers, and bring more openness into the system."

The following legislation passed out of the Ways and Means Committee:

H.R. 8876, The Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022
Section-by-Section
Summary
Committee Print 117-1. Improvements to Medicare Inpatient and Outpatient Mental Health Services
H.R. 8879 (introduced by Reps. Dwight Evans and Jodey Arrington)
H.R. 8878 (introduced by Reps. Judy Chu, Bill Pascrell, and Adrian Smith)
Committee Print 117-2. Improvements to the Medicare Program Related to Physician Services and Education.
H.R. 432 (introduced by Rep. Mike Thompson)
H.R. 8910 (introduced by Reps. Jason Smith, Brad Schneider, and Drew Ferguson)
H.R. 8884 (introduced by Reps. Mike Kelly and Brian Higgins)
H.R. 8890 (introduced by Reps. Raul Ruiz, Greg Murphy, Don Beyer, and Larry Buschon)
H.R. 8908 (introduced by Reps. Ron Estes and Jimmy Panetta)
Committee Print 117-3. Requiring Coverage of Forensic Medical Exams with No Cost Sharing
H.R. 8891 (introduced by Reps. Linda Sanchez, Gwen Moore, and Carol Miller)
Committee Print 117-4. Improved Information in Provider Directories, Plan Definitions, and Crisis Services for Private Insurance Plans
H.R. 8885 (introduced by Reps. Dan Kildee, Brad Wenstrup, and Kevin Hern)
H.R. 8886 (introduced by Reps. Gwen Moore and David Schweikert)
H.R. 8892 (introduced by Reps. Terri Sewell, Darin LaHood, and David Kustoff)
Committee Print 117-5. Improved Information for Network Coverage and Plan Documents in Private Insurance Plans
H.R. 8881 (introduced by Reps. Steven Horsford and Vern Buchanan)
H.R. 8889 (introduced by Reps. Stacey Plaskett, Tom Rice, and Lloyd Smucker)

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