President Fenves visited Capitol Hill on April 19. He met with Members from both parties to discuss Emory’s commitment to making college accessible and affordable for our students through the Expanded Emory Access program, increased federal investment in research, and the importance of a strong academic health center, like Emory, in Georgia. During his visit, he met with Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Representative Drew Ferguson (R-GA), Representative Lucy McBath (D-GA), Representative Rick Allen (R-GA), and Emory’s newest alumnus in Congress – Representative Jeff Jackson (D-NC). He also had an in-depth policy discussion with committee staff from the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pension Committee (HELP).

Capitol Hill has been busy the past few weeks with hearings on a multitude of issues that are of importance to Emory. The House Energy and Commerce Committee held hearings on HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration) and CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) that included conversations about the 340b program. The House Appropriations Committee heard from CDC (Centers for Disease Control), NIH (National Institutes of Health), and ASPR (Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response) about their FY24 budget requests. Finally, the Senate heard from the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) Commissioner about his FY24 budget requests. We expect the next month to be busy with additional hearings including one in late April that will examine tax-exempt status for hospitals. Emory’s OGCA team is working with our congressional delegation to ensure that Emory’s viewpoint is reflected in these hearings and subsequent legislation. We are pleased that the House Energy and Commerce committee is scheduled to markup legislation next week that includes a 2-year DSH (Disproportionate Share Hospital) cut delay, among other provisions.  

Debt Limit Update  

As Congress rapidly approaches the debt ceiling, Speaker McCarthy has given his opening offer to the House. More information about the provision can be found here. There is some doubt about whether this proposal has enough votes to pass the House and may be a non-starter in the Senate. However, this may be what is needed to start the conversation between the Speaker and the White House. President Biden and congressional Democrats continue to stand by their statement that they will not negotiate on this issue or the need to raise the debt limit in the future. Stay tuned as we see how this plays out over the summer.

A 2023 Legislative Recap with Rep. Karla Drenner (D-85), Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (D-82), Rep. Omari Crawford (D-84), Rep. Becky Evans (D-83), and Sen. Elena Parent (D-42) was held on April 20 from 6-7:30 pm at the First Baptist Church of Decatur. Most of these legislators’ districts include Emory’s campuses, and we are grateful for their leadership in both healthcare and higher education. The town hall was a great opportunity to both reflect on the past session and look ahead to the upcoming 2024 session.

CON Study Committee Updates 

Discussions related to re-evaluating Georgia’s healthcare Certificate of Need (CON) regulations continue. Last week, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones announced the members of a new CON study committee, sponsored by Senator Greg Dolezal (R-GA). None of the members are from the metro Atlanta region. The study committee specifically states that Georgia needs additional healthcare facilities and changes to the current regulatory environment to meet the needs of patients, address the financial crisis for health systems, and respond to the recent closure of AMC. The committee will be abolished on December 1, 2023, and a report will be released if the committee has any specific findings or recommendations. The state affairs team will be actively working with this study committee and others as they meet throughout the year. 

April DBHDD Board Meeting 

The state affairs team attended a Department of Behavior Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) board meeting on April 13. Commissioner Kevin Tanner addressed upcoming studies and pilot programs and their intended goals. Towards the end of the board meeting, DBHDD staff discussed Georgia Recovers, the implementation of a statewide stigma reduction and opioid abuse public awareness campaign. In a partnership with Shatterproof, there will be a statewide evidence-based public health intervention that addresses prejudice and discrimination surrounding opioid use disorder. The campaign launch is still to be determined, but is expected around mid-May. We will continue to attend the board meetings and provide updates.

Emory University has been designated a Voter Friendly Campus, one of 258 campuses in 38 states and the District of Columbia to earn the distinction. The 2023 Voter Friendly Campus designation recognizes the efforts of colleges and universities that help students overcome barriers to participating in the political process every year. Read more about the designation here. 

The Emory Police Department (EPD) is committed to fostering a safe and inclusive campus and invites University students, faculty, and staff to share their voices. On April 11, the Office of Institutional Research sent out an independent survey about EPD and safety at Emory. Check your inbox for details and a link to the survey. Remember that each link is unique to you and cannot be shared.