Healthcare

The Democratic and Republican leaders ended the week with a debate over the Violence Against Women Act.

The Senate Thursday morning quickly approved four amendments to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) bill, by unanimous consent, including one from Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) that was not in the group of amendments agreed to on Wednesday.

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) set up a unanimous consent vote on an en bloc amendment package just before noon, saving the Senate roll-call votes on these amendments later in the day. The amendments were from:

The Senate meets at 9:30 a.m. for one last round of debate on a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reauthorization bill, and looks ready to pass it Thursday afternoon.

The bill was the subject of yet another amendment debate, and in a move that's becoming typical of the Senate, both parties, after several days, finally agreed to allow votes on several amendments as part of a deal to let the bill move ahead.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Tuesday morning said he is still optimistic that the Senate can move a Food and Drug Administration bill this week, even though he is facing pressure to include language on the bill to extend the federal flood insurance program.

"I'm optimistic that the Senate will move this legislation without unnecessary delays," Reid said Tuesday. "I hope ... I'm not disappointed."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Monday called on Republicans to lay aside the partisanship that has defined the last several months in the Senate and work with Democrats on a bill this that he said would help ensure the availability of life-saving medicines for Americans.

Reid spoke on S. 3187, the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act — a bill that has bipartisan backing and that Reid hopes can stay bipartisan.

Reid made the comments as the Senate began debate on a bill to help the FDA approve drugs more quickly.

The House meets at 10 a.m. for speeches, then at noon to start work on the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), H.R. 4310. After debate and approval of the rule, likely around 1 or 2 p.m., the House will start work on scores of amendments to the bill.

To be precise, the House Rules Committee made seven score and two amendments in order.

Consideration of 142 amendments makes for a long day. Each amendment is eligible for 10 minutes of debate, which means if all are considered and debated, the House faces nearly 24 hours of debate.

Forty-eight House Republicans on Thursday proposed a bill that would cut off public funding for abortion providers that use video consultations with doctors to prescribe the morning-after pill.

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) and dozens of other Republicans argue that this practice allows women access to abortion without having a doctor present as they take a drug that often leads to serious side-effects and hospitalization. King added Thursday that Planned Parenthood is a major beneficiary of this current practice.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said Thursday afternoon that the House would vote next week on a $643 billion defense authorization bill and a bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

The House Armed Services Committee early Thursday morning approved H.R. 4310, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Eleanor Holmes Norton proposed the program, which would include a public awareness campaign and "intervention strategies."