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Sen. Whitehouse holding children's hospital bill
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) is under pressure to lift his hold on legislation to fund children's hospitals as the clock runs out on this year's congressional session.
Whitehouse is blocking a unanimous Senate vote on the program that funds pediatricians' training, sources tell The Hill, because he still hopes to add an amendment that would expand it to children's psychiatric hospitals. Rhode Island is home to Bradley Hospital, which touts itself as the nation's center for training and research in child and adolescent psychiatry.
The amendment is controversial, because it's seen as expanding a federal program at a time when legislators are seeking to cut the deficit. But the senator says his amendment wouldn't add a dime to the program's annual $330 million cost.
The statement says the effort is supported by Rhode Island's other senator, Democrat Jack Reed.
The funding program expired at the end of September. Legislation to reauthorize it sailed through the Republican-controlled House in September, but has been stuck in the Senate since passing out of committee that same month.
The children's hospital lobby says it's not opposed to the amendment, but is hoping for quick action before Congress adjourns in the next couple of weeks. With the limited days left for floor action, unanimous consent seems the easiest way forward — especially since the bill would have to go back to the House if Whitehouse's amendment is adopted.
"We're not opposed to it on policy grounds," said Jim Kaufman, vice president for public policy at the National Association of Children's Hospitals. "But our position is [lawmakers] need to reauthorize it before they break for the holidays."
The Children's Hospitals Graduate Medical Education program funds training for 40 percent of the nation's pediatric specialists and 43 percent of its general pediatricians, Kaufman said.
