Dems eye another go to pass cannabis banking bill
04 February, 2023
Did anyone have “Balloon causes international diplomatic crisis” on their 2023 bingo card?
In health news, seasonal flu levels continue to fall nationwide as the early season surge fades. But first, Senate Democrats are trying to push ahead on marijuana banking reforms.
Welcome to The Hill’s Overnight Health Care roundup, where we’re following the latest moves on policy and news affecting your health. We’re Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi.
Senate Dems look for way forward on marijuana bill
Senate Democrats are giving marijuana banking legislation another look only weeks after it hit a wall with Republicans and was not attached to a year-end spending package. A handful of Senate Democrats met with Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday to “ponder the path” to passage this Congress, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) said, despite what seems to be a dead end across the Capitol with Republicans now in charge of the House.
- The legislation would allow banks to offer services to cannabis businesses in states where it has been legalized.
- “We’re trying to find the formulation of Safe Banking Plus that can allow us to end this cash economy that’s doing so much to hurt so many across the country,” Merkley, a leading backer of Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking reform, told The Hill ahead of Wednesday’s meeting in Schumer’s office. “Hopefully we can find a formulation and have bipartisan support and get it done.”
Dubious prospects: While the group is hopeful, they realize the climb to advancing the bill through the GOP-led House is a steep one.
House Financial Services Committee Chairman Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) said in December that he is personally opposed to SAFE Banking, but would not stand in the bill’s way if the caucus as a whole wanted it passed. It does not, however, appear to be atop House Republicans’ to-do list.
Flu season continues to decline
Seasonal flu activity continues to decline across much of the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Most states were experiencing “minimal” or “low” flu activity in the past week, according to the latest data published by the CDC on Friday. Only New Mexico and Oklahoma saw “high” or “very high” levels of influenza activity.
The weeks immediately after the holidays saw a high level of activity, as both flu and RSV hit much earlier than in years past. But the continued downward trend shows the season appears to have peaked for now, and the “tripledemic” of COVID, flu and RSV was not as bad as many feared.
- The number and weekly rate of flu hospital admissions decreased compared to the previous week, CDC said.
- Hospitals reported 2,671 influenza hospitalizations to the Department of Health and Human Services during the week ending Jan. 28, compared to 4,028 reported the week prior.
- Only 2 percent of cases tested by clinical labs were positive, CDC said, and 2.6 percent of everyone who visited a health care provider last week had respiratory virus symptoms, including fever plus a cough or sore throat.
Source: thehill.com
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