FIRST IN PULSE: FLORIDA FUNDING ISSUES — Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), ranking member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, is raising concerns about Florida’s dispersion of federal funds to safety net programs. In a letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra first obtained by Pulse, Scott laid out concerns about the state’s budget authority lapsing earlier this year for several weeks, preventing federal funds from going out the door. As a result, four local agencies had to close their doors, and others laid off staff, the letter said. The letter points to Miami Herald reporting showing the lapse left thousands of people unable to get assistance, including one who struggled to pay her power bill of about $500 monthly due to medically necessary medical equipment. Under one impacted program, more than 1,000 such local agencies offer resources nationwide, including health care services and Covid 19-related programs. “This most recent episode illustrates a potential pattern that could continue to disrupt vital services,†Scott wrote, calling for Becerra’s department to offer technical assistance and oversight. “I urge the Department to take corrective measures to ensure that there is a timely distribution of federal funds from the state to grantees to maintain the viability and continuity of services.†Spokespeople for HHS and Florida’s Department of Commerce didn’t respond to requests for comment. JORDAN TO GET A VOTE — House Speaker candidate Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) is set to get a vote on the House floor today. He’s gained momentum, but it’s unclear whether he’ll have the needed support to become speaker. A group of Republicans who oppose Jordan say he’ll have a challenger during the vote, but it’s not yet known who that is, POLITICO's Olivia Beavers has reported. What it means for health care: Jordan isn’t exactly a health care policy wonk, but his leadership style and penchant for pushing to cut federal spending generally could impact government funding negotiations ahead of the Nov. 17 shutdown deadline. The House Judiciary Committee chair has largely focused on red-meat issues related to health care in recent years, including slamming the Biden administration for not doing enough to stop fentanyl from coming into the country. Jordan called vaccine skeptic and Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. before his subcommittee on government “weaponization†and focused on Covid’s origins. In July, he sought information from pharmaceutical company executives as part of an investigation into a “censorship regime.†And when the new House Republican majority took its first votes on abortion this year, Jordan was out front defending Republicans’ position.
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